For some women leaders in hospitals and health systems, access to mentorship and participation in important discussions have contributed to their success and growth.
Allies are typically advocates with privilege or power who call out discrimination and unconscious biases, promoting representation and inclusion, according to an article published by Pediatric Radiology.
One example of this in medicine, according to the authors, could be a male colleague correcting another for assuming a female radiologist is a resident rather than an attending because of her gender.
In healthcare leadership, allyship can involve speaking up to include a woman leader in a project where she is the best fit. Health systems can also promote allyship through intentional programs and initiatives.
Here are six ways men in leadership roles and healthcare organizations can be better allies to women leaders.
1. Earned promotions to leadership roles
Male leaders can demonstrate allyship by actively promoting women to leadership roles based on qualifications and best fit, said Julie Abercrombie, CFO at Foley, Ala.-based Baldwin Health.
2. Create pathways to top positions
Being better allies involves intentionally mentoring women for leadership roles, Ms. Abercrombie told Becker's.
"Women in healthcare leadership roles may not have access to the same level of organizational support and mentoring as men," she said. "In my years of leadership with Community Health Systems, I have always felt supported and have had the best men and women mentors, which has been a key part of my success in my role as a CFO."
3. Focus on skills, not names, when forming teams
Allyship was demonstrated when creating a special workgroup to solve a critical issue, said Jennifer Havens, RN, West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health - Dubuque market president.
"Instead of using the traditional method of asking 'who' should be included on the workgroup from a list of names, we deidentified the list and only provided each leader’s top five CliftonStrengths," Ms. Havens told Becker's. "This created an unbiased approach and brought new faces to the table who were wired differently with varying perspectives. This empowered individuals who might not typically have been chosen, leading to innovative solutions that ultimately benefitted the entire organization."
4. Inclusion in conversations, projects
"When serving as Controller in our organization for a number of years, I never hesitated to ask to be included in important discussions and projects," Ms. Abercrombie said. "Our CEO and CFO male leaders at the time never said no and allotted me every opportunity to learn and grow."
5. Show appreciation through programs, policies
"Organizations can promote allyship in leaders by intentionally showing appreciation and support for both men and women," Ms. Abercrombie said. "In order to grow the next generation of strong women leaders, organizations need to put programs and policies in place that support work-life balance, create mentorship programs that focus on women’s leadership development, and are supportive of career and leadership ambitions that women aspire to."
6. Create mentorship programs
Greater Baltimore Medical Center CFO Laurie Beyer told Becker's she has participated in mentorship programs and helped colleagues navigate difficult situations to become better leaders.
In one instance, a nursing leader sought to establish a standardized process for securing lost patient belongings in the emergency room but faced resistance. Through the mentorship program, Ms. Beyer was able to guide her through the process, she said.