20 Ways to Be an Effective Male Ally

One of the most critical factors in women’s career success and breaking through barriers for gender diversity, is the prevalence and effectiveness of male allies.?

Harvard Business Review defines male allies as members of an advantaged group committed to building relationships with women, expressing as little sexism in their own behaviour as possible, understanding the social privilege conferred by their gender, and demonstrating active efforts to address gender inequities at work and in society.?

Men stepping up alongside women as effective male allies are a critical piece of the puzzle to enable more equal workplaces for all. In fact, we can’t do this without them.??

The ally continuum model from Jennifer Brown is a model that can be applied to any type of allyship, and is highly relevant for this work around male allyship. Take a moment and think about where you are on this continuum.

Here are 20 very real and practical ways that you can take action to become an effective male ally:??

1. Book a meeting with a woman in your team every month to discuss the challenges she’s facing and how you can support her?

2. Speak to a peer about who in their team you can sponsor?

3. Identify women you can mentor in your team and book in specific times to mentor them?

4. Actively listen to women in your team with curiosity, check your understanding by asking questions to clarify what she means?

5. Amplify women’s points in meetings??

6. Send an email each week congratulating a female colleague on a win??

7. Praise that female colleague to other colleagues?

8. Recommend a female team member or peer for a highly visible project?

9. Look at the gender balance on pay across your team and if there is a pay gap, take active steps to close it?

10. Look at the non-promotable workload in your organisation and ensure it is evenly distributed across genders?

11. Educate yourself and read more about gender inequality?

12. Have conversations with the women in your team about their lived experiences of gender bias and inequality?

13. Call out inappropriate behaviour when you see it. For example, speak up when you notice a male colleague interrupting a female colleague in a meeting?

14. Identify women that can be promoted in your team and advocate for their promotion?

15. Find opportunities for women in your team to represent the team in meetings or at speaking events?

16. Look at where you can bring in bias interrupters at all stages of the employment process: recruitment, performance reviews, promotions and remuneration?

17. Spend time reflecting on your own power and privilege. As you look back over your career, can you identify where you have benefited from that privilege? Do you recognise opportunities that you may have had access to that weren’t available to women or other minority groups??

18. Hire a coach to work with you specifically on developing your effectiveness as a male ally?

19. Sponsor women in your team into the September?Women Rising program.? Early bird pricing is available until July 14th, saving you $300 per person.?

20. Join the September?Male Allies program . Early bird pricing is available until July 14th, saving you $200 per person.??

If you found this helpful and you’re committed to improving the workplace for women and creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all, then please download our?Male Allies program guide ?to find out more about our 8 week program and?join us this September .?