Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace

by David G. Smith, W. Brad Johnson (Contributor), Walter Dixon (Narrator)

Women are at a disadvantage in the workplace, where they deal with unequal pay, sexual harassment, lack of credit for their contributions, and more. And while organizations are looking to address these issues, too many gender-inclusion initiatives focus exclusively on how women should respond, leaving men out of the equation. Such efforts reinforce the perception that these are "women's issues" and that men - often the most powerful stakeholders in an organization - don't need to be involved.

As gender-in-the-workplace experts David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson show in this important book, men have a crucial opportunity to promote gender equality at work. Research shows that when men are deliberately engaged in gender-inclusion programs, 96 percent of women in those organizations perceive real progress in gender equality, compared with only 30 percent of women in organizations without strong male engagement.

'GOOD GUYS' is the first book to provide a practical, research-based guide for how to be a male ally to women in the workplace. Filled with firsthand accounts from both men and women, as well as tips for getting started, the book shows how men can partner with their female colleagues to advance women's leadership and equality.




RUNNING TIME ⇒ 10hrs.

©2020 Harvard Business School Publishing Cooperation (P)2020 Gildan Media

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Feminism, Leadership, Womens, Gender, Management

Audible Audio

First published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[Tremayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because it gives considerable insight into how men need to be better allies for women in the workplace. The authors note that women are marginalized, ostracized, receive lower pay, have their ideas stolen, given mundane tasks, and are not as appreciated as their male counterparts. It has reinforced me to continue to look out for women in the workplace and be there for them. It helps me to prevent mansplaining, harassment, and other unfavorable treatment towards women. However, my only gripe with this book is that it feels like a broken record. What could have been accomplished with half the book took much longer, in which I found the same ideas already mentioned presented again.

[John Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily some of the best advice on allyship I've come across, helping women or POC or otherwise. Well-cited and thorough arguments to convince the undecided and thorough advice on how to leverage privilege to benefit others and your company, and eventually yourself.

Definitely 4 times too long; it said the same thing over and over

[Michelle Sauvageau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is primarily directed at men and how they can be allies to women in the workplace (and at home). I thought it was really well done. There are very actionable steps highlighted, they cite many respected leaders on allyship and diversity in the workplace, and the examples shared are relevant and helpful in providing responses to future scenarios that may come up.

I’ve seen some reviews state that the book was repetitive or could have been more succinct- I disagree. While they did address some topics multiple times, I think they approached things at different angles and/or they garnered being mentioned multiple times due to the importance of the topic.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the true paradoxes of male allyship is the consistent social psychological research evidence showing that when men advocate for women or call out gender inequalities, they are perceived to be more credible because they are not acting in self-interest. [...] It's time for men to open their eyes to this opportunity and privilege and use it. (Good Guys, page 10)

Good Guys is a very thorough guide in how to be a better ally to women, particularly in the workplace, but also at home. This is no lazy, hand-wavy introduction to the subject; there are 14 pages of references at the back that make sure each page packs a punch. It's an important book that I hope many men will pick up and utilise.

The book is split into three parts: interpersonal allyship, public allyship and systemic allyship. In each section, the authors guide you step-by-step through different ideas and ways in which to develop your allyship skills, and the end of each chapter has a little section that sums up the most important ideas covered. It really couldn't be laid out in a way more easy to understand, and I wish I could give a copy to every man in my office.

I especially appreciated the inclusion of intersectionality, highlighting that not all women are the same, that some feel the need to hide parts of their identity for fear of negative reactions. This is something I do, as I don't feel safe bringing my whole self to work.

[Alona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book that was great in building my toolkit of ammo when a man says he is doing everything he can to support women. Read so I could be well educated in the subject matter as it’s something very important to me!

4* because a lot of this was trivial and known to me and shocks me that men don’t but for the male audience I think very easily digestible with clear call to action! I would love to see the men around me reading this and implementing some of the suggestions.

[Jason Glasser · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for being comprehensive and practical. It validated many of my feelings as someone endeavoring to be an ally but fearful of well intentioned missteps and I finished feeling inspired to do more as an ally.

One star for the constant use of bro and dude in a cringe worthy attempt to make a serious subject more casual.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

Great premise, but the tone comes across as condescending and preachy.

[Jean M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy HBR and often take advantage of the free daily articles. I had come across an article about allyship in gender equity that lead me to this book. I've always been aware and involved in helping the women around me be their best selves and I thought this book would provide new insights about this notion of men allyship.

This is an excellent book with plenty of practical approaches to becoming an ally. Although the book is about men allyship in terms of gender equity in the workplace, I feel many of the ideas and approaches could work for any equity deserving group to grow diversity and work towards inclusion. (Diversity is inviting to the dance, inclusion means dancing with them).
It takes on the theme from a personal approach but also points to systemic or organizational ways of improving gender equity.
The book has many useful tools and tips on how to proceed. I enjoyed the definitions of terms like mansplanning and also many examples of phrasing you can use to engage in dialogue on some harder topics.
The premise of allyship in gender equity is that men need to play an active role is creating an environment where women feel completely comfortable being themselves and bringing all their strengths and skills to the workplace. It's not just about "not being" sexist or engaging in sexist behaviour, it's about actively recognizing the barriers and working diligently to eliminating them from the workplace (and society).

I encourage and challenge all men ready to invite in allyship to read this book.

[Michael C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The single most important takeaway from this book is the critical importance of being a better advocate for our wives, first and foremost.

The authors provide great perspective and how to affect change and the value of doing so. So many concepts in "Good Guys" is just plain common sense seeded with large and small epiphanes throughout.

I am grateful for having access to thoughtful writings such as this. It is a very good, much needed book for our times.

The book falls short of exceptional by failing to provide in-depth source references for some of their statistics. In doing my own research, I was unable to verify several claims. Had they better substantiated the numbers, advocates could be more able to speak on topics with authority.

[Kathryn Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a practical book that I will be using for a class I am developing on Gender & Leadership. It is full of realistic, practical recommendations men can use to be better allies for women's advancement in the workplace. I would say it is intended for "enlightened men" who have already been convinced that women deserve a seat at the table.

On a personal note, I loved the section on "starting at home" and being a "domestic ally". In an age where many women are need/want to work full-time, we are past due shifting the perspective on how to re-allocate domestic responsibilities more equitably. I really enjoyed it and I think my students will, too!

[Charles Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased to see how much of the recommendations I was already incorporating, but that also limited the book's utility. I like how informal and useful it was, and I think for people who are taking their first steps toward allyship this makes that effort much more successful. What would have been helpful would have been more tips for smaller companies - a lot of the recommendations related to large companies, and that was not super helpful. But those were relatively few and far between, and overall I'm glad to have read this.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indeed, men have a pivotal role in the gender related issues. This is not just a women’s issue but more importantly, men has an important obligation address the needs pertaining to gender.

This book does a very good job in presenting the facts and the practical strategies men can take to become allies of women in the workplace.

I am glad that this book present its concrete suggestions. I can definitely use this at home as well as at work.

[Carrie Esler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25
A bit basic for where we are in 2022 . I but include some decent reminders and tips to watch for in meetings.
I would have liked to see more emphasis on what is valued in the workplace, i.e. employee, retention and culture, versus growth and numbers. As this fundamentally disadvantages women. However, again, good reminders, though nothing earth shattering for those who have been on this journey for a few years.

[Leah Agirlandaboy]

I read this as a comp title for work. It’s probably most helpful for men who have never encountered a lot of these concepts and will feel more empowered to push for change when they have scripts and research to back them up. (As a woman and as a person who thinks a lot about equity issues, much of this book felt basic/obvious and repetitive, but I am not the audience this book is aiming to reach.)

[Karen Catlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this comprehensive round-up of best practices for how men can be allies for women in the workplace, Smith and Johnson share anecdotal stories, research, and suggested actions. Men, read this book if you want to change your brand from "#BroNo" to "#GoBroGo." --Karen Catlin, author of "Better Allies"

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well done. As a woman reading this, identified areas that I wasn't even aware I was being unfairly treated. Quite a bit, if not all of the strategies can be applied to other groups needing allies. Appreciated the examples provided by women in "big" companies. Good read to assist in becoming more aware and inclusive.

[bouldermimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read 7/27/2021 - Hardcover

A practical guide for men who want to be better allies for women not just in the workplace, but everywhere. What resonated the most with me was encouraging men to speak up/out when they see mistreatment happening. Dudes need to start calling out dudes who abuse their power.

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

While originally I was skeptical about a book about how men can be better allies for women in the workplace that was written by two men, I found the book to contain many thought provoking items. I ended up dog-earing and underlining many passages throughout the book that I wanted to revisit or work to implement.

A key piece that was missing from the dialogue was a women's perspective.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with colleagues as part of an online book club and was pleased with the insights, advice and learning tools that it gave us. I feel like I’m better equipped for having read it. It’s lost a star because some of the language was not to my liking (eg too many dudes) but as a guide to male allyship, I would highly recommend it!

[Daniel I · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book, definitely aimed at someone higher up the corporate ladder than myself, but I think even non-managers/directors/VPs will gain valuable insights into how to improve the workplace for everyone.

[Nile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feel like this book was a solid read but I think it says something that I can't remember any of the concrete advice for men who want to be better allies. It might be because it's been a few weeks or because a lot of what they propose is obvious to someone who already was leaning in that direction.

[Cary Kaulfuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a male and want to do better in advocating for women in both your life and in the workplace, this is the perfect book. The advice is applicable and the prose is engaging. Smith doesn't bog you down with statistics.

[Jamie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the topics/suggestions are infuriating to read as a woman, but have to remind myself that (unfortunately) this is written for men. And some men do need this "advice" - though I am not sure the individuals who need it most would even take it on board

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, highly consumable reading material for any man looking to be more inclusive with those around them (especially with women) - in the workplace and beyond.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a woman I appreciated how office nuances were made clear in this read. It's not hard to do the right thing, though what's easy to do, is also easy not to do.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great practical ways to start practicing the material

[David Karp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey men, what are you waiting for? Check out this book and get a truckload of advice for being a better colleague for and to the women with whom we work. Time to step up and take responsibility….

[Josh Weilbacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great advice on leadership, in general, and on how to create more just and fair workplace. Filled with examples and steps for action.

[Vipresh · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book filled with actionable advice.
depending on how advanced your allyship skills are, some parts may feel too obvious or fundamental, but still a good read overall.