Robert Silverman Gets Vocal about Allyship

Living our values out loud. For some, that’s nothing more than a catchphrase. For Robert Silverman, a longtime ally to African American employees and co-executive sponsor of Booz Allen’s Multicultural Business Resource Group (BRG), it’s a way of life. 

A few years ago, when Robert attended the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) ceremony to celebrate several Booz Allen employees who were being honored, he couldn’t help but urge his colleagues to bring the noise. 

“We cheered so raucously whenever someone from our team was brought up on stage that other people in the crowd started staring,” says Robert. “We weren’t disrespectful—we just couldn’t help but show how proud we were.” 

That demonstration of pride had a measurable effect. About a year later, someone approached Robert at the office and told him that she had attended the same BEYA ceremony as an employee of a competitor and walked away astonished by the Booz Allen contingent’s visceral camaraderie. 

“She came to work at our firm because she wanted to experience that type of culture firsthand,” says Robert. “I think it’s the perfect example of how passionate we are about supporting each other.” 

Today, Robert’s passion for supporting others can be seen in the work he does to increase representation of racial and ethnic minority talent through our firm’s multicultural BRG and the emphasis he places on allyship. 

“It’s important for allies to play a very visible role in our efforts to create a future where diversity and inclusion are the norm rather than the exception,” says Robert.  

We interviewed Rob about what allyship means to him. Here's what he had to say:

What does allyship mean to you? To me, allyship is a Booz Allen way of being. We want to solve the world’s most difficult problems for a very diverse constituency of clients. We can’t do that if we’re approaching those problems from a singular mindset. We need a diversity of perspectives, ideas, and voices. It’s my role to help create a culture that champions people who look and think differently than me. 

What advice do you have for people who want to help create a more inclusive environment but aren't sure where to start? Our co-founder Jim Allen said it best: “The art of listening is most important.” Find someone who’s different from you in some way and commit to listen to what they have to say. Learn about their perspectives and share yours. The willingness to truly open up to another person is crucial to establishing a sense of trust, which will then lead to a more fruitful and meaningful relationship. 

Finish this sentence: I’m helping to create a more inclusive environment by... making a connection with and learning from every person I meet.