An ally, or allyship, is a term increasingly used since 2020. Placards weren’t the only thing that were raised; workforces raised awareness of the realities of their employees. Inevitably, the truth was simple. Employees were bringing their whole selves to work, not leaving it at the office entrance.
Leaders especially were confronted with the uncomfortable, tough conversations. How can you use your personal privilege to support colleagues from historically, minoritised communities?
Using the power of our lived experiences, we train leaders to embody allyship that create psychologically safe and brave workplace cultures. In this blog, we define what Allyship truly means (and is not), and what is required to truly drive the change you want to see.
“Leading from the front is cliché. I lead from the back to push you forward or be there to catch you. I lead from the side because I’m your ally and here to serve you. Leaders are accessible at all times.” ― Janna Cachola
Allyship is the active, consistent, and lifelong practice of using one’s privilege and power to support, advocate for, and amplify minoritised individuals or groups. It is not a self-defined label. It’s not a noun. Rather, a verb that orchestrares continuous commitment to dismantling systemic injustices and fostering equity, rather than a one-off act of support.
Key aspects of effective allyship include:
- Active Support: Moving beyond words to take action, such as challenging discrimination, calling out microaggressions, or using one’s influence to create opportunities.
- Education and Listening: Proactively learning about the experiences of minoritised communities and listening to their needs without making the process about oneself.
- Leveraging Privilege: Utilising one’s own, often unearned, societal advantages (white privilege, male privilege, etc.) to advocate for structural change.
- Accountability and Humility: Be accountable to the group being supported. Accepting feedback, and understanding that allyship is a learning process.
Examples of Allyship in the Workplace
- Amplifying Voices: Ensure colleagues from underrepresented groups are heard and credited in meetings.
- Inclusive Hiring: Actively challenging biased recruitment processes to ensure diverse representation.
- Challenging Norms: Speaking up against sexist, racist, or discriminatory, or ableist behaviour in real-time.
Conversely, despite allyship being universal, they’re typically colleagues whose privilege comes from their:
- Sex (for example, male)
- Skin colour (for example, white)
- Position (for example, seniority or high job ranking)
Allies support employees who don’t have the same advantages. After all, they could be women of colour, LGBTQ+ or members of another minority group.
Whether formally or informally, a workplace ally builds partnerships that raise awareness, offer mentoring, and advocate on behalf of marginalised coworkers. These actions help those groups feel heard, valued, and respected.
Allyship is essential for creating a safer, more equitable culture where everyone feels valued.
“Inclusion is achievable. But to do so, we need more people with strong skills taking part in shaping a future that does more than simply replicate the status quo.” ― Suzy Levy
Allyship is not a self-proclaimed, passive, or one-time title. In addition, nor is it about receiving validation, saving minoritised groups, or merely performing supportive actions for personal image. It is not a spectator sport, a comfortable endeavour, or a request for those minoritised to educate you.
- Not Performative: It is not “performative allyship”. Empty gestures, posting on social media, or only supporting in public without doing the hard, behind-the-scenes work.
- Not About You: It is not about feeling good, acting as a “saviour,” or receiving thanks. It requires focusing on the marginalised group, not your own feelings.
- Not a “Saviour” Role: Therefore, It is not about “fixing” or rescuing individuals, but rather dismantling the systemic barriers that hold them back.
- Not Passive or One-Time: It is not a single action or a check-the-box activity. It is a lifelong, daily process of 365 days a year.
- Not Self-Defined: True allyship is recognised by those you are supporting, not declared by yourself.
- Not Burdening Others: It is not asking minoritised people to educate you on their lived experiences.
- Not Comfortable: It is not always easy; it requires taking risks, facing discomfort, and using your privilege to challenge inequality.
- Not Merely Mentorship: It goes beyond guiding individuals within a system to actively changing the unfair system itself.
“I know an invitation might seem like a minor act, but sometimes the little things seem so little that they get overlooked entirely.” ― Lauren Wesley Wilson
Starting on your allyship actions need to focus on consistent, everyday behaviours. Evidently, they must promote inclusion, challenge bias, and support marginalised groups, rather than one-time performative gestures. Effective allyship involves listening to understand, educating oneself, and using one’s own privilege to amplify underrepresented voices.
Here are practical starter actions for building allyship:
1. Daily Education & Self-Reflection
- Educate Yourself Independently: Do not rely on colleagues to teach you about their experiences. Use books, articles, podcasts, and documentaries to learn about different perspectives and systemic issues.
- Acknowledge Your Privilege: Recognise the unearned advantages you may have (e.g., regarding race, gender, class) and consider how to use them to create space for others.
- Examine Unconscious Biases: Take tests like the Harvard Implicit Association Test to understand your hidden biases.
2. Active Listening & Learning
- Listen to Understand: Firstly, practice active listening without interrupting or immediately responding with your own views.
- Validate Experiences: When a colleague shares an experience of exclusion or discrimination, believe them and validate their feelings without judgment.
- Connect with Curiosity: Invite colleagues from different backgrounds for a chat to understand their perspectives and build genuine rapport.
3. Amplifying Voices & Advocating
- Amplify Ideas in Meetings: When a colleague is interrupted or their idea is ignored, speak up. Ensure they are heard (e.g., “I’d like to hear the rest of [Name]’s point”).
- Give Credit: Ensure people get proper credit for their work and ideas, and correct others if they attribute your colleague’s work to someone else.
- Share Your Platform: Use your network, visibility, or, in a meeting, your influence to highlight the achievements of colleagues.
- Recommend for Opportunities: Actively suggest colleagues from underrepresented groups for stretch projects or high-visibility tasks.
4. Speaking Up & Challenging Bias
- Interrupt Microaggressions: When you hear offensive jokes, stereotypes, or “banter,” speak up. Focusing on the impact rather than the intent.
- Correct Name Mispronunciation: If someone mispronounces a colleague’s name, calmly correct them and state it properly.
- Use Inclusive Language: Use gender-neutral terms, ensure your language is accessible, and adopt the correct pronouns for colleagues.
5. Accountability & Growth
- Own Your Mistakes: When corrected, apologise sincerely. Do not make excuses, learn from the experience, and move forward.
- Accept Feedback Gracefully: View feedback as a gift for growth rather than a personal attack.
Conclusion
There’s one key principle to leave, and lead with. Allyship is a verb. A continuous process of action. Not an identity or badge to wear.
“We all have a sphere of influence. Each of us needs to find our own sources of courage so that we can begin to speak. There are many problems to address, and we cannot avoid them indefinitely. We cannot continue to be silent. We must begin to speak, knowing that words alone are insufficient. But I have seen that meaningful dialogue can lead to effective action. Change is possible.” ― Beverly Daniel Tatum
At Edge Of Difference, we help organisations, especially within leadership, step into embodying allyship with confidence. To co-create an inclusive culture, setting your Diversity, Equity and Inclusion goals up for success.
Turn your differences into action by booking a call with us today.
