Independent Banker - February 2022 - 55

me to realize in a situation like that,
there's literally no going back. "
There is, however, a way to move
forward. Within three months,
Weggemann was back in the pool.
Fourteen years later, she's a threetime
Paralympian with five medals to
her name, three of them gold. When
we choose to approach adversity with
an open mind, continuing to learn
and grow, she says, adapting starts to
become second nature. Then, we can
be more intentional about adapting
and evolving. It's a lesson she believes
Denise Hamilton
Inclusion strategist, founder and CEO, WatchHerWork.com
Dictionary.com recently chose allyship as its word of the year, in
recognition of its increased prominence in our discussions about
diversity and inclusion. According to ICBA LIVE 2022 presenter
Denise Hamilton, it's also the skill of the next century. But what
exactly does it mean?
" Allyship, " Hamilton explains, " is leveraging your power and
privilege on behalf of those around you in a way that is respectful
of them. Allyship is not charity. It's not do-gooder work. It's about
acknowledging the opportunities that you have and utilizing them on
behalf of others. "
" I've got to figure out
how do I celebrate
today, and then, how do
I celebrate tomorrow? "
-Mallory Weggemann
is as important in the workplace as it
is for individuals.
Weggemann also believes in the
power of celebrating small victories.
As an athlete, she is used to training
" for years on end for that gold
medal moment. " She says, however,
that she " can't only celebrate once
every four years when I do the
unthinkable and win a Paralympic
gold. I've got to figure out how do I
celebrate today, and then, how do I
celebrate tomorrow?
" Because all those micro steps,
those baby steps, are what lead to
that moment, " she adds. " Creating
an environment where you honor
and celebrate that, I think, is what
builds a really collaborative team
and environment. "
Catch Mallory Weggemann
during general session on
March 2 from 9:30-11:30 a.m.
The inclusion strategist, founder and CEO of WatchHerWork.com, a
digital learning platform for professional women, Hamilton has more
than 25 years' experience in a wide range of industries, during which
time she was usually the minority. " I have been 'the first' and 'the only'
in almost every job I have ever had, " she explains. " The first woman,
the only Black person... "
Hamilton remembers having to be " twice as good and jump twice
as high " to prove herself, and it's this experience that led her to ally
training as a way of encouraging inclusivity in the workplace.
" What if we create a space where people can bring their whole
selves, where they can feel like they're enough? " she asks. " And if they
give us their best, we will receive them, we will support them so they
can be successful in our organizations. What would that be like? "
The first step, Hamilton suggests,
is having the courage to challenge
your assumptions. " Don't believe
everything you think, " she says.
" You've got to ask yourself the hard
questions. It's not really about
anyone else. It's about you unpacking
the stuff you bring to conversations.
'What does a leader look like?
Can that soft-spoken woman be
a leader?' "
Another step, she says, is
remembering to listen. " From a
staff standpoint but also for our
customers, we want to be able to
provide services for everyone, and
one of the most important things
about providing any service is being a good listener. Not listening is
a death knell to any business, and quite frankly some of us haven't
been listening. " 
Catch Denise Hamilton on the EDGE Stage on March 2 from
1-1:50 p.m.
independentbanker.org Q 55
Photo by Traci Ling
http://www.WatchHerWork.com http://www.Dictionary.com http://www.WatchHerWork.com http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - February 2022

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