Nicole Pratt | November 2025
As the year wraps up—or reaches its midpoint for those in schools—it’s a natural time to reflect on how we support and grow our teams. At EdFuel, we believe strong organizations grow from within. When we invest in developing our people for future opportunities, both within and beyond our walls, we strengthen our capacity to deliver on our mission.
Over the past several years, EdFuel has experienced multiple leadership transitions, and every one of those leaders—including me—was developed internally. I started nearly five years ago as a Director and now lead our program work. No one understands what it takes to make an organization thrive better than the people already committed to its mission.
Most mission-driven organizations say they value learning and growth for their people. But the data tells a different story—one that should make us pause:
- Only 31% of employees strongly agree someone at work encourages their development. That number drops further for frontline workers. (Gallup, 2022)
- Employees with less access to opportunity are less likely to say their manager supports their career growth. (McKinsey, 2021)
- Development opportunities are 3x more likely to be viewed as unfair by lower-paid staff than by senior leaders. (Opportunity@Work, 2020)
If development is one of the strongest levers for building a fair workplace, then we have to ask:
Whose development is invested in—and how are those decisions made?
Most leaders would agree that internal development is a worthy goal. But how can we be intentional about it in practice? Below are six key questions we use at EdFuel to help organizations—and ourselves—reflect on how development really works and where it can create meaningful change.
Development Isn’t Neutral
Too often, development systems rely on informal concepts like merit, coachability, or fit, ideas that can unintentionally reflect prior access to opportunity more than current capability. What we call “high potential” often mirrors who has already had mentorship or exposure, and “readiness” may reflect comfort or familiarity more than skill.
One common pattern is similar-to-me bias—the tendency to mentor or sponsor people whose styles or experiences feel familiar. In one study, managers were significantly more likely to select direct reports for mentorship or special projects based on shared backgrounds or interests even when performance was equal. (McKinsey, 2021)
Unless we build awareness and process checks into our systems, these patterns go unexamined and unchallenged.
Six Questions to Ask About Development
1. Are development opportunities fairly distributed or just equally distributed?
Offering everyone the same support might seem fair, but true fairness requires tailoring based on need and context. Some people need clearer feedback or coaching on unwritten norms; others may be starting from farther back due to differences in access.
2. Do our systems account for individual context or treat everyone the same?
Standardized processes can feel objective, but people’s experiences shape how they engage and how they’re perceived. Treating everyone the same often overlooks what people actually need to grow.
3. Who gets access to stretch roles, visibility, and coaching?
High-visibility opportunities are often shared informally, based on comfort rather than intent. Without reflection, this narrows who gains leadership experience and limits organizational innovation.
4. Are we investing in all roles or only the most visible ones?
Development often centers “strategic” positions, leaving out the people who keep organizations running. Yet instructional aides, school operations staff, and hourly workers are essential and deserve opportunities to grow. (Urban Institute, 2021)
5. Do our development investments lead to growth or just activity?
It’s easy to offer workshops or coaching sessions. But are they leading to real progress? If development doesn’t lead to different outcomes, it’s performance—not progress.
6. Do staff trust the process?
Even the best systems fail without trust. 56% of employees say their development paths aren’t transparent or achievable. (Deloitte, 2023) Trust grows through clarity, consistency, and follow-through.
Final Thought: Growth Requires Intentionality
Team development is more than a retention strategy—it’s one of the clearest signals of how people are seen, supported, and invested in. When we decide who gets feedback, stretch roles, and resources, we’re also deciding who gains access to influence and leadership. Those decisions are too important to leave to chance.
At EdFuel, we believe development planning should be one of the most intentional and transparent parts of any talent strategy—designed to ensure every team member has a fair opportunity to grow and contribute at their highest potential.
If you’re not asking these questions yet—it’s time to start. Check out talent development resources on EdFuel’s Talent Playbook, and start with revising, or developing your Talent Development Philosophy, or reach out to us for support on taking your next steps.