Leading with compassion and understanding
DEI is a commonly used acronym that has recently come under attack. To understand the value of diversity, equity and inclusion in business, it is helpful to bring it back to individual stories. That is why we are sharing Carlos Maldonado’s story. — New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility I’ve been in banking for a very long time. I started working at a credit union as part of a high school program. It was an incredible professional foothold, but starting there, I felt like I was walking on eggshells.
At first, I thought maybe it was just because I was young. It was the kind of place where you couldn’t question anything, and everyone spoke differently than I did at home. I felt just a little lost and uncomfortable, and that continued as I moved forward in my career, after graduating and continuing to work in banking.
I’m Hispanic, so I grew up a little differently than many of the people I’d meet in New Hampshire. As a kid, when I was hanging out with my friends from my neighborhood, we dressed a little differently, talked a little differently.
There’s this idea of “code-switching” that many people are familiar with: changing the way you speak and act and sometimes even how you look depending on where you are and who you’re with. This is not limited to minorities. Lots of people code switch for lots of reasons. But you can start to feel like a chameleon — you don’t really ever get to be your whole, true self. In some ways this helped me out socially and professionally – I could get along with everyone. But I felt a little uncomfortable.
A few years ago, my banking career brought me to Kennebunk Savings. My very first day, I attended new employee orientation. And I remember telling my wife that I was sitting at a table, and here comes the CFO and one of the heads of commercial credit, who proceeded to sit with me, have lunch with me, and make me feel comfortable from day one. That was a lightbulb moment – realizing how welcoming this place felt.
In 2019, I was accepted into the bank’s internal Leadership Academy, and through it I became involved with the creation of the bank’s DEI Council. It was a fantastic, gratifying project. I got to meet a lot of different folks involved locally in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, and I learned a lot.
Perhaps most importantly I learned that I could share my story with others, and that it would help them feel comfortable being their true selves at work, too. So that, no matter their background, they didn’t feel the way I felt starting out in banking.
Our DEI initiatives, our internal storytelling and our training and discussion sessions, have really strengthened us as an organization. We know and understand each other better. When I see Joe or Tammy or Barbara at work, I know about their lives outside of work — we have gotten to know each other better, and we know and appreciate the ways that we’re different.
It also makes us more empathetic toward our customers. We don’t always know their stories. But we know we help people from all walks of life, facing every kind of tribulation and challenge. Every customer is different. And if we talk to them with that in mind, hopefully they’ll feel more comfortable being their true selves here as well.
Carlos Maldonado has more than 24 years of experience within the banking and finance industry. He is currently a retail experience manager for Kennebunk Savings, where he oversees its five branches in New Hampshire and its Eliot, Maine, location. Carlos is a supporter and advocate for local businesses and customers alike. He is an active volunteer in various nonprofits in the communities he serves.
Sustainability Spotlight is produced monthly for NH Business Review by New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility.
