Pips Bunce’s Post

What's one of the most cringe-worthy terms you've heard in recent years when it comes to #DEI initiatives? Hint, it's a noun. Often self-proclaimed. Starts with A, and ...doesn't mean anything! The riddle is over: #Allyship! I am naturally suspicious when I hear people say: 'I am an ally!" 🤷♀️ What does that actually mean? 🏷️ What drives an #ally to put a label on themselves? What to they get out of it? It would be like me saying: ‘I am a #feminist.’ Well, guess what: everything I do makes it abundantly clear that I believe and act to advance gender equality. So far, I haven't met a 'real' ally. Well, I have - but they wouldn't call themselves an 'ally'. 🦸♂️ Instead, they act like an ally. Worth so much more! According to a recent Harvard Business Review article ("Men, Stop Calling Yourselves Allies. Act Like One." written by W. Brad Johnson and David G. Smith 👏 ) the articles quotes a study from Allies-In-Action where over 1,100 men and women across companies participated with astonishing results: 💡 They call it "a stark aspiration-execution gap", i.e. high aspirations, low execution. In other words: Lots of talking 💬 , little walking 🚶. Aka #blablabla. 🤔 And curiously, I know of a lot of amazing women who have a stark execution-aspiration gap - they execute high but have low aspirations. 🏋️ 📣 In the study, 90% of men stated they had personally given a woman credit for her contributions and ideas in a meeting during the previous year, 🤐 yet only 40% of women reported witnessing such male ally behaviour during the same period. 🤯 Mind-blowing! Thankfully there are six rules to live by for men who aspire to better ally behaviour and commit to real gender equity not just in the workplace. Ditch the label - start the action:  ❌ Stop the temptation to flash an 'ally badge' or label yourself an ally. Actions speak louder than words. ⏳ There are no quick fixes, a label cannot catapult you to your destination. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Chinese proverb. 🧏  Listen and learn first, then ask how to best help. 😨 How long will you stay and act like an ally before you are getting nervous of the women 'overtaking' you? 👯 Are you ready to give women fair share of voice in meetings? On boards? On panels? Would you give up your share of voice to make space for more diversity? 👊 Are you actively breaking biases in everyday working practices? While I am in full anticipation that my inbox will get flooded with hate messages now, I invite all the amazing #gracefullyBOLD men and women out there to chime into the comments: Let’s tell GREAT stories: Please tag a real ally and share how they demonstrate '#allyship' behaviour on a day-to-day basis. 🕵️  Let’s go! #gracefullyBOLD #womenleaders #rolemodels #diversityandinclusion #leadership

International women’s day always brings out those who say “I try not to think of gender or people’s backgrounds, but try to treat everyone equally.” Great intentions. Really bad for equality. It’s actually like code language that you don’t take time to understand the complexity of systematic oppression or not maybe even acknowledge that it exists. Why statements like "I don't see color" or "I don't look at gender" can be harmful: 👉 Erasure of Identity: Disregarding someone's race, gender, or other aspects of their identity ignores their unique experiences, challenges, and cultural heritage. 👉 Failure to Acknowledge Privilege: Claiming colorblindness or gender-blindness often comes from a place of privilege, where the speaker does not experience discrimination based on those characteristics. It overlooks the systemic advantages that certain groups may have over others. 👉 Dismissal of Systemic Inequality: Denying the significance of race or gender ignores the ongoing struggles against discrimination and systemic oppression faced by marginalized communities. 👉Ineffectiveness in Addressing Inequality: Pretending not to see differences doesn't address the root causes of discrimination and inequality. It can perpetuate ignorance and maintain the status quo. 👉Lack of Cultural Competence: Ignoring diversity inhibits understanding and empathy, hindering meaningful connections and relationships across different communities. 👉Impact on Solutions: To address societal issues effectively, acknowledging and understanding differences is essential. Colorblind or gender-blind approaches can hinder efforts to create inclusive policies and practices. 👉Promotion of Assimilation: Encouraging people to ignore their differences can lead to pressure to assimilate to dominant cultural norms, suppressing individuality and cultural richness. It’s important to recognize and value diversity as a fundamental aspect of promoting equality and justice. Share this post. Be part of Crush movement. #crushmovement #equality #genderequality #tasaarvo

🌍 Imagine a world where media embraces diversity and shatters harmful gender stereotypes. 🚫💁♂️💁♀️ It's not just a dream, it's a necessity. Outdated gender roles in media not only limit expression but hinder progress in business practices, pay equity, and talent recognition. 📺🚫 These stereotypes also impact the aspirations of our younger generation, influencing their choices and future. 🌟💪 Let's break free from these preconceived notions and create a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion. 💥💼 Businesses have the power to challenge and change the narrative, reflecting our evolving society. 🌈✨ Because a diverse and inclusive culture isn't just good ethics, it's good business. 💼💯 #MediaRepresentation #GenderEquality #DiversityandInclusion #BreakingStereotypes #BusinessEthics #InclusiveCulture

You know how sometimes you hear or read words and you understand what they mean but actually you don't *really* understand them? I had such an Aha!-moment about the traits of #InclusiveLeadership (if you're leading/managing others) and #Allyship (anyone who stands with, and speaks up for, underrepresented or oppressed groups). According to different models, signature traits of inclusive leaders & allies include curiosity, courage and humility. Hearing the lively discussion between Gail Rego (She/Her) Marc Angel Aurélie Mulowa & Thierry Geerts tonight, moderated by Robert Baker , I suddenly *got it*. These are indeed (the?) 3 keys towards unlocking the power of #diversity and equality. The topic of tonight was: engaging men as allies for gender equality. We spoke about the barriers, ways to convince (other) men, the business case and the power of legislation. And I couldn't help thinking: yes, I've learned about, and used, many of these arguments and interventions before and yet, after 10 years as a #DEI practitioner, progress is still painstakingly slow. Why? Then it suddenly dawned on me: besides the many practical things we can do, THE most important things real inclusive leaders and allies (of any gender) can do to make a difference is to show: 1) CURIOSITY > Don't rely on your own experience of the workplace or aggregated engagement survey results; proactively have conversations with people who are different from you and ask them how they experience the environment. And most importantly: take the time to listen. Not to be able to prepare a response but to understand what the world looks like when you're in a female, gay, black, autistic or muslim colleague's shoes. 2) COURAGE > You may claim to "fully support DEI" but actions speak louder than words. Yes, as a man, speaking up for gender equality or calling yourself a feminist is uncomfortable ("What if I say the wrong thing?") and scary ("What will my colleagues & friends say? Will they make fun of me?"). But isn't that how every important change for the better in history started: with people who had the courage to stand up for what they believed in? Who took a risk? In Susan Jeffers' words: feel the fear and do it anyway. 3) HUMILITY > Where extraversion and self-confidence have traditionally - and wrongly, we know now - been seen as key leadership traits, the VUCA world we live in today requires that we accept that we don't know what we don't know. No one person can have all the answers anymore. If you want to grow and learn (about DEI), you'll continuously find that you discover... that there's still so much more to learn! Accept that no one can be an inclusive leader or ally without getting it wrong - a lot. Practice really does make progress. As long as you own your mistakes and learn from them, you're better/wiser/more experienced than before and that's what matters. Thank you for this inspiring event, Dr Audrey-Flore Ngomsik & The Brussels Binder! #thoughtprovoking

International Women's Day is getting closer. Before communicating about it, make sure to check if the language you use is inclusive! This great reminder from Dora Mołodyńska-Küntzel can help you. I'm learning to use language inclusively. I try to stay mindful and aware of how words are loaded with meaning. Nobody is perfect and we can forget sometimes about these things, so a post like that is a reminder to stop and think before communicating. A great example of actually inspiring inclusion! #iwd2024 #inspireinclusion #communication #inclusivelanguage

What Kind of Superhero Will You Be Today? Today, I challenge you to embrace your inner superhero. 🦸♀️🦸♂️ My kids recently showed me how strong they’ve become by helping carry items into the house. They were so proud and wanted me to watch and applaud them. It made me think about what makes a superhero and how they inspire change and motivation. Superheroes aren't just in comics and movies. They’re in our homes, workplaces, and communities. And guess what? You have superhero qualities too. Here are a few ways have learnt to use your powers today: ✅The Listener:Offer a listening ear to a coworker, friend, or family member. Sometimes the greatest superpower is simply being present and creating a safe space for others. ✅The Encourager:Spread positivity and motivation. A kind word or genuine compliment can make someone's day. Be the superhero who helps others see their own strengths. ✅The Advocate:Stand up for what's right. Use your voice to support a coworker, advocate for diversity and inclusion, or promote gender equality. Your superpower is your courage to speak out. ✅The Learner:Stay curious and committed to growth. By continually learning and evolving, you inspire others to do the same. Your superpower is your desire for knowledge and self-improvement. ✅The Connector:Foster relationships and build bridges. Create an environment that promotes understanding and community. Your superpower is your ability to bring people together and establish harmony. So, which type of superhero will you be today? Remember, you don’t need a cape to make a difference. Every action you take, no matter how small, can create a positive ripple effect. #SuperheroWithin #PositiveImpact #LiveLoveLaugh

The theme for the upcoming International Women’s Day is Inspire Inclusion. So, let’s get right into it and inspire inclusion on the basic level: our language. I still notice communication aimed at women or about women that uses “female” and “women” interchangeably and that is not entirely inclusive. Not all women are female. Not everyone who was born female is a woman, and not every woman was born female. The term "female" usually describes biological characteristics and reproductive abilities, typically referring to sex assigned at birth based on anatomy. “Woman” refers to gender - to how someone identifies, how they understand their identity and how it fits into social roles. The term “women” includes transgender women and any person who holds that particular gender identity. It acknowledges that being a woman is about one's gender identity, regardless of their assigned sex at birth. What are your thoughts? Is your organisation conscious in their communication and uses inclusive language, also around International Women’s Day? #inspireinclusion #iwc2024

Not many people know this but yesterday (19.11) was International Men's Day. Many might find this surprising, isn't it every day men's day? Well, you see, it's not that easy. The more I work on gender equality, the more I realise that gender equality is not just about one gender, in fact is not even about 2 genders as we know that the situation is more complex than that. Now, I'm genuinely not experienced enough to talk for the LGBTQ+ community, and not for men either. But what I can say is that I believe in a future where everyone can thrive REGARDLESS of their gender. I'm a feminist and contrary to the unfortunately popular belief that wants feminists to hate men, that actually means that I believe that women and men should have equal rights. Now it is important to understand that equal rights need to be equal for everyone. I have to admit that for a long time when men would say to me "Ah men have it hard you know?" My reaction was "Oh poor you, scared to be taken off your throne?" I understand now that it is actually true. The social construct that makes women doubt themselves, stirs them away from careers in STEM, makes them take the heavy load of unpaid care work, etc, is the same that causes men to hide their feelings, doubts, and anxiety to fit into the strong man stereotype that society tells us to believe in. It's also the same belief system that allows men to display only one emotion without consequences: rage. Now, do you know that the vast majority of victims of drowning are men? And you know why? Because they are raised to be brave (unfortunately sometimes too much) and not to ask for help. The same is true for suicide, which is this year's topic of IMD. The same system is also the one that creates toxic masculinity and expectations that are damaging for both men and women. So yes, as a feminist and as someone dedicated to fostering gender inclusion, I believe in the importance of acknowledging the challenges the men face, encouraging a dialogue, to seek for collaboration and allyship, listening with open ears and with open hearts, and sharing our experiences and challenges. And it's for this reason that I was so excited on Friday to moderate the online panel organised by HSBC Commercial Banking to discuss allyship and men's mental health. A massive thank you to Nick Ashton for inviting me, for organising the event, and for the great insights, and thank you Terry Furlong and Sijia Duan for sharing your stories and your own insight. Once again, I'm so glad to be able to partner with such an engaged company like HSBC!

I do not want flowers I do not want “50% off for you as a woman on Women’s Day” I do not want “Happy Women’s Day” messages Instead, if you want to celebrate Women’s Day here are some tips: ▶ Look at how you can become an advocate for women’s voices to be heard every day. ▶ Educate yourself about gender bias. We all have biases. Which ones are yours? ▶ Women are judged based on their likability VS competence. Not both. Challenge yourself and others. ▶ Talk about women's challenges to the people who need to hear it. ▶ Finally, you know the bad jokes, the ones we have learned since childhood, the old, rancid, sexist jokes? Stop them. Be the one who breaks the circle. If we have this day, it means we still need to make progress in the world everywhere.  For our mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins, colleagues, and friends to be safer, to have a voice, to be heard, to be trusted, to be represented. I’ll finish this post with a quote from Bettina Aptheker from her course “Feminism and Social Justice” on Coursera: “Feminism is the complicated enterprise of achieving equality between women and men and among all peoples. Feminism is about the elimination of all forms of hierarchy, all systems of domination. It is about honoring the preciousness of all life in accord with cultural, legal, historical, and political understandings of gender. This definition uses specific designations of women and men of racial and sexual identities in order to appropriately recognize struggles for gender, racial, and social justice, while simultaneously acknowledging that these categories are neither fixed nor permanent.” I'd love to thank the amazing women, men, and non-binary people I know who truly show me an inclusive world is possible. You have all my love. All we need is a little bit of courage as Norbert Steinhauser said this morning. So who's in? ---------------------------------------- Image courtesy of bestie ChatGPT "The image created visualizes a strong, empowered woman standing with confidence, surrounded by symbols of education, advocacy, and leadership in gender equality. This representation embodies the message of equality, inclusiveness, and the dedication to breaking cycles of bias, aligning with the powerful message you wish to convey on LinkedIn."

Change the way you look at women's success... If your name is "Kiran" and you are getting a recommendation for promotion then... Let's break this notion 👺 👋 Today, let's shine a light on something that affects us all: Gender Bias. As a DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) coach, I'm here to dive into this important topic and explore how we can dismantle its barriers. 💫 🤔 What is Gender Bias? Gender bias is like wearing tinted glasses that skew our perception of people based on their gender. It's those subtle (and not-so-subtle) stereotypes and prejudices that seep into our thoughts and actions, shaping how we interact with others and the opportunities they're offered. It's time to remove those glasses and see each other clearly! 👓💥 🚩 Signs to Watch Out For: 1️⃣ Stereotyping: Assuming certain roles, abilities, or behaviors based on someone's gender. 2️⃣ Unequal Opportunities: Offering different opportunities or rewards based on gender rather than merit. 3️⃣ Microaggressions: Those little comments or actions that reinforce gender stereotypes and make people feel marginalized. 4️⃣ Double Standards: Holding different standards or expectations for people based on their gender identity. 💥 Breaking the Bias: 1️⃣ Education and Awareness: Take time to educate yourself and others about the impact of gender bias. Knowledge is power! 2️⃣ Challenge Stereotypes: Call out stereotypes when you see them and challenge assumptions about what people can or cannot do based on their gender. 3️⃣ Promote Inclusive Language: Use language that is inclusive and respectful of all gender identities. Let's embrace diversity! 4️⃣ Advocate for Equity: Advocate for policies and practices that promote gender equity in the workplace and beyond. Stand up for equal pay and equal opportunities for all! 5️⃣ Listen and Learn: Listen to the experiences of those affected by gender bias and create space for their voices to be heard. We're all in this together! 🌈 Together, We Can Make a Difference! Breaking gender bias isn't just about leveling the playing field—it's about creating a world where everyone feels valued and respected, regardless of their gender identity. Let's commit to being allies and advocates for change, one step at a time. 💪💖 #genderbias #deib #InclusionMatters #BreakTheMold #EqualityForAll