Hi Leaders!
Let’s reframe something right up front.
When most leaders hear the word inclusion, their mind jumps to HR trainings, employee handbooks, or DEI initiatives.
But that’s not what we’re talking about this month.
This isn’t about checking a box. It’s about building an advantage. Because in today’s landscape, innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s your edge. And the fastest way to dull that edge? Leading a team that thinks the same way you do.
Ok, let’s dive into it…
The Innovation Myth
We’ve been sold this idea that the best ideas come from the most brilliant minds in the room. But I’ve seen the other side. I’ve seen “brilliant” teams run in circles—smart, capable, aligned… and stuck.
Why? Because when everyone sees the world the same way, you don’t get innovation. You get insulation.
There’s no friction. No tension. No new angles.
Just predictable, recycled thinking dressed up as strategy. That’s not leadership. That’s stagnation with a nice slide deck.
Inclusion = Performance, Not Politics
Here’s the leadership truth:
If no one on your team is challenging your assumptions, they’re not helping you win—they’re helping you coast.
Inclusion isn’t about being nice. It’s about being sharp.
You need people around you who don’t think like you. Who spot risks you don’t see. Who surface blind spots you didn’t even know you had.
That’s not a moral stance. That’s a performance strategy.
And the numbers back it up.
A recent McKinsey study found that while 70% of executives list innovation as a top priority, only 16% believe their companies are good at it.
What’s missing? Not talent. Not funding.
It’s cognitive diversity. It’s the ability to collaborate across different functions, mindsets, and lived experiences.
You don’t get breakthrough thinking from teams that look aligned but stay quiet. You get it from teams that challenge each other, and leaders who welcome it.
Don’t Just Talk Leadership. Master It.
You’ve read the why. Now it’s time for the how.The A.L.L.Y. Leadership™ Sprint is your fast track to leading with impact…especially when your team doesn’t look, think, or work like you. In just 4 weeks, you’ll walk away with the tools top leaders wish they had sooner.
Enrollment is open now → stephaniechung.com/ally
Make Room for Friction
Innovation doesn’t thrive in harmony. It thrives in healthy tension. It shows up when someone dares to say, “I don’t think this is the best approach.”
And your job as a leader? Is to make it safe to say that out loud.
Try these three shifts in your leadership this week:
Appoint a Challenger
At your next meeting, assign someone to pressure-test the idea. Not to poke holes just to be difficult—but to make it stronger. Make “real talk” a habit, not a surprise.Ask Better Questions
Skip the “Any questions?” throwaway. Ask, “What are we missing?” or “Where might this fail?” Questions shape company culture. Use yours to signal that challenge is expected.Invite an Outsider
Bring someone from a different department into your next strategic session. Fresh eyes see what familiar ones - don’t . Disruption doesn’t always come from the top—it often comes from the edges.
This Month’s Challenge:
Take inventory of your inner circle. Who in your world consistently sharpens your thinking? Who (respectively) disagrees with you —and are they being heard?
And if no one’s pushing back… is that your doing?
Because the future doesn’t belong to the most agreeable leaders.
It belongs to the bold ones—the ones who build for difference.
You’ve got this,
Stephanie
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