Episode Summary: “Empower Your Team: Learn to Lead Across Differences”
The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast
Host: John Jantsch
Guest: Stephanie Chung
Release Date: December 11, 2024

Introduction

In this enlightening episode of The Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, host John Jantsch welcomes Stephanie Chung, a best-selling author, business leader, and strategic innovator with over three decades of experience. Stephanie, the former Chief Growth Officer for Wheels Up and the first African American to lead a private jet company, shares her insights from her book, "Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You." The conversation delves into the evolving landscape of leadership in increasingly diverse workplaces and offers actionable strategies for leading effectively across differences.

Understanding Ally Leadership

Stephanie introduces the concept of ALLY leadership, clarifying that it's an acronym standing for Ask, Listen, Learn, and Take Action. This framework is designed to help leaders navigate the complexities of a modern workforce characterized by diverse generations, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and more.

Stephanie Chung [01:52]:
"ALLY stands for Ask, Listen, Learn, and then you take action."

Stephanie emphasizes that traditional leadership models, often dominated by white males, are no longer sufficient. The workforce today includes five, soon to be six, generations, a majority of which are women, alongside shifting ethnic demographics and increasing diversity in neurodiversity and the LGBTQ+ communities.

Stephanie Chung [02:20]:
"The real goal is how do we lead people who are not like us?"

Overcoming Cultural Barriers

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on developing cultural intelligence—the ability to understand, respect, and effectively interact with people across different cultures and backgrounds. Stephanie outlines two primary strategies for leaders to enhance their cultural intelligence:

1. Embrace Mistakes: Leaders must accept that mistakes are inevitable when interacting with unfamiliar cultures. Instead of fearing errors, they should view them as learning opportunities.

   Stephanie Chung [05:08]:
   "You have to come to grips that you're going to make a mistake... people who are not like you would much rather feel like you understand that your heart is in the right place."

2. Cultivate Curiosity: Leaders should approach diverse teams with genuine curiosity rather than imposing their own perspectives. This involves asking thoughtful questions and actively listening to understand different viewpoints.

   Stephanie Chung [06:15]:
   "Ask questions out of sheer curiosity and truly listen."

Stephanie shares a personal anecdote from her time in the cosmetic industry, where she navigated a meeting with a transgender individual—an experience that underscored the importance of allyship and understanding.

Stephanie Chung [10:40]:
"I was in the cosmetic industry... I was asked to meet with a person who was transgender... I needed to educate myself to avoid looking like a complete idiot."

Building Psychological Safety

Creating an environment where employees feel psychologically safe to express differing opinions is crucial for effective leadership. Stephanie discusses strategies to foster such an environment:

• Encourage Healthy Confrontation: Leaders should facilitate respectful disagreements to ensure that all voices are heard, preventing the dominance of conformist thinking.

  Stephanie Chung [23:05]:
  "When people voice their opinion, you almost want to create healthy confrontation."

• Model Vulnerability: Leaders demonstrating vulnerability by acknowledging their own limitations can pave the way for more open and honest communication within teams.

  Stephanie Chung [08:47]:
  "Acknowledge that you're going to make mistakes... it goes a long way to at least getting some grace in the beginning."

Stephanie recounts how a former CEO addressed team dysfunction by intentionally provoking discussions, thereby breaking down barriers and encouraging open dialogue.

Stephanie Chung [25:17]:
"By forcing those conversations, once people realize that nothing bad happens to them, they're more likely to do it again."

Practical Steps for Leaders

Stephanie provides a step-by-step approach for leaders striving to lead diverse teams effectively:

1. Ask Questions: Initiate conversations to understand your team members' backgrounds and perspectives.

2. Listen Actively: Give full attention to your team members' responses without judgment or immediate judgment.

3. Learn Continuously: Educate yourself about different cultures, identities, and experiences to bridge understanding gaps.

4. Take Action: Implement changes based on your learnings to create an inclusive and supportive work environment.

   Stephanie Chung [07:45]:
   "The easiest way to do it is ask questions, listen, learn, and decide to ask more questions."

She also highlights the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone to become more culturally fluent, such as visiting new neighborhoods, engaging in different cultural activities, and building relationships outside of one's usual circles.

Stephanie Chung [14:33]:
"You must take the bull by the horns. You will not get culturally fluent sitting on your couch."

Notable Quotes

• Stephanie Chung [02:50]:
  "The leader of today has to know how to lead all God's children, every race, every creed, every gender."

• Stephanie Chung [18:44]:
  "Leadership is all about human connection. We are best when we're connected."

• Stephanie Chung [20:26]:
  "Leading a diverse team can be very challenging, but it's the diversity that brings the competitive advantage."

Conclusion

Stephanie Chung's insights on Ally Leadership offer a comprehensive guide for leaders navigating the complexities of a diverse workforce. By adopting the ASKLY framework—Ask, Listen, Learn, and Take Action—leaders can foster inclusive environments that leverage the strengths of diverse team members. The episode underscores the importance of humility, continuous learning, and intentional action in building effective, harmonious, and high-performing teams.

For those interested in further exploring Stephanie Chung's work, she can be reached through her website stephanychung.com or across social media platforms such as LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram under StephanieChung.

Listen to the full episode here and empower your leadership skills to embrace and lead across differences effectively!