Allyship That Changes Something
Alyssa Tedder-King, Melanie Prengler, and Elad Sherf talk about what good and great allyship looks likes. In “Effective Allies Don’t Just Offer Support - They Change Systems” in MIT Sloan Management Review write:
When leaders focus on making people feel better rather than making systems fairer, morale gains are fleeting. Over time, employees disengage, innovation suffers, and the organization’s reputation for equity deteriorates.
I am guilty of this. I find myself in similar situations. I see something that isn’t quite right. I want to be supportive, but I’m often unsure what action looks like beyond words.
The authors provide some guidance to move from words to action:
- Target the structures, the root causes
- Make action context-specific and action oriented
- Balance when to act publicly or privately
- Offer access, not just affirmation
- Follow up, get feedback, and improve
If you wrestle with this like I do, this article may help you think about next steps.