Being an Ally Beyond Women’s History Month

This Women’s History Month I have been reflecting on the impact and learnings I have gained throughout my life from the incredible women who have surrounded me. Growing up, my mother worked at a supermarket, and my siblings, myself included, worked at the same supermarket by the time we were 14 years old. My mother taught me the importance of hard work, and largely influenced the work ethic and commitment to family that I have today. 

Throughout my 25+ year career at PwC, I have worked with some of the smartest, most talented women in business, and it is from working with them I have learned the great significance of being an ally. To be a good ally we must encourage, recognize and sponsor our female colleagues. How can we do that, or maybe do it better? As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I want to share what I’ve learned from my journey to being a better ally: 

1. Take time to listen and suspend any assumptions. Stop and take the time to genuinely listen and learn from the women and diverse people around you. Suspend what you think you know and learn about their perspective and experiences. When you really listen to someone and reflect that back in the way you support them, you build trust.
2. Be a sponsor. Support the women around you. Advocate for them and create opportunities for them to develop new skills. Use your position to help pave a path to success for women. By doing this, you can set an example for others to be sponsors too.
3. Amplify their successes. Share loudly and broadly the great work that you see being done by women. Recognition helps build confidence and allows others to see the great work that is being done, too.

In the spirit of listening and learning, I wanted to share the perspectives of a few women at our firm and learn about their experiences of being a woman in the workplace. Here’s what they had to say:

Q: Can you share a time when you felt empowered?

Avery Joshua: Last year, a Director reached out to me asking if I'd be open to managing the implementation of a new piece of software for our team. It wasn't something she or I had ever done before, but she trusted me enough to know that I would be able to execute it well.  Not only did our implementation go well and result in streamlined processes for our team, but that opportunity introduced me to new people and skills that will be invaluable in my career moving forward.

Q: How do you help other women succeed in the workplace?

Lauren Carew: I strive to make opportunities for 1:1 mentorship. In coach-coachee relationships, I commit to listen first and also be an open book. I am a firm believer in the phrase "actions speak louder than words," so I strive to be a positive female influence and frequently advocate for other women to help them succeed on the job or manage work-life integration.  

Q: For the first time in PwC’s history, we have the most diverse US Board of Partners and Principals, US Leadership team and Extended Leadership Team. We know female representation in leadership is important. What leadership characteristics do you value most and why?

Peggie Yu: I strongly agree that female representation in leadership is important, because positive representation can help increase the confidence of other women. In my 15+ years working in public accounting, there were so many moments when I pushed myself to get to the next level because I was able to look up to other female leaders and say to myself, "I want to be like her one day." Regardless of gender, I value leaders who have integrity, courage, respect and empathy. Integrity is the foundation of building trust. And as much as I want a fearless leader who can flag a concern to someone above to help improve things for others, it is just as important for a leader to help cultivate a climate of respect at work, and to show that leaders care about each individual beyond how much work a person can deliver.

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. Embracing our purpose starts with our people, and that includes building a culture of belonging. While much progress has been made across the business community when it comes to building equity for women in the workplace and advancing overall diversity, equity and inclusion, there is still much work to do, and we cannot lose our momentum.

In the comments I would love to hear about your ally experiences. How has an ally supported you and made a difference? What are some important insights you have learned from being an ally? Let’s continue this important conversation together.