Joseph Ucuzoglu* says serving as a true ally means recognising and actively seeking to remove barriers for women.
Photo: fizkes
We are living and working in extraordinary times.
All around us, technology is changing how we approach investments, talent models, and the very nature of work.
This creates new opportunities for people to decide where, how, and when they work.
We’re seeing organisations in nearly every industry reinvest in their culture and purpose amid increased competition and uncertainty, and more and more professionals favour workplaces that value transparency and social responsibility.
Perhaps most significantly, we’re seeing leaders and professionals take fresh approaches to solving persistent issues around gender, diversity, and inclusion.
But more is needed to sustain and accelerate progress.
Leaders have a very specific role to play in driving positive change — and that’s serving as a true ally, someone who recognises and actively seeks to remove barriers for others.
This is key to building the type of inclusive organisational culture that today’s workforce demands — one that helps to attract and retain the best talent to ultimately help drive innovation and maintain competitiveness.
Where it counts
I often reflect on my own role as an ally and the position I’m in that allows me to act, mentor, and make real change at my own organisation and influence others.
And I recognise that there is more to the role of ally than extending your commitment to those in your own organisation.
We have great responsibility beyond our own four walls, where we must support the advancement of women across society.
One way is by serving as allies within our communities and taking leadership in addressing some of the fundamental issues stalling progress around the advancement of women and girls.
Globally, 130 million girls are still being denied an education — a basic prerequisite for attaining and retaining a job and achieving economic opportunity.
There is tremendous opportunity for the business community to come together through public and private partnerships.
At Deloitte, our WorldClass Initiative leverages the strength of our network to transform learning for those in underserved communities.
This includes helping people uncover pathways to social and economic mobility through university readiness, skills development, and programs around employment access.
And leaders must continue to focus on what goes on within their own organisations.
To drive progress at an organisational level, inclusion must be part of a comprehensive strategy woven into the fabric of an organisation’s culture.
It’s not just a talent issue, but a C-suite level issue, and it should be considered in every aspect of running the organisation to enable superior performance.
As allies, we must lead by example.
This includes holding others accountable for non-inclusive behaviours and actively seeking diverse perspectives and teams.
Organisations, and the people they serve, are only getting more diverse; leaders who don’t pay attention to inclusion risk not only falling behind but also losing their relevance.
Strengthening your allyship
Allyship has long been considered a crucial component to revealing the strength of diversity but it’s not enough to just say you’re an ally — you must live it.
Our 2019 State of Inclusion survey found that 92 per cent of professionals consider themselves an ally in the workplace, but just 29 per cent speak up about bias when they see it and nearly one-third ignore it.
Organisations have an opportunity to foster a culture that encourages courageous conversations that challenge the status quo and provide training and education on what bias in the workplace may look like.
At Deloitte, our Beyond Unconscious Bias program helps leaders become more aware of personal blind spots and employs strategies for better and inclusive decision-making.
We’ve identified six traits that embody what it means to be an inclusive leader and ally:
Commitment. Treat everyone with fairness and respect, foster environments where team members can be themselves by modelling authenticity and empower each other’s wellbeing.
Courage. Engage in tough conversations when necessary. Identify opportunities to be more inclusive, take ownership, and engage others.
Cognisance of bias. Be aware of unconscious biases so decisions can be made in a transparent, consistent, and informed manner.
Curiosity. Listen attentively and value the viewpoints of others.
Cultural intelligence. Seek out opportunities to experience, learn about different cultures, and be aware of other cultural contexts.
Collaboration. Create teams that are diverse in thinking.
These traits help all of us stay mindful about our own actions and how we approach those around us.
They also aim to encourage inclusive working environments that provide everyone with the support systems they need to be successful.
I encourage each of you to ask yourself: Which of these traits do you embody?
Where do you need more work?
How can we demonstrate and strengthen our allyship not only in our own organisations, but more broadly in society?
These answers may get us that much closer to a better future.
* Joseph Ucuzoglu is CEO of Deloitte US.
This article first appeared at www.linkedin.com/pulse.
