Calling out bias is one of the common prototypes of allyship.

When leaders call out bias, it can elicit strong, sometimes dysfunctional reactions.

Calling out bias is a powerful, sharp tool; refrain from taking it lightly or overusing it.

Calling out bias, a form of allyship, involves labeling a biased action (e.g., "That is sexist!") and pointing it out as unacceptable ("That’s not OK!"). It is often considered essential to ending discrimination. Calling out can educate a colleague about their biases and reduce future instances of biased behavior. Allies who call out bias are often upheld as courageous fighters who combat injustice.

But is calling out the most effective form of allyship? My team's years of scientific research using a variety of experiments, surveys, and interviews with thousands of leaders and employees paints a nuanced picture. Sometimes, calling out bias can cause unintended harm to the marginalized people allies are trying to support, to the allies themselves, as well as to their organization’s culture. If we aren’t careful and calling out is the first tool we reach for, we risk overusing it, and this has limited effectiveness in improving inclusive behaviors in the long term. Instead, it may breed guilt, shame, polarization, and hostility.

Calling Out Feels Heroic—That’s Part of the Problem

Calling out can sometimes appear uncannily similar to saviorism, which matches the stereotype and patriarchal narrative of a powerful and courageous hero fighting injustice. Yet our research shows that calling out an individual’s bias is no more effective than many other non-confrontational forms of allyship.

Although experiencing righteous indignation is natural in the face of injustice, don’t jump into calling out bias because you are enraged or want to vent your own emotions. Be mindful about how you are supporting the victim, so you don’t inadvertently do more........

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