The power of allyship.

In this month of celebrating the contributions of women it may seem odd or even a bit distracting to focus our attention on men. But if we truly want to create a more inclusive workplace, and help our society move forward in an equitable way, men must not only be a part of the conversation, they must also drive action. 

So, during Women’s History Month, I would like to spend some time on a critically important, but perhaps misunderstood topic: male allyship.

Inclusiveness needs allies.

What is an ally? Put simply, in this context an ally is someone who helps others achieve their goals. If you think about the goals you have, and who can help you achieve them, I’m sure you’ll identify nearly as many allies as you have goals. As they become more significant, the need for allies becomes even more important.

Allyship is a two-way street. Like any other relationship, and especially the stronger ones, it is built on this mutual benefit, and these benefits have multiple dimensions.

So let’s explore more specifically what it means to be a male ally to women. Of course, women cheer for women and men cheer for men, and this is vitally important as it is foundational to our communities and support systems. However, to create a truly inclusive environment, it’s not enough. Support is not necessarily inclusion, especially if it is only given by a single segment of a population.

Our technology industry has historically been male dominated. Which let’s face it, places more men in positions of power. To change this dynamic, men must become allies to women. Male allies act as evangelists to model behaviors for others; they champion the accomplishments and points of view of capable, competent women; they positively impact change.

We cannot truly be inclusive of women until we include men in those who demand it.

Allyship is important. In our industry it is essential.

We can all agree that our diversity and inclusion makes us better. Different perspectives, varying points of view, a wider range of experience all contribute to diversity of thought. This improves decision making, which increases the probability of better outcomes. We must be deliberate here.

Let me be more specific about what I mentioned earlier about our industry being out of balance. Women are outnumbered by men in STEM industries threefold: women make up 27% of the workforce and earn, on average, 19% less than men (1). Furthermore, the percentage of college degrees being awarded to women is at an all-time high of 58% and the percentage of college degrees in computer science and information technology awarded to women is near an all-time low of 18.7% (2). This lack of balance impacts our diversity of thought.

Just being sensitive to these issues is not going to shift this balance. We need men to lead in this area. We must actively promote women in STEM and create an environment where women can rise to leadership positions based on their talent and accomplishments. We need to achieve balance. 

In organizations where the balance has shifted more equally, I have seen more diverse points of view, better decision making, and increased productivity.

Diversity of thought helps us discover the art of the possible.

Where we can go from here.

Education is key. I talk to my children about the importance of diverse backgrounds, of which gender is one of them. I have done this since they were an early age.

Lack of education is at the root of reluctance, and it is part of our social responsibility to become educated on the importance of diversity so we can all have greater empathy for the points of view and experience of others, to see difference as strength rather than as sources of conflict and fear.

At Verizon, we understand this, and provide many meaningful training opportunities for our employees about diversity and inclusion. We take this seriously because we know that in order to serve our customers, our employees must be as diverse as they are. But at the same time, we know we can do better.

I take great pride in the fact that I have had the opportunity of being a champion and ally to women over the course of my career. In helping others to achieve their goals I have achieved many of my own and formed long-lasting relationships that enrich my life everyday. 

You have my personal commitment that I will continue to learn from each of you. I will listen, I will consider, and I will act. All I can ask is that you commit to listening and learning from each other.

1.  https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/01/women-making-gains-in-stem-occupations-but-still-underrepresented.html#:~:text=Women%20Make%20Gains%20in%20Some,up%2048%25%20of%20all%20workers.

2. https://medium.com/authority-magazine/inspirational-women-leaders-of-tech-judith-spitz-of-break-through-tech-on-the-five-things-you-8a2f04763d37