3 ways to be a better ally in the workplace | Melinda Epler

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Keying Chen

In 2013, I was an executive at an international engineering firm

2013 年，我是一間 國際工程公司的主管，

in San Francisco.

公司位在舊金山。

It was my dream job.

那是我夢想的工作。

A culmination of all the skills that I've acquired over the years:

把我多年來習得的技巧 發揮到淋漓盡致：

storytelling, social impact, behavior change.

說故事、社會影響、行為改變。

I was the head of marketing and culture

我是行銷與文化單位的主管，

and I worked with the nation's largest health care systems,

我和全國最大的 健康照護系統合作，

using technology and culture change

用技術和文化改變

to radically reduce their energy and water use

從根本減少他們的 能源和水資源用量，

and to improve their social impact.

並改善他們的社會影響力。

I was creating real change in the world.

我真的在改變世界。

And it was the worst professional experience of my life.

這段經歷是我人生中 最糟糕的工作經驗。

我重重撞到了玻璃天花板 （升遷的無形障礙）。

I hit the glass ceiling hard.

It hurt like hell.

痛死我了。

While there were bigger issues,

雖然有更重大的問題，

most of what happened were little behaviors and patterns

但大部分發生的狀況 都是些小小的行為和模式，

that slowly chipped away at my ability to do my work well.

一點一滴慢慢消磨掉 我把工作做好的能力。

They ate away at my confidence, my leadership, my capacity to innovate.

它們吃掉了我的信心、 我的領導力、我的創新力。

For example, my first presentation at the company.

比如，我在公司的第一次簡報。

I walk up to the front of the room

我走到會議室的前方，

to give a presentation on the strategy that I believe is right for the company.

陳述一項我認為公司需要的策略。

這是他們僱用我的目的。

The one they hired me to create.

And I look around the room at my fellow executives.

我環顧了會議室， 看著其他主管伙伴。

And I watch as they pick up their cell phones

我看著他們拿起他們的手機，

and look down at their laptops.

低頭看著他們的筆電。

They're not paying attention.

他們沒在注意聽。

當我開始說話時， 開始有人打斷我，

As soon as I start to speak, the interruptions begin

and people talk over me again and again and again.

我在說話時他們也一直講個不停。

Some of my ideas are flat out dismissed

我丟出的一些點子完全沒被理會，

and then brought up by somebody else and championed.

後來卻被別人提出且得到支持。

I was the only woman in that room.

我是那間房間中唯一的女性。

And I could have used an ally.

我需要一個盟友。

Little behaviors and pattern like this, every day, again and again,

像這樣的小小行為和模式， 每天一而再再而三地出現，

they wear you down.

它們會把你磨光。

Pretty soon, my energy was absolutely tapped.

很快地，我的能量完全流失了。

At a real low point, I read an article

在極低潮時，我讀到一篇文章，

about toxic workplace culture and microaggressions.

內容是關於有害的 工作場所文化和微侵略。

Microaggressions -- everyday slights, insults,

微侵略——每天 日常的輕蔑、侮辱、

negative verbal and nonverbal communication,

負面的言語／非言語溝通，

whether intentional or not,

不論是有意或無意，

that impede your ability to do your work well.

都阻礙了你把工作做好的能力。

That sounded familiar.

那聽起來很耳熟。

I started to realize that I wasn't failing.

我開始意識到並不是我讓人失望，

The culture around me was failing me.

而是我周圍的文化讓我失望。

And I wasn't alone.

而且我並不孤單。

Behaviors and patterns like this

每天，像這樣的行為和模式

every day affect underrepresented people of all backgrounds in the workplace.

都在工作場所中影響著 各種背景的弱勢者。

And that has a real impact

那真的會衝擊到

on our colleagues, on our companies

我們的同事、我們的公司，

and our collective capacity to innovate.

以及我們集體創新的能力。

So, in the tech industry, we want quick solutions.

所以，在科技產業，我們想要 能快速解決問題的方案。

But there is no magic wand for correcting diversity and inclusion.

但並沒有魔杖可以處理 多樣性和包容的問題。

Change happens one person at a time,

改變的發生，是一次一個人，

one act at a time, one word at a time.

一次一個行為，一次一個言詞。

We make a mistake when we see diversity and inclusion

我們犯了個錯，把多樣性和包容

as that side project over there the diversity people are working on,

視為負責多樣性的人 要去做的次要工作，

rather than this work inside all of us that we need to do together.

而不是我們所有人 應該同心協力做的工作。

And that work begins

那項工作應該始於

with unlearning what we know about success and opportunity.

放掉我們所學過、所知道， 關於成功和機會的知識。

We've been told our whole lives

我們一生中都一直被告知

that if we work hard, that hard work pays off,

如果我們努力工作， 就會得到報償，

we'd get what we deserve, we'd live our dream.

我們會得到應得的，會實現夢想。

But that isn't true for everyone.

但並非人人皆是如此。

Some people have to work 10 times as hard

有些人在工作上得要努力十倍

to get to the same place

才能爬到同樣的位置，

due to many barriers put in front of them by society.

因為社會在他們面前 放了許多障礙。

Your gender, your race, your ethnicity,

你的性別、你的種族、你的人種、

your religion, your disability, your sexual orientation,

你的宗教、你的殘疾、你的性向、

your class, your geography,

你的階級、你的所在地，

all of these can give you more of fewer opportunities for success.

上述所有這些都會讓你 成功的機會減少增多。

And that's where allyship comes in.

這就是盟友關係 發揮功能的地方了。

Allyship is about understanding that imbalance in opportunity

盟友關係的重點是要 了解機會的不平衡，

and working to correct it.

並努力去修正它。

Allyship is really seeing the person next to us.

盟友關係是要真正看見 我們旁邊的那個人。

And the person missing, who should be standing next to us.

以及應該要站在我們旁邊 卻不在場的那個人。

And first, just knowing what they're going through.

首先，要先了解他們的遭遇。

And then, helping them succeed and thrive with us.

接著，協助他們和我們 一起成功、茁壯。

When we work together to develop more diverse and inclusive teams,

當我們一起努力來發展出 更有多樣性且更包容的團隊，

data shows we will be more innovative, more productive and more profitable.

資料顯示，我們就會更有 創新力、生產力，且更能獲利。

So, who is an ally?

所以，誰是盟友？所有人。

All of us.

我們都能成為彼此的盟友。

We can all be allies for each other.

As a white, cisgendered woman in the United States,

我身為順性別的 白人女性，在美國，

there are many ways I'm very privileged.

我在許多情況下都比較有特權。

And some ways I'm not.

但也有些情況不是如此。

And I work hard every day

我每天都很努力，為比我 更沒有特權的人扮演盟友。

to be an ally for people with less privilege than me.

And I still need allies, too.

而我也仍然需要盟友。

In the tech industry, like in many industries,

在科技產業，和許多產業一樣，

there are many people who are underrepresented,

有許多人是弱勢，

or face barriers and discrimination.

或是要面對障礙及歧視。

Women, people who are nonbinary --

女性、非二元性別者——

so people who don't necessarily identify as man or woman --

就是性別認同不是 男性或女性的人——

racial and ethnic minorities,

在種族或人種上是少數的人、 各種性別認同的人、

LGBTQIA, people with disabilities, veterans,

有殘疾的人、退伍軍人、

anybody over age 35.

任何年齡在 35 歲以上的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

We have a major bias toward youth in the tech industry.

在科技產業，我們特別偏好年輕人。

And many others.

還有許多其他人。

There is always someone with less privilege than you.

總會有人的特權比你還少。

On this stage, in this room.

在這講台上，在這會場中。

At your company, on your team, in your city or town.

在你的公司裡，在你的團隊中， 在你的城市或鄉鎮內。

So, people are allies for different reasons.

大家成為盟友的理由不同。

Find your reason.

找到你自己的理由。

It could be for the business case,

可能是為了工作上的案件，

because data shows diverse and inclusive teams

因為資料顯示， 多樣化且包容的團隊

will be more productive, more profitable and more innovative.

會比較有生產力， 比較能獲利，比較能創新。

It could be for fairness and social justice.

也有可能是為了公平及社會正義。

Because we have a long history of oppression and inequity

因為我們有很長的壓迫 和不平等的歷史，

that we need to work on together.

我們得要一起處理這些問題。

Or it could be for your kids,

也可能是為了你的孩子，

so your kids grow up with equal opportunities.

這樣你的孩子在成長過程中 才會有平等的機會。

And they grow up creating equal opportunities for others.

且他們在成長的過程中， 才會為他人創造平等的機會。

Find your reason.

找到你自己的理由。 對我，三個理由都是。

For me, it's all three.

Find your reason and step up to be there for someone who needs you.

找到你自己的理由， 並為需要你的人站出來。

So, what can you do as an ally?

所以，身為盟友，你能做什麼？

Start by doing no harm.

可以從不要造成傷害開始。

It's our job as allies to know what microaggressions are and to not do them.

身為盟友，我們的工作 是要知道微侵略是什麼，

且不要去做那些事。

It's our job as allies to listen, to learn,

身為盟友，我們的工作 是要傾聽、學習、

to unlearn and to relearn,

放掉習得的，然後重新再學習，

and to make mistakes and to keep learning.

去犯錯，並持續學習。

Give me your full attention.

把你們所有的注意力交給我。

Close your laptops,

關上你們的筆電，

put down your cellphones and pay attention.

放下你們的手機，集中注意力。

If somebody is new or the only person in the room like them,

如果有人是新來的， 或是跟大家都不太一樣，

or they're just nervous,

或是單純只是緊張，

this is going to make a huge difference in how they show up.

這會為他們的形象 造成很大的改變。

Don't interrupt.

不要打斷別人。

Underrepresented people are more likely to be interrupted,

弱勢的人比較有可能會被打斷，

so just take a step back and listen.

所以，退後一步，傾聽就好。

Echo and attribute.

重覆他的話，歸功於他。

If I have a great idea,

如果我有個很好的點子，

echo my idea and then attribute it to me, and we thrive together.

重覆我的點子，然後把功勞 歸給我，我們一起茁壯。

Learn the language I use to describe my identity.

了解我在描述我的身分時 會用的用語，

Know how to pronounce my name.

知道我的名字如何發音。

Know my pronouns -- he, she, they.

知道我的代名詞—— 他、她、他們。

Know the language I use to describe my disability, my ethnicity, my religion.

知道我在描述我的殘疾、我的 人種、我的宗教時會用的用語。

This really matters to people, so if you don't know, just ask.

這對別人來說意義非凡，

所以如果你不知道，就去問。

Listen and learn.

傾聽並學習。

An executive told me recently that after doing allyship on his team,

最近有一位主管告訴我， 他在他的團隊中採用了盟友關係，

the whole team started to normalize calling themselves out and each other out

之後整個團隊開始習慣， 只要有人打斷，

不論是自己或彼此，都會說出來。

for interrupting.

"I'm so sorry I'm interrupting you right now, carry on."

「我很抱歉我打斷了 你的話，請繼續。」

"Hey, she's got a great idea, let's listen."

「嘿，她的點子很好， 咱們好好聽一下。」

Number two, advocate for underrepresented people in small ways.

第二，用微小的方式 來為弱勢的人發聲。

Intervene; you can change the power dynamics in the room.

干預；你能夠改變 同一空間中的權力動態。

If you see somebody is the only person in the room like them

如果你看到同一空間中 有一個人和別人都不一樣，

and they are being belittled, they are being interrupted,

且他被輕視了，說話被打斷了，

do something, say something.

做點什麼，說點什麼。

Invite underrepresented people to speak.

邀請弱勢的人發言。

And say no to panels without underrepresented speakers.

拒絕沒有弱勢發言者的小組。

Refer someone for a job

為某個人轉介一份工作，

and encourage them to take that job and to take new opportunities.

鼓勵他去接下這份 工作，把握新機會。

And this one's really important -- help normalize allyship.

這點真的很重要—— 協助將盟友關係常態化。

If you're a person with privilege,

如果你是有特權的人，

it's easier for you to advocate for allies.

由你來為盟友發言是比較容易的。

So use that privilege to create change.

所以，用特權來創造改變。

Three, change someone's life significantly.

第三，顯著改變某個人的人生。

So, be there for somebody throughout their career.

在某個人的整個職涯 過程中，持續協助他。

Mentor or sponsor them, give them opportunities as they grow.

指導或是資助他， 在他成長時給予他機會。

Volunteer -- volunteer for a STEM program, serving underserved youth.

自願——當 STEM 學程的志工， 服務弱勢的年輕人。

Transform your team to be more diverse and inclusive.

將你的團隊轉變成 更有多樣性和包容力。

And make real commitments to creating change here.

做出真正的承諾，去創造改變。

Hold yourself and your team accountable for creating change.

要求你自己和你的團隊 扛起創造改變的責任。

And lastly,

最後，

help advocate for change across your company.

在你的公司內，協助提倡改變。

When companies teach their people to be allies,

當公司教導職員成為盟友，

diversity and inclusion programs are stronger.

多樣性和包容力就會更強大。

You and I can be allies for each other,

你和我可以當彼此的盟友，

whether we're inside or outside of work.

不論是工作上或工作外。

So, I realized recently

所以，最近，我發現

that I still have lingering shame and fear

我在職涯中覺得自己 十分孤獨、被排擠、

from that moment in my career when I felt utterly alone,

沒人支持的時期所產生的羞恥感

和恐懼感都還揮之不去。

shut out and unsupported.

There are millions of people out there, like me, right now, feeling that way.

現在外頭還有數百萬人 和我有同樣的感覺。

And it doesn't take much for us to be there for each other.

支持彼此並不需要我們付出很多。

And when we're there for each other, when we support one another,

當我們能協助彼此時， 當我們能支持彼此時，

we thrive together.

我們就能一起茁壯。

And when we thrive, we build better teams,

當我們更茁壯，我們就能 建立更好的團隊、

better products and better companies.

更好的產品，和更好的公司。

Allyship is powerful.

盟友關係很強大。

Try it.

試試看。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）