What is Allyship Development Coaching?

 

Let’s begin by exploring the question, what is allyship?

 

Allyship is:

• a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalized individuals and/or groups of people. 

• not self-defined and it is relational. It is acting in such a way that others see you as their ally. 

• an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves, whilst building confidence in others and building their confidence in us.

Read more on Forbes.com

 

Allyship is building relationships with marginalized individuals or groups. Let's explore this next.

 

We all have many social identities, meaning our sense of who we are based on our group membership(s). We may feel we belong to a group called “women,” “native English speakers,” or “working class.” Each of our social identities may be marginalized or privileged, meaning we experience some benefits from having that identity or we experience obstacles. Each of us has a combination of both privileged and marginalized identities. Navigating the many intersections of all these identities in ourselves and in relation to others, with their varying levels of privilege takes some thoughtfulness. How would someone as a straight, white, middle-class woman, be an ally to a queer youth of color from a working-class family? It takes some thoughtfulness. 

 

We may not be used to thinking in terms of social identities and privilege, so allyship can seem confusing, challenging or frustrating. It is impossible for us to see our own blind spots and even if we have done some reading to educate ourselves we will discover the truth of the saying “the map is not the territory.” Reading a map and seeing a river is fundamentally different from wading through it, feeling the biting, cold water and the rushing current. Having an expert guide is crucial for our successful navigation of new landscapes. We also need an expert guide in the area of human development as we explore the feelings that arise in response to what we learn and other's expectations of us. 

 

An allyship development coach is that expert. 

 

Leanne can provide:  

• Strategic analysis of specific incidents that produced discord 

• Partnership to create actionable strategies to produce harmony, teamwork, and success

• Powerful techniques to create inner peace, ease, and freedom with diversity and inclusion

• Powerful techniques to overcome frustration, confusion, and shame 

• The insider perspectives you need to successfully work with the dynamics in you and around you.