We live in societies and communities, surrounded by people with whom we share experiences, that can help us and from whom we can learn. That is why it is really important to become an ally and to contribute collectively to the creation of a better and more inclusive community.
Allyship represents the will of creating community by supporting your peers and other groups overcome their obstacles, succeed and achieve a fairer and more equitable society. Being allies to others can be an extremely powerful tool in order to foster personal and professional growth, improve and be the change we want to see around us.
Furthermore, allyship is key in all spheres of life but particularly in career progression and leadership, where being surrounded by allies can help us learn from each other and achieve our professional goals. Allies can be mentors, counsellors, can become friends and are the ones that can offer you the constructive feedback that you need in your career.
For women, and specially women in the workplace, allyship is fundamental to close the gender gap and fight inequalities based on gender such as gender bias or pay gap. When a woman helps a woman, both benefit. Society benefits. When we lean on each other and become allies, we are making a statement and joining forces to put gender equality, diversity, equity and inclusion at the table. When women decide to actively support each other and work together, they can change the world.
As Madeleine Albright said: “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
5 tips to be(come) an ally
- Be an active listener
- Work together, not against each other
- Empathy and assertiveness are your best friends
- Offer support beyond your personal interests
- Research to better understand experiences different from your own