Each week, we share five simple actions to create a more inclusive workplace and be a better ally. 1. Forfeit your spot if the lineup is too male (or pale) Upon realizing he’d been named to a list, Tom Peters took a look at the other winners and : Top 30 Management Professionals tweeted body[data-twttr-rendered="true"] {background-color: transparent;}.twitter-tweet {margin: auto !important;} I think 4 women out of 30 means the judges weren't looking hard enough or casting a broad enough net. Minimum 10 F next year, and I'll forfeit my spot. @wsbexperience @DanielPink @JosephEStiglitz — @tom_peters function notifyResize(height) {height = height ? height : document.documentElement.offsetHeight; var resized = false; if (window.donkey && donkey.resize) {donkey.resize(height); resized = true;}if (parent && parent._resizeIframe) {var obj = {iframe: window.frameElement, height: height}; parent._resizeIframe(obj); resized = true;}if (window.location && window.location.hash === "#amp=1" && window.parent && window.parent.postMessage) {window.parent.postMessage({sentinel: "amp", type: "embed-size", height: height}, "*");}if (window.webkit && window.webkit.messageHandlers && window.webkit.messageHandlers.resize) {window.webkit.messageHandlers.resize.postMessage(height); resized = true;}return resized;}twttr.events.bind('rendered', function (event) {notifyResize();}); twttr.events.bind('resize', function (event) {notifyResize();});if (parent && parent._resizeIframe) {var maxWidth = parseInt(window.frameElement.getAttribute("width")); if ( 500 < maxWidth) {window.frameElement.setAttribute("width", "500");}} This is how you do it, people. 2. Feature a diversity of people in slide decks and other media We’ve , and we’re saying it again. When using stock photos, feature a diversity of people. It may be understated, but the simple act of using stock photos that feature people of color and other underrepresented groups makes a difference. Seeing someone who looks like you on a company’s careers page, in the promotions for a conference or event, or in a presentation deck is a clear signal that people who look like you belong. Representation matters. said it before And we just learned about . The photos are of women who are usually excluded from the media’s representation of “natural beauty.” Bonus: it’s free, and you can use the images within Canva or download them for other uses. a new collection by Canva, featuring women in their natural state Photo of older woman with gray curly hair, sitting at a desk. For more stock photo sites that feature members of underrepresented groups, we’ve got . some recommendations on the Better Allies website 3. Give credit, even if (or especially if) that person isn’t well-known This week, author : Stephen King tweeted body[data-twttr-rendered="true"] {background-color: transparent;}.twitter-tweet {margin: auto !important;} My wife is rightly pissed by headlines like this: "Stephen King and his wife donate $1.25M to New England Historic Genealogical Society." The gift was her original idea, and she has a name: TABITHA KING. Her response follows. — @StephenKing function notifyResize(height) {height = height ? height : document.documentElement.offsetHeight; var resized = false; if (window.donkey && donkey.resize) {donkey.resize(height); resized = true;}if (parent && parent._resizeIframe) {var obj = {iframe: window.frameElement, height: height}; parent._resizeIframe(obj); resized = true;}if (window.location && window.location.hash === "#amp=1" && window.parent && window.parent.postMessage) {window.parent.postMessage({sentinel: "amp", type: "embed-size", height: height}, "*");}if (window.webkit && window.webkit.messageHandlers && window.webkit.messageHandlers.resize) {window.webkit.messageHandlers.resize.postMessage(height); resized = true;}return resized;}twttr.events.bind('rendered', function (event) {notifyResize();}); twttr.events.bind('resize', function (event) {notifyResize();});if (parent && parent._resizeIframe) {var maxWidth = parseInt(window.frameElement.getAttribute("width")); if ( 500 < maxWidth) {window.frameElement.setAttribute("width", "500");}} Allies, let’s be sure to give credit to the person who originated an idea. Regardless of whether someone else now working on the idea is better known within our company, our industry, or worldwide. 4. Use inclusive language in marketing and advertising During the Oscars, Nike released a powerful new . If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth watching. “Just do it” ad While we’re fans of the ad, and definitely support female athletes and other women daring to do what was thought impossible, we wish Nike had used more inclusive language. Specifically, the ad uses the word “crazy” ten times. Ten times! Wondering why that’s a big deal? Using “crazy” in casual conversation can diminish the experience of people who live with mental health conditions. A simple and equally powerful alternative would have been to use “outrageous” instead. 5. Redirect misdirected questions In the 2017 , hundreds of women working in tech positions were polled. And 88 percent said they had seen a question directed toward a male colleague when they themselves were the most qualified person in the meeting to answer it. And it’s not just men who are guilty of this, because people of all gender identities are taught to assume that men naturally hold more power. “Elephant in the Valley” survey Chances are good that misdirected questions surface in meetings at your company, too. As an ally, redirect the question to the most qualified person. All it takes is a simple “Deepa is the expert on that topic. Let’s hear from her” or “Ann wrote the API. She’s the best person to answer your question.” Graphic reading “88% of women report having questions directed to men that should have been addressed to them. Being an ally is a journey. Want to join us? 😍 Follow @betterallies on , , , or . Twitter Medium Instagram Pinterest ✉️ This content originally appeared in our newsletter, . to get it delivered to your inbox every Friday. 5 Ally Actions Subscribe 📖 Read the book. Better Allies 👕 Get your Better Allies gear Together, we can — and will — make a difference.
