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🧠 Thought Leadership
"We need to lean into this"

What they really mean

Encourages embracing a trend, challenge, or opportunity rather than resisting it. Popularized by Sheryl Sandberg and now a staple of corporate strategy language.

Example Usage

"The market is shifting and we need to lean into our core competencies to stay ahead of the curve."

Writing Tip

Follow this phrase with a specific action or decision. Saying what you are leaning into — and what you are deprioritizing — gives the statement substance.

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Related Phrases

"It's not a failure, it's a learning opportunity"

Reframes a setback as a growth experience. Used to extract professional lessons from projects that did not go as planned.

"We decided to pivot"

Indicates a strategic shift in product, market, or business model direction. Common in startup culture where iteration based on feedback is expected.

"We're here to disrupt the industry"

Signals ambition to fundamentally change how an industry operates, often by applying new technology or business models to established markets.

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