Permission to Act

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Permission to Act

ALLIES: Advocate
ALLIES: Listen
ALLIES: Lift
Permission to Act
ALLIES: Include
ALLIES: Elevate
ALLIES: Sponsor

Being an ally can take the form of both Proactive and Reactive actions.

REACTIVE Allyship
Advocating
Listening
Lifting Up
Realize when someone has acted non-inclusively
Intentionally turn a moment of non-inclusivity into one of inclusion
Does not require permission to act

PROACTIVE Allyship
Including
Elevating
Sponsoring
Work with intention to bring someone into the spotlight
Requires permission and a partnership
Requires you and your ally to agree on objectives and outcomes

It is important to understand when to seek permission before acting, because without gaining permission, an exclusive environment could be created unintentionally.

However, whether you have permission to act on another’s behalf or not, you can always work to advocate, listen, and lift and create a more inclusive environment.

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ALLIES: Include

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ALLIES: Include

ALLIES: Advocate
ALLIES: Listen
ALLIES: Lift
Permission to Act
ALLIES: Include
ALLIES: Elevate
ALLIES: Sponsor

Including is another action that takes intentionality and awareness.

To be inclusive, you must first recognize those who are left out.  

Remember, if you are going to call someone out to include them, you do need their permission.

How to Include

When you walk into a meeting, a team, or a group, consider who is not represented, and work with intention to include them. 

Look around the room and encourage everyone to contribute and share their perspective. When someone does speak up, demonstrate that their opinion matters.

Acknowledging people both verbally and non-verbally may be helpful to those more introverted or less comfortable with inclusive behavior.

Examples of things to do or say include:

  • Set ground rules for various communication channels and platforms to ensure everyone’s voices are equally heard
  • Don’t let good ideas go unnoticed. Repeat them, giving credit to the source, and share them with those in positions of influence. 
  • “I would love to hear from everyone on this topic.  Do you mind if we do a round robin to get everyone’s input?”
  • “Does anyone have more to add to what XX just said?”
  • “Have we covered all the bases on this topic?  Does anyone have an alternative point of view for us to consider?”
  • “I know it might have been hard to speak up as we were talking about XX, so before we move on, I want to offer this opportunity for anyone else to add to this discussion.”
  • “I know this topic wasn’t originally on the agenda, so I’d like to reserve time in our next meeting for any other thoughts you might have on this topic before we make a decision.”
  • “I’d like to leave the door open on this topic. If anyone else has ideas, please do provide them to this group over the coming week.” 

Your Including Assignment 

Over the next week, pay attention to who is and is not in the meetings you are in. Is there anyone missing who has subject matter expertise or contributions on the topic that you think should be there? 

Pay attention in the meetings you are in. Is there anyone who is not speaking up, participating, or engaging?  

After the meeting, meet with them 1:1 to recognize the value you think they could contribute. Ask them why they might not have spoken up. Go learn more and check in.  

Use the Including section of your ALLIES Activity packet to record what you noticed, what you said or did, and what the impact was.

 

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ALLIES: Elevate

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ALLIES: Elevate

ALLIES: Advocate
ALLIES: Listen
ALLIES: Lift
Permission to Act
ALLIES: Include
ALLIES: Elevate
ALLIES: Sponsor

Elevating

Elevating is about raising a person’s position, acknowledging their authority, and recognizing their contribution.

How to Elevate

Elevate individuals by providing them opportunities to be more visible. That could be as easy as amplifying their voice and making sure they receive credit for their ideas. 

You might also look for new projects, stretch assignments, or opportunities for the individual to demonstrate leadership and become more visible.

Elevating is an activity that you need to do with someone else’s permission, so you will need to build up to actions in this area. Consider initiating a 1:1 discussion with them to talk about their aspirations and ask for permission. 

Here are some ways to open that discussion:

  • “I have been really impressed with the work you have done on XX and YY. I was curious if you wanted to do more work like that?”
  • “I noticed we have not had a review on the work you have done on XX and YY.  Are you interested in sharing it more broadly across the team?”
  • “What plans might you have to bring the work you are doing on XX and YY to management’s attention? Can I help you make that happen?”
  • “In my experience, to build momentum on a project, you need to have a forum for executive sponsorship. Do you feel like you have that? If not, I think I can help you build it. Would you want my insight and assistance?”

Your Elevating  Assignment 

Notice who in your organization is getting a lot of visibility and who is not.  Identify 3 or 4 projects that have high executive visibility and reflect on how the leader of that initiative was selected (if you have any insight).

Reflect on who in your organization has the capability to do bigger things but may not have had the opportunity yet.  

Do you have an opportunity to help them elevate their visibility?  If so, consider initiating a 1:1 discussion with them to talk about their aspirations and what opportunities they see for themselves.   

Use the Elevating section of your ALLIES Activity packet to record what you noticed, what you said or did, and what the impact was.

 

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