Making a huge mistake when you are new at your job is everyone's nightmare. Now imagine doing it in your first two weeks, and on top of that, putting other people's livelihoods at risk.

Ramon Lim, Chief of Staff at DDN, lived through this crisis and faced an agonizing choice: hide the error or come clean. In this raw conversation with Melinda Lee on the Speak in Flow podcast, he shares how this early career failure became his most powerful lesson in integrity, proving that vulnerability is the foundation of true leadership.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

The Integrity Crossroads

“A job is just a job. You stay with yourself forever.”

Life is made of choices, and our choices make us who we are. Ramon shares how facing the agonizing choice of whether to hide a costly mistake to save face or come clean and risk his new reputation taught him everything he needed to know about integrity.

Moving On After the Mess-Up

“Do everything you can, but realize you might not be able to reverse the whole thing, and that is okay.”

A practical framework for damage control: from taking ownership and apologizing to accepting imperfect outcomes and, most importantly, giving yourself permission to move forward without being paralyzed by fear.

The Leader's Guide to Risk and Decision-Making

“Not taking a risk is costing money.”

How to make informed decisions under pressure by asking one simple question: “Are we willing to accept the worst-case scenario?” and why democratizing intelligence with AI is changing the risk calculus for everyone.

The Habit of Communicating Impact

“If somebody makes a positive impact on you, communicate it.”

A simple yet profound practice to counteract our tendency to be our own harshest critics and to build a supportive environment where people feel seen and valued for their contributions.

About the Guest:

Ramon Lim is a business and technology executive recognized for bridging strategy and execution to drive enterprise-wide transformation. As VP and Chief of Staff to the CEO at DDN, a global leader in AI data intelligence, he partners with senior leadership to accelerate strategic priorities, scale operations, and foster a high-performance culture. With a career spanning leadership roles at Equinix and Informatica, as well as entrepreneurial ventures, Ramon combines deep operational acumen with a forward-looking approach to AI, organizational excellence, and business innovation.

Social Handles:

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonlim/

Fun Facts:

• 🌏A True Global Citizen: Ramon is of Asian descent but was born and raised in Mexico. This unique cross-cultural upbringing fundamentally shaped his appreciation for diversity and inclusion.
• 🏫Berkeley to the Core: His academic roots run deep in Berkeley, having earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the prestigious university, solidifying a foundation in engineering, operations, and business.
• 🐶The Real Chiefs of Staff: He lives in San Francisco with two dachshunds who unapologetically run the household. They are his unofficial (and often vocal) co-pilots and can frequently be heard chiming in during work-from-home meetings.

Melinda Lee is a Presentation Skills Expert, Speaking Coach, and nationally renowned Motivational Speaker. She holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, is an Insights Practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Talent Development as well as Certified in Conflict Resolution. For over a decade, Melinda has researched and studied the state of “flow” and used it as a proven technique to help corporate leaders and business owners amplify their voices, access flow, and present their mission in a more powerful way to achieve results.

She has been the TEDx Berkeley Speaker Coach and has worked with hundreds of executives and teams from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Caltrans, Bay Area Rapid Transit System, and more. Currently, she lives in San Francisco, California, and is breaking the ancestral lineage of silence.

Website: https://speakinflow.com/

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/speakinflow

Instagram: https://instagram.com/speakinflow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mpowerall

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