Amediate EEO Plus
By Sharon E. Harrington, MA, CPTD
Founder & Senior Organizational Communication Consultant, Amediate, LLC
Last month, I wrote about Pride and Protection and why, even though the law hasn’t fundamentally changed, many leaders feel the rules have. The response reminded me that most HR professionals, investigators, and leaders aren’t looking for political debates.
They’re looking for practical answers.
They have organizations to run.
One question continues to surface:
“How do I support my employees without saying too much, doing too little, or crossing a line?”
That question brings us to this month’s theme—Allyship.
For some, allyship has become another buzzword. For others, it feels risky. Some leaders avoid it altogether, fearing they may appear biased or as if they are taking sides.
I think we’ve complicated something that is actually very simple.
Being an ally isn’t about agreeing with everyone. It isn’t about speaking for others. It isn’t about lowering standards or granting special treatment.
Real allyship is about creating a workplace where every employee has an equal opportunity to succeed and where people know they will be treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.
Those principles have always formed the foundation of good leadership.
Allyship and Inclusive Leadership
Throughout my career as an EEO investigator, trainer, and organizational consultant, I’ve learned something that often surprises people.
The best investigators aren’t advocates for one side. They’re advocates for the truth.
The best HR professionals aren’t there to win arguments. They’re there to build trust.
The best leaders don’t try to have all the answers. They create environments where employees feel safe enough to bring forward concerns before they become complaints.
That’s allyship.
Not taking over. Not rescuing. Not assuming.
But –Listening. Learning. Removing unnecessary barriers. Speaking up when respect disappears from the conversation.
Supporting Without Overstepping
One of the biggest misconceptions about allyship is believing that we have to become someone else’s voice.
Most people don’t need us to speak for them. They need us to make sure their own voice can be heard. Sometimes that means asking,
“Would you like me to support you, or would you prefer to handle this yourself?”
Sometimes it means making room at the table rather than speaking at it.
Sometimes it means challenging disrespectful behavior, even when no one from the affected group is present.
As an Investigator
As investigators, we often meet people on one of the worst days of their employment experience.
An employee may believe no one listened. A supervisor may feel they’ve already been judged. Witnesses may simply want the situation to disappear.
An investigator’s role is not to become an ally to one individual. Our responsibility is to be an ally to the integrity of the process.
That means approaching every interview with curiosity instead of assumptions. Testing evidence instead of confirming bias. Giving every person an opportunity to be heard.
In many ways, procedural fairness is one of the strongest forms of allyship an investigator can demonstrate, and leaving individuals with a sense of being heard is the greatest gift.
As a Leader
At the recent SHRM Annual Conference, one message stayed with me long after the sessions ended.
HR isn’t just about policies. It’s about people.
That resonated with me because I’ve seen firsthand that organizations don’t build trust through mission statements. They build trust through everyday leadership decisions.
- The manager who asks for another perspective before making a decision.
- The executive who admits they don’t know everything.
- The coworker who checks in after a difficult meeting.
- The investigator who follows the evidence wherever it leads.
Those aren’t dramatic acts. They’re consistent acts of allyship.
Where We Go From Here
Every month in Amediate EEO Plus, I hope to move the conversation forward.
In June, we explored why so many organizations feel uncertain even when the legal framework remains largely intact.
This month, the question becomes:
How do we lead well in that uncertainty?
My answer is simple.
- Lead with curiosity.
- Lead with consistency.
- Lead with respect.
- Support people without assuming what they need.
- Create workplaces where fairness is visible—not just written in policies.
Because allyship isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about choosing principles. And principles never go out of style.
What does allyship look like in your organization?
I’d love to hear the small leadership behaviors you’ve seen make the biggest difference. Sometimes the most meaningful acts of inclusion are also the quietest.
About the Author
Sharon E Harrington, MA, CPTD, is the founder of Amediate LLC and a workplace communication expert with nearly 30 years of experience. As an EEO Investigator and Certified Professional in Talent Development, she helps organizations navigate complex workplace dynamics and build harmonious professional environments through her innovative "Leadership for the Learning Organization" program.
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