Being a Woman's Ally in a Man's World

Conversations about leadership often focus on skills and strategy. But what about the role of allyship?

In this episode of Talent Titans, I spoke with Sean Simmonds, CSP Operations Lead for RemX Staffing’s healthcare division, about how men can actively support and advocate for women in leadership.

With experience across multiple roles in the U.S., Sean shares how female leaders bring unique strengths to the workplace - especially empathy and collaboration - and why fostering an inclusive leadership culture benefits everyone.

You can watch the full conversation here:

Here are some key highlights from our discussion:

Leadership is not a "one-size-fits-all" model, and different leadership styles and strengths should be appreciated to foster an inclusive community and more effective leadership.

Men can amplify the strengths of women by recognizing their unique approaches, including leading with empathy, and helping to make it okay to do so.

Sponsoring women by elevating their ideas and recommending them for projects is crucial, as women's ideas can sometimes be overlooked while the same ideas from male colleagues are acknowledged.

Women may sometimes hesitate to fully share ideas, perhaps due to past experiences of rejection, emphasizing the importance of creating a trusting and open environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing feedback.

Men can support women by actively listening to their ideas and asking clarifying questions, rather than interrupting, to ensure women have the space to fully express themselves.

Men can also support women by acknowledging their ideas and helping expand on them, also by collaborating to further develop the ideas and making sure women know that their ideas are important.

Witnessing gender bias can be challenging, especially for those new to the workforce, but it is important to address it to prevent its continuation.

Training and education on topics such as anti-harassment and sexual harassment are crucial, but these should also resonate with younger workers who may be more focused on keeping their jobs.

When starting with a new leader, it is helpful to research their background and how they achieved their leadership role to better understand their style, which can make for a more cohesive working relationship.

Men should seek to understand and support their female colleagues by asking questions, and not be afraid to admit they don't know what they don't know.

To hear more from Sean, make sure to listen to the full recording above. What small action do you think leaders can take to promote inclusivity in the workplace, out of interest?