3 Tech Leaders Discuss Allyship: From Continuous Action to Collective Change & the Role of Companies

Being an ally isn’t a title you receive — it’s a series of ongoing actions that you make. As Rafiq Somani, Area Vice President for India and Southeast Asia Pacific at Ansys puts it, “genuine allyship requires humility and continuous learning.” As such, “an ally is an individual who actively supports and advocates for marginalized or underrepresented groups and works toward creating a more inclusive and equitable environment,” he elaborates.

“Becoming an aware, effective ally is an ongoing process,” agrees his colleague Kathy Moore, Principal Documentation Specialist, Fluids. “Although I was a passive, well-meaning ally earlier in my life, having our adult daughter come out as LGBTQ+ kick-started my journey to learning more and thinking more deeply about members of this community and their place in our society.” Moore recalls joining a support group and subsequently stepping up to a leadership position in that group. She recognized that “good intentions are not enough,” Moore shares, “we must act in service to our beliefs in creating a society that sees humans as humans.” 

The keyword here is act, as Mark Smydra, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Integration, emphasizes. “An ally is someone whose words and behaviors actively support, encourage, or advocate for others,” notes Smydra. This action is continuous. “I don’t think that any of us ever stops learning, and my interactions with my network leave me with a renewed sense of optimism about the future,” Smydra states. “The people I seek to help are the people who most inspire me to continue paying it forward — it's a cycle that I hope is as beneficial to them as it is rewarding to me.” Smydra shares that allyship for him involves always trying to do the next right thing and actively looking for opportunities to lean in and help others.

Another key point of allyship? Focusing on collective allyship. “Allyship is not solely the responsibility of a few individuals; it should be ingrained in the values and actions of an entire organization,” states Somani. “Encouraging allyship across all levels of the company creates a more inclusive and supportive work environment, ultimately leading to better employee engagement, creativity, and productivity.” And, on a wider scale, Somani states how allyship can help create a workplace and society that values diversity and empowers everyone to thrive. And Ansys fosters such an environment with their “Be You” value, which encourages authenticity and empowering each other to embrace our differences.

Here, we discuss how allies can help promote positive change — both individually and as a collective force — to actively support and amplify the voices of those who do not have the same privilege, influence, or resources. 

To start, how can allies actively support their colleagues without being simply performative?

Moore: Allies listen thoughtfully to understand individual's thoughts and experiences. Allies act to support under-represented group members and to support their ability to thrive and grow at work.

Smydra: It starts with the individual and how they see the world. The best allies understand that the focus of their words and actions is to help others, so their mindset drives them to consistently look for opportunities to support others in meaningful ways. Doing so requires the ally to navigate through some potentially uncomfortable situations, realizing that they won’t always get it right, but understanding that they are in a position to positively affect the very people they aspire to serve.

Somani: True allyship goes beyond mere symbolism or performative gestures. To be an effective ally, it's crucial to engage in authentic actions that promote meaningful change, namely:

• Active listening: Take the time to actively listen to the experiences and concerns of your colleagues from marginalized groups. Seek to understand their perspectives without judgment.

• Educate yourself: Continuously educate yourself about the challenges faced by people in situations much different than your own.

• Use privilege wisely: As an ally, leverage your position and privilege to advocate for initiatives that promote inclusivity within your company.

• Speak up and amplify: Advocate for diverse perspectives and inclusion in meetings and discussions.

• Support employee resource groups (ERGs): Engage with and actively support ERGs within your organization, which provide a platform for employees from diverse backgrounds to network and support each other.

• Be consistent: Demonstrate continuous support and commitment, and not just during specific events or moments.

What is your best advice for other people who want to be better allies?

Moore: Try to see things from others’ perspectives. If your initial reaction is to focus on disbelieving or negating what you hear, pause for a moment to listen and give serious consideration to the narrative of the other person. Imagine yourself in their position with their life experiences. Strive for empathy. 

I also strongly recommend these resources:

• The Safe Zone Project

• “Allies and Microaggressions”, Insidehighered.com

• “Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry”, Southern Poverty Law Center

• “How to Speak Up Against Casual Hate”, Conscious Style Guide

Smydra: Find an area within your organization that you are passionate about, and jump in!  Today’s workplace has no shortage of opportunities, and I do not see the demand for allies decreasing any time soon, especially as we further globalize our business and recognize the value of a truly diverse workforce. I have found Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to be excellent places for allies — and often encourage my peers to join, even if they do not personally identify as a member of the community. For example, I am a retired Marine Corps Officer, and many would think that I would pursue a role in the Veterans at Ansys ERG; however, I sought out an ally role with the Ansys Women In Technology ERG, and that experience has been one of the most rewarding of my career.

Somani: My advice for individuals looking to be better allies is to listen with sincerity, have empathy, display humility, and educate themselves continually. Engage in active conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and be open to feedback and constructive criticism. Allyship is an ongoing journey of learning and growth, and it requires genuine empathy and commitment. It's essential to acknowledge that, despite good intentions, I may not always have all the answers or fully understand the local cultural nuances and the experiences of others. Being open to learning from my colleagues and valuing their local perspectives has helped me become a more effective and empathetic ally.

Further, here are some resources that offer valuable insights on allyship and fostering an inclusive workplace:

• Books: "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi and "The Ally's Journey: A Story About Finding Your Purpose in Life" by Adrianne Machina.

• Podcasts: "Code Switch" by NPR and "The Diversity Gap" by Bethaney Wilkinson.

• Article: "The 5 Types of People Who Can Help You Succeed at Work" by The Harvard Business Review

What do you think other companies can learn from how Ansys handles allyship?

Moore: My experience has been that Ansys puts its money where its mouth is: the company promulgates equity and inclusion, follows through with initiatives from the top, provides details and implementation from Human Resources and the entire company by actually listening and responding when employees raise an issue. 

Ansys also has well-articulated and frequently communicated policies on diversity, inclusion, and equity, and forbids discrimination and harassment. In my many years at Ansys, I have found my colleagues, both in my office and the thousands in offices around the world, to be caring and open-minded people. I am honored to have worked with such a great bunch of people. 

Smydra: We have increasingly invested in the concept of allyship and have a great model that other organizations could leverage. We have executive sponsors and ERG leads and recently added another layer of leaders to each ERG that function as allies. The objective is for the ally to augment the ERG executive sponsor and leaders to attract more members, grow ERG membership, and advocate for the ERG to deliver impact. Recently, one of our ERGs did a terrific job operationalizing this paradigm. Here, the ally attracted a few high-initiative employees to the ERG, who quickly infused the group with energy. The result was an increase in events across multiple geographical regions — not only in the Americas, but also in Europe and Asia. It’s a fantastic testament to the power of the team and bringing your whole self to work.   

Additionally, I’ve always said that “you can’t fake a winning culture.” Ansys recently released a Culture Book, which exemplifies our commitment to people across the company and the tremendous investment we place in living our company values of “Be Open” (adaptability), “Be Courageous” (courage), “Be Generous” (generosity), and “Be You” (authenticity). You need all of those in consistent doses to promote a culture of equity and fairness. We have created, sustained, and grown a culture that encourages employees to share, listen, and serve others — resulting in a more inclusive environment for everyone.     

Somani: Start with values and behaviors and go from there. Ansys just underwent a transformation of our values and landed on four that inform who we are and what is important for how we work together. These values ensure that we are all embodying behaviors that enable everyone to thrive.

We also view allyship as foundational to fostering our inclusive workplace culture. We know that our diversity is what makes us a successful global company, and so we focus on promoting a culture where allyship thrives! Ansys works tirelessly to keep ourselves accountable to closing representation gaps by making sure we understand the needs of all of our employees and designing programs to support them.

Ready to find the support you deserve at work? Consider joining the Ansys team!