Our mission at Facebook is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. That starts with us, internally. We strive to build teams made up of people who feel empowered to be bold and take risks and who champion diversity in all forms. We want leaders who embrace this, no matter where they are in the world. We also know these things don’t simply happen by talking about them. There are cultural and other boundaries in different parts of the world that could create roadblocks. In order for there to be change, we must create and embrace change.

We recently met with three male leaders in Asia-Pacific (APAC) who are stepping up as change-agents for greater equality. We talked about how they're empowering and inspiring women on their teams to advance in their careers. We also spoke with the women they work with, to learn more about what it means for a male leader to encourage a culture of diversity and inclusion. Here are their stories.

“I’ve been at Facebook for more than seven years, working in Menlo Park, South Korea, and currently in Singapore as the Regional Director of Southeast Asia. Over the course of my career, several situations made me stop to think about inclusion and diversity in the workplace. One in particular stands out. I was in a meeting in Korea with a colleague who was an extremely smart and talented woman. Everyone else in the group, however, were men. She later shared she didn’t feel accepted or empowered to vocalize her opinion. It bothered me because I knew the value she could have provided. I knew then that I needed to work harder to foster an environment where everyone in the room would be comfortable to speak up. I now try to take steps on a daily basis to do this. Often, it’s the small actions that have a big impact, such as really listening to people or taking time to mentor individuals in a meaningful way.

We’ve all needed allies at some point, and as a leader, I feel it’s important to step up and be that person for someone else. I’ve found approaching teammates before a meeting and letting them know they’re supported is an easy way to be an ally. I can also make a difference while recruiting by ensuring at least one woman is included in the final interview process, and by having open conversations about biases that impact our behavior. We all have some unconscious bias, and when it happens, I try to call it out in the moment and discuss openly and thoughtfully with my teams. This applies to my personal life too. We’ve built a community of fathers with daughters at Facebook to support one another, hold each other responsible and candidly share our experiences.

Through many conversations about diversity and inclusion across the Facebook offices in APAC, I’ve found some people think it requires a heavy lift to make a difference. They believe you have to lead a program or embark on an intensive training course to get results. At the end of the day, promoting an inclusive workplace does not require that much of an effort. All you have to do is support a woman colleague - all of your colleagues - and be there for them by helping to create an environment where they feel safe. It’s important to see how they’re doing and determine what you can do to help. Sometimes simple word choices, like using gender-inclusive pronouns, can remove bias and a make a big difference. A little goes a long way.”

“I’ve lived in Asia for almost 20 years, traveled to more than 50 countries and have seen varying cultural norms from place to place. I’ve also seen the growing critical importance of the inclusion of minorities in the workplace, as companies - including Facebook - become more and more diverse as a result of globalization. For me, there wasn’t a specific moment when I decided to put greater effort into being more inclusive. Instead, it happened gradually over time. I found myself actively trying to be more mindful and aware of what’s going on around me. I speak up if I see something that’s wrong, and I try to be more actively aware of how my words and actions impact others. It’s the nature of the work in HR; we support people at all levels by identifying behavior or language that can feel exclusive and then taking steps to help individuals and managers correct it. Through this work with others, I am always learning new ways and opportunities to be more inclusive.

I had already decided to be more supportive of the women I work with when my daughter was born six years ago. This was an eye-opening experience that strengthened my commitment to think more about inclusivity in my personal life as well. ‘What will life be like in 18 years when my daughter enters the workforce?' It made me think ahead to the type of world I want her to experience and was further incentive to do everything I can to make a difference. However, before I joined Facebook, I didn't really know how I could be effective as a change-agent. At Facebook, we acknowledge everyone carries bias, and we have to be honest and aware of how we’re operating to manage this. I had never seen such an open approach, and it’s a great reminder that I might not be able to change the whole world, but if everyone does their part it will make a difference.

I’m not perfect, and I don't always do the right thing. I screw up. There are times I regret not speaking up, such as a time I left a meeting and realized that in the heat of the moment, I had talked over someone. I also didn't follow-up to allow their voice to be heard. But just because you’ve made one mistake, it doesn’t mean you should stop trying to lead with inclusivity. ‘What is the greatest reward when I get it right?’ After calling out that someone wasn’t giving one of my female colleagues the opportunity to make her point during a meeting, she followed up and told me, 'thank you, that made a difference.' This simple appreciation made me feel like I truly made an impact. I had only shown a small gesture, but to the individual it made all the difference in that moment.”

“I have benefited from the influence of a number of strong women in my life - grandmother, mother, wife, daughter, mentors and teammates. Seeing their struggle for equality steered me on a path of advocating for gender equality, and I am in constant awe of all of them and what they have achieved in the face of adversity. I was born in Germany where my mother and grandmother shared a dental practice and each would spend half the week at work while the other looked after me. Both women were incredibly strong and self-sufficient. My grandmother was a very a wise soul, and while she passed away over 10 years ago, her words continue to influence my work and personal relationships to this day.

My team and I work on Facebook’s submarine cable and network infrastructure to ensure seamless connectivity on the platform. Traditionally, this field is male-dominated, at the same time, we have incredible female leaders in and outside of Facebook. One of the most significant mentors in my professional life, and the lives of many others in the submarine cable area, is a woman. She has vast experience and knowledge of the area, which she shares generously, and her approach is a huge influence on the inclusive culture we have today. The women in my life are often the first to tell me when something isn’t working, which gives me the opportunity to respond in a timely fashion. They are also often the ones who really invest their personal time to support and mentor others to make the entire team better.

As a manager, I look for the potential in all of my team members and empower them to see this potential in themselves. Every person and situation is a little different. It’s important for me to spend one-on-one time with individuals on my team to make sure they feel challenged, but not shaken by the gap if they take too big of a step on their own. Along the way, I make myself as available as possible, so they can ask questions and confidently make decisions. I also empower them by creating opportunities for individuals to express their potential. For instance, leading a large project that they are ready for but may have thought was beyond their reach. Annie, a rising star on our team, is one such individual embracing her potential - and someone I’m proud to champion. Earlier this year an opportunity opened up for Annie to assume a leadership role that was much larger than she was accustomed to. After walking through the usual doubts and fears, she embraced the role. She is surrounded by a team committed to her success, and she is getting industry recognition for the work she is doing.

At home, my wife and I see each other as partners. I think honesty and self reflection are key to a supportive relationship. I have also taken a lot of time to get to know myself better - the positives and the negatives. As a result, I have better communication with my wife and children. We also work to actively champion each other and our kids in taking on ever greater challenges in life. I want my daughter to have every success and for gender-specific barriers to be removed.”