by Jimmy Zhang

When I first learned how to parry, I kept messing it up.

I either moved too early, swiping at air, or too late and ended up getting hit anyway. It wasn’t until my Mark Elbag said, “You’re reacting, not responding with intention,” that something clicked.

A parry in fencing is a defensive move. Not a retreat, but a redirection. You don’t back away. You don’t flail. You hold your ground, watch carefully, and with a single, purposeful motion, you knock the attack aside. And just like that, you’ve created an opening.

As I’ve grown as a leader, especially in environments where inclusion is not always a given, I’ve come to appreciate how powerful that concept is: responding, not reacting.

What Inclusive Leaders Can Learn From the Parry

Inclusion work isn't always smooth. Conversations can get tense. Bias shows up. People feel left out or misunderstood. And in those moments, it’s easy to get reactive.

But the parry teaches us something else.
Don’t ignore the tension. Don’t escalate it. Redirect it.

It’s not about avoiding conflict. It’s about staying present and responding with intention, grounded in your values and aware of the bigger picture.

The Power of the Pause

Fencers learn to time their parries down to fractions of a second. But before that happens, they train themselves to stay calm under pressure. To remain focused even when something is coming straight at them.

The same goes for leadership. The ability to pause and slow down your response just enough to be thoughtful can shift the dynamic entirely.

That pause creates space for clarity. It helps transform tension into dialogue. It keeps us aligned with our purpose, even when emotions run high.

Parry Is Practice

Parries don’t always work. And neither do all our efforts to lead inclusively. Sometimes we miss the moment. Sometimes we hesitate. Sometimes we overcorrect.

But with practice, we develop stronger instincts. We learn to see what’s coming earlier. We get better at maintaining our composure. We build the confidence to respond with care, instead of reacting from fear.

That’s what makes inclusive leadership sustainable. Not a set of perfect moves, but a set of practiced habits that help us show up with clarity, consistency, and courage.

From the Strip to Leadership

At Allez, we teach fencers that parries aren’t just defensive techniques. They’re moments of opportunity. A chance to create space, to shift momentum, to stay in control.

That mindset carries beyond fencing. In leadership, it’s the same. The parry is not about avoiding conflict. It’s about meeting challenge with focus. It’s about responding with presence. And it’s about using that moment to shape what comes next.

In fencing and in leadership, the parry is more than a move.
It’s a mindset.

‍