Don’t Be A Bystander. Be An Accomplice.

There is a dominant narrative that underrepresented groups need allies in their workplaces. Being an ally has several definitions and personifications. However, in the quest to become an inclusive leader with impact, understanding the unique needs of corporate allyship is critical to helping organizations adapt to today’s diverse customers, markets, talent, and ideas.

Last week we witnessed a very heated and sociological exchange within the U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing. While I have plenty of opinions as a social scientist and organizational strategist, I want to call attention to not the recent words shared between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas and the lead antagonist, but the other committee members in the room.

Many of those in the room were not able to speak, finding themselves in shock by the events in the room. As bystanders, they were taking a do no harm approach to the events. I am sure we are all familiar with times in a meeting or conference call where things between parties escalate with heightened passion. Too often we are left unsure what to do or say. However, as your channel inclusive leadership advisor, let me offer a few strategies

Ally vs. Accomplice: Be An Accomplice

Distinguishing between an ally and an accomplice reveals a nuanced approach to advocacy and corporate change. In most cases, an ally is a person or group that stands with an individual or group in a marginalized community. Those who are accomplices work on dismantling those structures that oppress marginalized groups, as directed by those stakeholders.

If you think about that a little bit deeper, you begin to see how the former is working with individuals to achieve a goal, whatever it may be. The latter is working on dismantling a structure, striving for those same things but through a different kind of work.

I think being an accomplice is the next step that comes next after being an ally. It’s acting, changing, fighting, and doing whatever you must to ensure change. If we want to be inclusive leaders, we must be willing to be an accomplice to make real differences and/or progress. Innovation starts with people’s support, so we must be willing to do the hard things and be proactive about making the change.

Eliminate The Bystander Effect

The bystander effect is a social phenomenon that occurs when people fail to help those in need due to the presence of other people. According to research, even in an emergency, bystanders are less likely to help when they are in the presence of others. In many cases, people feel that since there are others around, someone else will step up.

As inclusive leaders, it’s our responsibility to amplify the voices of underrepresented groups and individuals and raise awareness that can lead to a more equitable community. Inclusive leaders are proactive in addressing microaggressions and unconscious bias to help team members learn to:

• Speak up in a non-confrontational manner when on the receiving end of microaggressions or unconscious bias
• Base business decisions on facts and minimize unconscious bias in the decision-making process
• Listen, and avoid being defensive when someone speaks up about a comment construed as a microaggression
• Be more inclusive of others
• Create environments in which people are comfortable raising their issues about unconscious bias and workplace concerns

Expand Your Community

Traditional notions of leadership must change. In today’s multi-generational, global, and innovative workforce, it’s more important than ever that we continue to strive to become more inclusive leaders and foster safe, inclusive environments for employees to thrive.

One way to focus on this is to build communities outside of work that contain not just diversity, but connection across varying cultural traits. When was the last time you attended an event that was not within your immediate community? Becoming an accomplice starts not at work, but at home and in the communities where we live. Having a healthy curiosity about those we are unfamiliar with can increase our capacity for understanding those we see as outside of our immediate group.

In corporate spaces, this translates to seeing that we all have value to the teams we work in and with, that a new way of problem solving is based on the lived experiences of our teammates and those we lead. It’s in recognizing and honoring those lived experiences that we can be inclusive advocates.

So, next time you are trying to be an ally, look at your behavioral motivations. Are you a bystander or someone who takes ownership of being a willing accomplice?

Photo by Mourizal Zativa on Unsplash