In this powerful episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, hosts Liz Brohan and Mary Olivieri welcome transformational growth expert and former NextUp CEO Sarah Alter to explore the critical role of male allies in advancing women at work. Sarah reframes allyship as more than mentorship—it’s about intentional partnerships that fuel both cultural progress and business results. Drawing on her experience with the Beyond Allies program, she shares practical ways organizations can turn good intentions into meaningful action. The conversation highlights the 70-20-10 leadership model and the role of emotional intelligence in building effective allies, while offering real-world examples of how allyship shows up—from amplifying women’s voices to addressing bias head-on. The trio also tackles the setbacks women faced during COVID-19 and why leadership commitment is essential. This episode makes a compelling case: allyship isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart business strategy.
In this insightful episode of Words of Wisdom from Kick-Ass Women, hosts Liz Brohan and Mary Olivieri sit down with transformational growth expert and former NextUp CEO Sarah Alter to unpack a critical—and often overlooked—topic: the importance of male allies in advancing women in the workplace.
Sarah introduces the concept of allyship as more than mentorship, it’s about building intentional, relational partnerships that drive both cultural and business success. Drawing from her experience leading the Beyond Allies program, she explains how organizations can move from good intentions to meaningful action by embedding allyship into everyday behaviors.
A key framework discussed is the 70-20-10 leadership model: 70% of learning comes from experience, 20% from relationships, and 10% from formal education. Combined with emotional intelligence, this model helps individuals develop awareness, choice, motivation, empathy, and skills needed to become effective allies.
The conversation also explores the real-world impact of allyship—from amplifying women’s voices in meetings to calling out inappropriate behavior, even when women aren’t present. Sarah emphasizes that true allyship requires courage, consistency, and a willingness to act.
The episode doesn’t shy away from challenges. The hosts and Sarah reflect on the regression women experienced during COVID-19, the importance of top-down leadership support, and the measurable business benefits of inclusive cultures—like increased retention, innovation, and productivity.
For listeners looking to drive change, Sarah offers practical advice: start small, build cross-functional support, and frame allyship as a business imperative—not just a moral one.
This episode is a powerful reminder that creating equity at work isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s everyone’s responsibility.
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