Spotlight Great Leadership, and Other Actions to Make Better Workplaces
Better allyship starts here. Each week, Karen Catlin shares five simple actions to create a workplace where everyone can thrive.Video of Karen Catlin in her home, summarizing the first tip from this week's newsletter.
1. Spotlight great leadership
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to meet Kim Scott , the author of Radical Candor. I asked her: “With so few good leadership role models in the news these days, how do we help shape the next generation of leaders?”
Scott’s answer stuck with me. She described how pilots navigate mountainous terrain: instead of fixating on obstacles, they focus on the opening ahead. It’s called positive target identification.
We can do the same with leadership. Instead of only dwelling on poor examples, we can highlight the good ones — giving people clear “targets” to emulate.
Think about how you might do this in your own workplace. For example:
- I learned the importance of repeating key messages from a boss who communicated consistently.
- I respect how our tech lead always finds ways to give people credit for the work they’re doing, in meetings, Slack messages, and design documents.
- I admire how our organization proactively shares salary bands so people know they’re being paid fairly.
- I’ve learned from a teammate who actively recommends historically underestimated colleagues for high-visibility assignments.
- I notice how our project manager asks whose voices are missing before we make a decision.
- I admire how our CEO apologizes when they get something wrong.
Let’s call out great leadership when we see it. By naming and celebrating these examples, we help others model themselves on the best — not the worst.
2. Don’t exploit awareness months
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, also known as “Pinktober” due to its association with pink ribbons.
But not everyone is a fan of the pink marketing blitz. Breast Cancer Action calls it “Breast Cancer Industry Month,” pointing out that many pink ribbon promotions do more for corporate profits than for people living with or at risk of breast cancer.
Let’s take a close look at any products, marketing campaigns, or events that our organizations launch during Pinktober and other awareness months. Ask:
- What’s the motivation?
- Will this actually benefit humans — or just generate revenue?
The goal should be clear: raise awareness, promote early detection, and provide meaningful support for those impacted. If profits are involved, they should fund research and patient programs — not just marketing budgets and the bottom line.
3. Go beyond what you see
In the past, I’ve encouraged avoiding all-male and all-white speaking panels. That guidance still matters because representation matters. We shouldn’t reinforce the notion that only certain kinds of people can be subject matter experts.
But there’s a deeper layer here that often gets overlooked: diversity isn’t only about what’s visible.
Think about a speaker lineup, a leadership team, or any working group. Everyone may look different on the surface, yet if they all have similar educational backgrounds, consume the same media, and hold the same beliefs, you don’t actually have much diversity of thought. And without that, you lose the friction that leads to creativity, stronger problem-solving, and better decision-making.
On the flip side, you might find yourself with a group that appears homogeneous — say, all white men — but within that group, there could be different socio-economic backgrounds, work experiences, or cultural perspectives. That kind of mix can push the conversation forward in meaningful ways.
So, when you’re curating an event, a team, or even a casual roundtable, don’t just scan for visible differences. In addition, ask yourself:
- Who will bring a different lived experience?
- Who might challenge the group’s assumptions?
- Who can add a perspective that hasn’t been included yet?
(Many thanks to the subscriber I spoke to earlier this week who encouraged me to explore this topic. I appreciate you.)
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4. Help me help you
I’ll be honest: I don’t love asking for help. However, to continue expanding the reach of this newsletter — and to keep sending “5 Ally Actions” to 40,000 learners every Friday — I need to start pursuing sponsors.
I genuinely enjoy writing this newsletter and sharing ideas that spark change in workplaces everywhere. To sustain and grow it, I’m looking for organizations that believe in allyship, want to align their name with this mission, and may be interested in sharing an example of something they are doing to create a culture where everyone can do their best work and thrive.
If your company (or one you know) might be a good fit, could you connect me to the right person there? Sponsorship levels are outlined here: 5 Ally Actions Sponsorship Opportunities.
There’s also an option for individuals who want to show their appreciation for the newsletter.
Your support — whether by spreading the word, making an introduction, or sponsoring directly — means the world to me. Thank you for helping this community grow. 🙏
5. Community Spotlight: Ask them to repeat the joke
This week’s spotlight on an ally action from the Better Allies community comes from Ayanna Guillen, who wrote:
“Being an upstander can be nerve-racking, especially at work, where some relationship and status politics may be at play. This is especially difficult when we encounter inappropriate jokes (either discriminatory in nature or targeting a certain group). Instead of an aggressive confrontation or walking away regretting saying nothing at all, I say, ‘I’m sorry, could you repeat what you just said?’ The person making the joke often then has to pause, noticing the joke did not ‘land’ with everyone. By doing so, you indicate your disagreement with its premise and signal to others that it was not amusing.”
Guillen added,
“While it may not feel like a warrior moment where you have expressed your clear values around inclusivity, it can be a starting point for the conversation.”
Thank you.
If you’ve taken a step towards being a better ally, please tell me about it by leaving a comment or DM. And let me know if I can quote you, either by name or credit you anonymously, in an upcoming newsletter.
That’s all for this week. I wish you strength and safety as we all move forward.
Karen Catlin (she/her), Author of the Better Allies® book series
Copyright © 2025 Karen Catlin. All rights reserved.
About the Author: Karen Catlin
After spending 25 years building software products and serving as a vice president of engineering at Adobe, Karen witnessed a sharp decline in the number of women working in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, she knew it was time to switch gears.
Today, Karen is a highly acclaimed author and speaker on creating workplace cultures where everyone can thrive. She has published four books in the Better Allies series and emails a roundup of 5 Ally Actions to over 40,000 newsletter subscribers every week.
If you would like to invite Karen to deliver an engaging, actionable talk about how to be a better ally and create a culture where everyone can do their best work, please fill out her contact form.