Worcester Business Journal Special Editions

Worcester Business Journal 47 Diversity & inclusion efforts should include helping with employment for people with disabilities I read the Worcester Business Journal article on Aug. 3 about diversity and inclusion efforts among businesses in Central Massachusetts keenly, alert for any mention of the largest demographic in need of support for inclusivity: people with disabilities. Alas, people with disabilities were, once again, not included. It is both ironic and tragic. In the United States, people with disabilities comprise roughly 26% of the population. Yes, that is correct, more than a quarter of the nation's population, and that number is a conservative estimate, at best. Employment statistics for people with disabilities is even more dismal. In 2019, 19.3% of persons with disabilities were employed. Speaking personally, stats for people like me – VIPS, or visually impaired persons – are even more gut wrenching. Only 44 % of people who are blind or visually impaired have jobs. Again, speaking personally, I want to work; I want to contribute; I don't want to fade or simply settle. I am valiantly engaged in an endeavor to address and mitigate the anomaly. In April, I acquired a national certification, as a disability-owned business enterprise, or DOBE. But simply having this certification does not mean the services I offer, which themselves deal with the very topics of the Worcester Business Journal article, will be embraced and utilized and I will be flooded with business. Quite the contrary. I continually find myself ensnared and combating social stigma and systematic oppression. I find myself at a disadvantage, constantly having to prove myself, yet never being afforded the opportunity to do so. e foregoing paragraph is not a complaint, a screed, or an indictment. It is an entreaty. I have the goods, I have titles, I have skills and I have expertise. I have experience, all of which I am itching to deploy. I am eager to share and collaborate. Will anyone step up and give me a chance? Liz Myska is the founder and an attorney for Visions Consulting L3C in Worcester. BY LIZ MYSKA Special to the Worcester Business Journal Liz Myska W I n the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd in May and the increased mo- mentum behind the Black Lives Matter movement, Central Mas- sachusetts organizations of all sizes were quick to denounce racism and police brutality and begin committing to great- er diversity and inclusion. Not everyone was united, per se, but there was general agreement things needed to change. But if these diversity and inclusion efforts are to ever go beyond nice state- ments and small symbolic gestures, the efforts are going to have to get uncom- fortable. at unity will be eroded with each major step as objections arise to various measures, and only strong wills and determination will keep the mo- mentum going as Floyd's death moves further in the past. Take Staff Writer Monica Busch's "Sharing paychecks" story on page 8 on how companies can help reduce pay gaps where women earn 83 cents compared to men and Black women earn 58 cents. e main point of the story is companies should make salaries on their positions more transparent, so all employees have a better understanding of what they can earn. Doing so, of course, hurts companies' ability to bargain effectively with their new hires over pay, and some employees will object to their compen- sation being made public, even if it is just a range for a similar position. Salary transparency is a way to increase diver- sity & inclusion, but it won't be popular with everybody. None of the 10 largest employers in Central Massachusetts currently do it. Busch's other story for this edition's Diversity & Inclusion section shows how Clark University did make some strides to increase its anti-racism education. However, the organization representing students of color – the Black Student Union – says the efforts have not gone far enough, and the school still needs to address issues the BSU has been asking for since the mid-20th century. Clark could be lauded for going beyond what most other Central Mass. organizations were doing, but it is still seen by mem- bers of its own student body as falling short. Getting to a place where the deep-rooted problems of racism and prejudice are addressed in a significant way is always going to require uncom- fortable changes and controversial decisions. But, as all this gets harder, it is important to remember why we priori- tized it in the first place. - Brad Kane, editor is is going to get messy 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 lend- ing 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 commercial real estate at Boston University. I earned my master's degree in business 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 possible 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 lead- er?" 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 autonomy allows them the opportunity to generate new ideas, make choices and have control of what they can offer. is balanced ap- proach 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, stron- ger 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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