Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | October 12, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 37 Achieving racial equity requires little steps, and some big ones V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L A t the end of September, the historic Worcester performance venue Mechanics Hall decided it will add the first portraits of Black Americans to its Great Hall gallery, a move falling about 20 years aer the first portraits of women were placed on the walls of the 163-year-old facility. ese new portraits of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and William Brown, the first Black member of the Worcester County Mechanics Association, are a visible gesture recognizing the racial injustice and diversity & inclusion problems plaguing our country right now. While the country, and our regional leaders have talked a lot this year about this critical issue, it's rewarding to see tangible – if small – steps in the right direction. Racism and prejudice against groups of people are not just the scourge of today's society, but have plagued humanity for nearly all of its existence. With the increased awareness and momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, Central Massachusetts organizations of all sizes are committing to a variety of diversity & inclusion efforts. While small changes need to be recognized and encouraged, we all recognize it will take a sustained effort over a much longer period of time to make a lasting impact. A few months ago WBJ wrote a letter reflecting our position on the killing of Minneapolis resident George Floyd and the movement for racial justice that followed. e objective we hope our community can achieve is to take advantage of the talent of all its members, offering opportunities to all, and overcoming any prejudice along the way. It's a big goal requiring big ideas, and in many cases a lot of hard yards in evaluating the culture and any hidden biases existing in the workplace. For companies, particularly small businesses, who share these values but may not have the resources to focus on the many steps it will take to get there, a lot of wisdom can be gleaned from our larger organizations, who have created structures and processes to address diversity and inclusion. Change is messy, and improvement doesn't come in a straight upward line; it's an exercise in fits and starts, setbacks and achievements. Mechanics Hall's portrait decision may be largely symbolic, but symbolism counts. As Staff Writer Monica Busch points out in her story "Teaching racial justice" on page 10, Clark University spent the summer trying to address issues with racial inequity, but was criticized by its Black Student Union for not doing enough. Clark and Mechanics Hall are making moves showing their values are aligned with their actions, and the cover that wraps around this issue with the logos of the sponsors of our Diversity & Inclusion section, along with a number of columns from those sponsors in this edition, shows a strong level of support for change from our corporate community. at is an encouraging sign we hope others will follow. The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. A T H O U SA N D WO R D S B Y D O N L A N D G R E N W It all starts with respect B ack in 1985, I was just starting out in my career as a credit analyst at Worcester County Institution for Savings. At the time, banking and commercial lending was very much a male-dominated industry, so it was no surprise most of the commercial lenders and credit analysts in my department were male. My aspirations were to become a commercial real estate lender, and while some may have said I could never measure up, I knew it was up to me to tell my own story. A critical part of my story centers around education. In order to excel in my job, I'd need as much knowledge as I could possibly get, so I began taking courses for my certificate in commer- cial real estate at Boston University. I earned my master's degree in busi- ness from Assumption University. In addition to formal degrees, I made it a priority to learn from anyone willing to teach me. is willingness to learn went a long way in helping me stand out in a positive way. One of my first managers took notice of my efforts. From the start, he supported me, gave me opportunities to grow, and treated me with respect. He saw my strong work ethic and insatiable desire for knowledge. is desire for knowledge increased my confidence and helped show my commitment to our team and the bank as a whole. I focused on being the best version of myself, always willing to go the extra mile, which truly meant something to my boss, allowing us to forge a strong partnership. All I learned and accomplished during that time would not have been possi- ble had I not earned his respect. Learning to lead can be extremely rewarding if done well. I've learned from both good and bad managers over the course of my career, and while they've all helped in various ways, they've all made me ask myself the same question: "What will make me a better person and leader?" I think back to my first manager's leadership style. He trusted me enough to work independently, allowing me to grow. He empowered me to make many decisions on my own, which made me feel the work I was doing made a difference. I felt invested and committed to the success of the organization. Emulating his hands-off leadership style has always been a challenge for me. When I'm in control, I feel as though I can ensure a perfect outcome, something I strive for. Being in control is not always feasible, though, and good can be good enough. Internal growth has helped me to no longer seek out only perfection, but rather to recognize the great work that is accomplished. Providing individuals this auton- omy allows them the opportunity to generate new ideas, make choices and have control of what they can offer. is balanced approach allows the individuals and the team the independence to learn and grow, knowing they may make mistakes and treating them with respect along the way. When combining mutual respect and independence, stronger teams can be developed, and new leaders born. Maria Heskes-Allard is senior vice president and senior lender at Bay State Savings Bank in Worcester. BY MARIA HESKES-ALLARD Special to the Worcester Business Journal Maria Heskes- Allard W

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