Do men ever talk over you at work? Has a male supervisor ever dismissed your suggestion, only to pretend it was his idea all along? It sucks.
At Girlboss, we believe that women supporting other women at work is not a nice-to-have. It is strategy. And there is an effective, professional way to fight this kind of workplace sexism. It is called amplification, and we have the women of Obama's White House to thank for it.
What Is Amplification and Where Did It Come From?
When Barack Obama took office in January 2009, two-thirds of his top aides were men. Female staffers complained about having to force their way into important meetings, and when they did get a seat at the table, they often felt unheard.
But rather than giving up or getting angry, the women of the White House did what any group of sharp, determined women would do: they developed a strategy that would force male staffers to listen while simultaneously making it impossible for them to claim ideas that were not their own.
That strategy became known as amplification. By 2016, when the Washington Post reported on it, the technique had gone viral beyond the Beltway and into workplaces everywhere. Nearly a decade later, amplification is taught in management programs, referenced in DEI training, and remains one of the most practical, low-lift things a group of women can do together in a room.
How Amplification Works
It is actually pretty simple. When a woman makes an important point or suggestion in a meeting, but that point is either ignored or immediately shot down, other women at the table repeat the first woman's idea, giving clear support and credit to its source.
"I'd like to go back to what Kristin said previously. This idea was strong because it provided a number of viable solutions that deal with our problem at the source level. I second her approach and can offer a few ways to help make it happen."
Not only does this force male coworkers to listen to their female coworkers, but it also keeps anyone from taking credit for ideas that are not theirs.
"We just started doing it, and made a purpose of doing it. It was an everyday thing." — Former Obama White House aide
Obama noticed and began calling on women and junior aides more often during meetings. The women had turned collective action into a daily professional practice.
Who Can Use It and When
Although amplification developed in the White House, this technique works in any meeting room where some voices are getting more airtime than others. It is most commonly associated with combating workplace sexism, but the principle of echoing and crediting applies anywhere contributions are overlooked or stolen. This guide on advocating for your ideas at work pairs well with amplification because it covers what to do before the meeting, while amplification is about what you do in the room together.
One thing is clear: amplification is a team effort. This technique only works if you and your colleagues can commit to having each other's backs. That means being able to speak up in a room, and being ready to do it even when it is uncomfortable.
If finding your voice in meetings is a challenge, understanding the structural reasons why young women are systematically talked over is a useful starting point. It is not just you. And if what you are dealing with goes beyond being ignored into outright microaggressions, this explainer on microaggressions at work covers how to name what is happening and what to do about it.
We are hoping you and your colleagues will not need to deploy amplification in your next meeting. But if you find yourself being interrupted, talked over, or quietly uncredited for your own ideas, at least now you have a plan.
Good luck, and do not be afraid to be a little bit of a bitch (when it is called for, of course).
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