What Is Allyship? Your Questions Answered

The Meaning of Allyship & How Leaders Can Show It

In our work to advance a culture of belonging within organizations and communities, we’ve found many leaders asking us, “How can I serve as an ally for others?” And more fundamentally, “What is allyship?”

In the past, we’ve delivered webinars and training sessions where we’ve shared some of our thinking on the meaning of allyship and the role that leadership plays within our organizations and communities.

We’ve used the questions we often receive about allyship to offer the following recommendations, which we hope are helpful. In sharing our approach to these responses, we also hold space as 2 facilitators with different backgrounds, perspectives, and identities.

First, What Is Allyship?

When we talk about the meaning of allyship in the workplace, we’re referring to the actions, behaviors, and practices that leaders take to support, amplify, and advocate with others, most especially with individuals who have differing backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences than themselves. (Note that we say “advocate with …” rather than “advocate for …” because advocacy should be done in partnership with those we intend to serve.)

At CCL, our approach to this work has been less about answering the question “What is allyship?” and more about reframing that question into “How can we act as an ally?”

Fundamentally, when we’re working on allyship, we’re talking about a verb, and not a noun: we’re talking about actions and behaviors that make an impact, rather than a label or a title that gives someone moral credibility or social capital.

How Can I Become a Better Ally?

First, it’s important to note that allyship isn’t a single action, rather it’s ongoing action itself, with a focus on other people, not on yourself. That being said:

• Allyship needs to start with an examination of self, to better understand the power, privilege, and access available to you as an individual, as a result of the different groups to which you belong. Once you understand social identity and you’re more fully aware of the power and access that you have available to you in relation to the groups you aspire to serve, you’ll be in a much better position to leverage those privileges to advocate with and for others.
• Being an ally also requires deep education about the communities that you’re interested in demonstrating allyship toward. We always recommend the approach of educating ourselves through the avenues available first, before reaching out or leaning on others to teach us. Educational sources are readily available through a multitude of platforms (e.g., local libraries, on the Internet via advocacy websites and media accounts, and local and national organizations, among others).

Building a strong foundation of knowledge and awareness is the best way to turn allyship from a buzzword into actual, sustainable behaviors that create inclusive environments and build a sense of belonging at work.

An example is the decision-making and selection process for teams within organizations. Often, when senior leaders pull together a task force to deal with a challenge, they might lean on those who they know best and may unintentionally overlook others. As an ally at work, you can show inclusive leadership and advocate with and for someone who doesn’t get tapped on the shoulder to join the team to ensure that other leaders are aware of that individual’s unique and valuable talents and perspectives.

What Happens if I Try to Be an Ally & I Get It Wrong?

This question comes up because people are worried about “doing allyship right.” But if we are treating allyship as an ongoing, constant set of practices, we are going to get something wrong, eventually. Mistakes are going to happen.

Regardless of where you are on your allyship journey, right now is the time to get used to the idea that allyship is an inherently uncomfortable thing to do. It takes courage, vulnerability, and humility — both to put ourselves out there on their behalf, but also when we realize we’ve gotten it wrong.

Allyship mistakes happen by those who are even the most well-intended: We may intend to speak out for someone who we think is being treated unfairly, and then later learn they found it offensive that we didn’t let them speak for themselves. Or we may think we’re giving an affirming compliment to someone’s cultural identity, only to find that the impact was that they thought the comment was insulting.

Our intent and the impact we have on others are often different, but it doesn’t mean that we give up trying to do what’s right. Leaders learn from their mistakes, no matter how difficult the lesson. In the words of Maya Angelou, “Then when you know better, do better.”

What to Avoid When Showing Allyship

1. Avoid merely performative allyship.

For people who represent the majority within an organization, allyship in the workplace isn’t just about supporting colleagues from other groups while they’re in the room. The meaning of allyship is more about the often-behind-the-scenes work helping all of our colleagues, specifically those in power, to better understand the systems in place that create differences in power, privilege, and access for our other colleagues — even when it’s difficult or feels risky.

It’s about helping other leaders in the majority understand why a diversity of perspectives and identities add incredible value to your team. For example, you might share studies that have shown diverse teams drive better business performance, and connecting back what is likely in your organization’s mission statement and values. Most often, we find that linking to the business case and moral imperatives helps to bring leaders on board.

We’re big believers in the “If not you, then who?” approach in this regard. There is no better space or opportunity for representatives of a majority to serve as an ally and advocate for others than there is within a homogenous organization. Period. Every individual will benefit from allyship in the workplace.

2. Avoid empty platitudes.

It’s important that allyship in the workplace isn’t just cosmetic platitudes or empty gestures.

A common misconception of allyship is that it requires big, public action or loud proclamations of beliefs and values. But loudly professing allegiance without taking any meaningful actions of support is merely performative allyship.

In contrast, true allyship is available in every interpersonal interaction and can be very powerful when demonstrated through quiet, private actions and being a compassionate leader.

Organizational initiatives that aim to increase belonging need to include meaningful goals that connect to an organization’s unique culture and values. Real, concrete actions in support of professed values and commitments are key for long-term workplace culture change.

3. Avoid focusing on positions rather than listening and learning.

Listening is a key element of allyship. Before assuming you know about someone else’s experience, lean into an active listening skillset to truly understand what they’re saying. This includes withholding judgment and approaching the conversation with openness, curiosity, and humility. Stay open to learning from others about their experiences and perspectives, regardless of their title or position in the organization.

When you engage in allyship, you’ll likely find yourself feeling “called out” by someone, eventually, for something you said or did. Whether you agree with the feedback or not, we recommend first recognizing the courage it took for someone to give you that feedback, and to use it as an opportunity for reflection and growth. Misunderstandings happen, and there may be opportunity to have a follow-up conversation later. If you are truly well-intended with your actions, the feedback (regardless of whether you fully agree with all of it or not) is worth learning from to have a better impact the next time.

Remember: Don’t give up! Keep trying, because truly understanding what allyship means and how to show it at work is critical for good leaders, no matter their position in the organizational hierarchy, if they want to continue to become better leaders.

4. Avoid trying to be a perfect ally.

While the impact we have as leaders and allies is ultimately what matters, the failure of leaders to even act on their positive intentions out of the fear of perfection is what we find most often holds them back from being strong allies.

Many leaders never “get it wrong” because they’ve never really tried to “get it right,” and have avoided difficult allyship practices such as engaging in difficult conversations and collaboration.

Failing to engage in allyship out of the fear of perfection has the same consequences as failing to engage out of apathy: conversations don’t happen, the doors of opportunity aren’t opened, assumptions aren’t challenged, mindsets don’t shift, and systems don’t change. In fact, engaging in conversation and collaboration enables individuals to create connections, build psychological safety, and maintain healthy relationships.

Effective Allyship: Moving Beyond Awareness Into Action

In closing, to answer the question “What is allyship?” we must look beyond just the meaning or definition of allyship or mere awareness of the concept, and instead identify ways that we as individual leaders can move into action and advocate with and for others. And while shifting individual behaviors is key, lasting change requires teams and organizations to make shifts collectively.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Help your organization move beyond awareness of allyship toward taking meaningful actions with customized leadership development training designed to increase emotional intelligence in your leaders and a more psychologically safe team and organizational culture.

Frequently Asked Questions About Allyship

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