Men as Allies

Women Mentoring Men®

Do you want to engage men as allies in your workplace?

 

As we continue to build on our long tradition of developing leaders through mentoring, we are excited to scale our new, cross-company mentoring program focused on women mentoring men to engage men as allies in gender equity. There are other programs out there focused on allyship, but they are missing something critical: a mentor! With 30 years as leaders in the mentoring space, our program is built around a unique mentoring partnership that provides executive women and men a judgment free zone to have courageous conversations, build inclusive leadership skills, and learn from each other.

“It was a real-life opportunity to make a move and take action toward diversity and inclusion. I wanted to put myself in a better position to be a leader in this area for my team, and identify what we should be doing differently as an organization.”

 

-Rob Grubka, President, Employee Benefits, Voya Financial

“Natalie was incredibly supportive and open with me which helped me better embrace what change means not just for women but women of color. To have a mentor that is willing to actively listen as well as be very candid about the realities for women in the workplace open and was incredibly important and not only helped me become more aware as a leader and advocate, but also a better person.”

-Tim Meyer, Vice President, Clinical Affairs, Respicardia

Be a change agent.

men as allies

Despite a strong focus on Diversity and Inclusion across organizations and many different efforts specifically focused on driving gender equity, women continue to be underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline. Additionally, women have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and one in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce due to Covid-19 (Mckinsey & Company, Women in the Workplace, 2020). There are still many barriers that get in the way of the advancement of women and achieving a gender equal world. Achieving gender equity is not only an ethical imperative, it’s a business one: companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 25 percent more likely to have above-average profitability than companies in the fourth quartile (McKinsey & Company, Diversity Wins, 2020).

 

At Menttium, we have a long history and tradition of developing and advancing women through mentoring. Now, we are being intentional about engaging men in a unique mentoring experience to build awareness, sharpen skill-sets and continue to develop the confidence to be allies for women. By standing together as leaders, as women and men, we can be change agents to advocate for inclusion!

96%

PROGRESS WHEN MEN ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN GENDER DIVERSITY

96% of companies report progress when men are actively involved in gender diversity initiatives

30%

PROGRESS WHEN MEN ARE NOT INVOLVED IN GENDER DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

When men are not involved in gender diversity initiatives, only 30% show progress

Practice inclusive leadership behaviors.

Men who have WOMEN MENTORS are more aware of gender bias than men who do not have this experience.

4

Times More Likely

Reflect and Build awareness.

For companies that prioritize creating a culture of equality, data shows that women are four times more likely to reach senior manager and director levels.

MENTEE CRITERIA

  • Male Executives
  • Demonstrated interest in being an ally
  • Strong desire to learn and grow in inclusive leadership
  • Demonstrated humility and openness to other perspectives
  • In a position to influence organizational culture

MENTOR CRITERIA

  • Female Executives
  • Strong desire to learn and grow inclusive leadership
  • Strong passion and commitment to gender equity and inclusion
  • Demonstrated humility and openness to other perspectives
  • Experienced mentor

 

The Results

Mentee Impact

I feel more comfortable discussing gender equity in the workplace.0%
I feel more personally accountable for supporting women's development and advancement at my organization.0%
I am more confident in speaking up/being an ally.0%
I am more aware of common challenges confronted
by women in the workplace.
0%
I am actively examining my personal gender biases.0%

Mentor Impact

I believe being mentored by a woman is a critical leadership development experience.0%
I will encourage other men in my organization to serve
as allies to women.
0%

The Structure

8 Month Program (Launching in September 2021)

Monthly facilitated group sessions via Zoom

Monthly one-to-one mentee/mentor partnership meetings

Check-ins and surveys to measure impact

Ongoing tools and resources

Partnering with the DEI Experts at inQUEST

InQuest Logo

Hear from Missy Chicre

SVP, Business Development & Product Innovation

featured on WCCO News.

Missy Chicre’s interview on

TCSHRM What the HR! podcast.