“Leadership Isn’t About DEI… It’s About ROI” with Stephanie Chung

Summary

Stephanie Chung, veteran aviation executive, sales leader, and board director, joins Lee to reframe modern leadership: it’s not about slogans; it’s about creating ROI through people. We cover how to lead six generations at once, build psychological safety, align everyone to the business model, and turn diversity of thought into better execution. Stephanie shares her A.L.L.Y. and E.A.R.N. playbooks plus simple, repeatable practices any leader can deploy this week.

Guest

Stephanie Chung — Former President in private aviation, Chief Growth Officer at Wheels Up, board member at XTI Aircraft, author of Ally Leadership: How to Lead People Who Are Not Like You (and previously Profit Like a Girl). Newsletter on the neuroscience of sales & leadership.

What we cover

• Why “DEI vs. ROI” is the wrong debate, and how real inclusion drives results

• Leading a six-generation workforce: placing strengths in the right roles

• Creating psychological safety so teams can challenge the status quo

• Business-model literacy: the three questions every employee must answer

• Diversity done right: thought, capability, and perspective (not just optics)

• Cross-functional alignment: “walk-a-mile” rotations & radical transparency

• Sales as a company sport: removing admin drag and forming RFP “tiger teams”

• The faith-and-duty lens of leadership: stewardship of people and potential

Frameworks & Playbooks

A.L.L.Y. Leadership

• Ask questions you don’t already know the answer to

• Listen to understand, not to reply

• Learn, seek perspectives unlike your own

• (Take) Action, close the loop with visible decisions

E.A.R.N. System

• Establish a psychologically safe environment

• Assure alignment (what business we’re in, how we make money, how my role helps us win)

• Rally the team (clarity, cadence, and energy)

• Navigate the narrows (plan the route, contingencies, and trade-offs)

Memorable Quotes

• “Every generation adds value. It’s our job to put their gifts in the right roles.”

• “I demand excellence, not perfection.”

• “Leaders who say, ‘I don’t have time,’ I question if you should be a leader.”

• “It comes down to communication and being okay saying, ‘I don’t know everything.’”

• “Your people are a brand within the brand.”

Resources Mentioned

• StephanieChung.com: hub for speaking, books, and newsletter

• Ally Leadership (book): how to lead people who aren’t like you

• Profit Like a Girl (book)

• XTI Aircraft: upcoming VTOL business aircraft (TriFan 600 referenced)

• Wheels Up: private aviation company where Stephanie served as CGO

Take Action (This Week)

1. Run the 3 Questions with five employees (individually):

   • What business are we in?

   • How does the business make money?

   • How does what you do help us win?Close gaps immediately.

2. Create safety rituals: Add a “challenge the idea” round in your next meeting; thank dissent explicitly.

3. Walk-a-Mile rotation: Pair two functions for half-day shadowing (e.g., Sales ↔ Finance, Pilots ↔ Customer Ops).

4. Form an RFP Tiger Team: One empowered rep from each function to engineer deals to “yes” profitably.

5. Audit for thought diversity: List top projects and who challenges assumptions; invite at least one new voice per project.