I recently went one on one with Wendy Hilliard. An incredibly accomplished rhythmic gymnast, Wendy is a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the first Black woman to represent the U.S. in international competition. Wendy is also the founder of the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF), a not-for-profit that provides free and low-cost gymnastics to underserved communities in Harlem, New York and Detroit, Michigan. Motivated by the lack of diversity and opportunities in gymnastics and after training her athlete, Aliane Baquerot Wilson, for the 1996 Olympics, Wendy launched the foundation in 1996 with the mission of empowering the lives of urban youth by improving their physical and mental health through gymnastics. To date, the WHGF has provided free and low-cost gymnastics for over 25,000 urban youth in NYC.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your story and your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. What is something about you that would surprise people?

Wendy: Something that would surprise people is that one of my favorite sports to watch is racewalking, especially in the Olympics. When I was an athlete training at the Olympic Training Center, I got to see the racewalkers practice, and after learning more about their technique, it made me really appreciate the sport. There are so many amazing and different sports out there, but racewalking has always stuck out to me.

Adam: How did you get here? What failures, setbacks, or challenges have been more instrumental to your growth?

Wendy: My successes in life are from learning and growing from the challenges and setbacks I’ve faced throughout the years. In 1983, I was at the Olympic Training Center trying out for the World Championship group routine team but was not selected because of my skin color. It would be my third World Championship, and I was excited because I was one of the top gymnasts on one of the top training teams. However, to my surprise, and everybody’s, I was not chosen. When I asked the coach why she said it was because I stood out too much. I was the only Black person there, so it was a pivotal moment in my life because I was being judged on my appearance. I called my parents, and we notified USA Gymnastics about the situation and challenged them. They ultimately decided to select the team based on the National Championship ranking, which then allowed me to participate. It was an experience that was very instrumental to my growth though, because it made me realize I wanted to be an advocate for an athlete’s right to compete and a voice for the Black community, and it led me to accomplish a lot of things I’m very proud of.

Adam: What were the best lessons you learned from your experience breaking the color line in your sport?

Wendy: Helping break the color line in gymnastics made me realize the power and influence representation can have. When I made it onto the National Team as the first Black woman, it sparked conversations and made me recognize the dire need for more diverse representation, especially on a higher level. When you see someone who looks like you, or has a similar background to you, achieving something or breaking a barrier, it is very encouraging and inspiring. When Gabby Douglas won the Olympic gold medal in 2012, she broke history as the first Black woman to win all-around and team competition. As a result, there was an incredible rise of interest in gymnastics among Black youth. My foundation, which has been around since 1996, saw an uptick in enrollment and again when Simone Biles started making headlines. When these kids see Gabby or Simone on the TV and social media winning and breaking records, they think I want to be like her, I want to do flips, and it’s because they can relate to them. Having a diverse range of representation can have an amazing snowball effect that can inspire and motivate a variety of individuals, from striving professional athletes to kids who just want to try a new activity.

Adam: What should leaders understand about diversity and inclusion?

Wendy: Diversity and inclusion should be a part of everyone’s work initiative.  It will make your business and organization more successful and educated, which will allow for more growth. Leaders need to listen and speak to people with different perspectives and backgrounds. When I was Director of Sports for the New York City 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Bid, a lot of my influence was encouraging diversity and inclusion. We wanted to showcase more sports, more women in sports, different races, and disabilities, and so we reached out to a range of the most powerful people for support and made our bid better. When more people feel represented, then more people will want to support and keep that progressive direction of growth going. 

Adam: What is your sharpest or most significant memory from your Olympic experience? What is something that would surprise people about the life of an Olympian?

Wendy: I have worked with and trained Olympians, and it’s something very special to me because it’s an incredible experience to be a part of that process. While I have not competed in the Olympics, I have gone on many Olympic tours where I grew very close with the Olympic gymnasts. Later in life, I attended as an Olympic sportscaster, and when I was the President of the Women’s Sports Foundation from 1995-1996, I worked with a lot of Olympians. My most significant memory was coaching my athlete Aliane Baquerot Wilson for the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. Training Aliane and going through that process made me more aware of the temperament and determination you need to have if you want to go to the Olympics. It takes years of hard work, and I don’t think people understand the extent of focus an athlete needs to have in all aspects of their life. At 14-years-old Aliane moved away from home to go train in Chicago, and for someone at that age, that’s not easy. She had to prioritize different things from kids her age and live a more fast-paced life, but she had a strong mentality and laser focus, which is why she succeeded.

Adam: Who are the best leaders you have been around and what did you learn from them?

Wendy: For starters, my parents, Gwendolyn and Stratford Hilliard, who have both unfortunately passed. They both had graduate degrees, were incredible community leaders and overcame a lot of challenges in their lives.

My coach Zina Mironov, who taught me at the Detroit Recreational Center. A lot of my work ethic came from working with Zina which was needed to become an elite athlete, and it has served me well in all parts of my life.

My sister,  Gloria Mayfield Banks, who is the number one Elite Executive National Sales Director In Mary Kay Cosmetics Worldwide. Gloria has dyslexia yet graduated from Howard University and Harvard Business School. She taught me that you must continue to grow, learn, and motivate others.

Dan Doctoroff and Jay Kriegel, who unfortunately is no longer with us. I worked with them at the New York City 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Bid and we use to call them Dan and Jay because they were a force together. I learned that the attention to detail I developed through sports was critical in business, and they emphasized making sure to understand what you need to know for your work.

Last but not least, International Tennis Hall of Fame Billie Jean King. BJK advocates for all genders, all races, and all backgrounds. She is relentless, committed and inspires all who have the good fortune to spend time with her. She always gives back and encourages others to do the same.

Adam: What are the best lessons you learned from your career as a Hall of Fame gymnast?

Wendy: The best lesson I’ve learned throughout my gymnastic career is if you want change, then you need to fight for that change and you can’t wait for someone else to make it. My personal experiences in the sport are what led me to start the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation. When the Detroit Recreational Department hired the four Russian coaches, it changed a lot for me and my family. Gymnastics is an expensive sport, so when the DRD covered most of the fees, it wasn’t a burden for my family. Having access to qualified coaches and a good training facility is what led our team to go on to be one of the best in the country. After competing, coaching, and training, I decided I wanted to start my own foundation and offer kids the same opportunity I had in gymnastics. In 1996 I founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation in Harlem, NY which provides free and low-cost gymnastics to underserved communities with the mission to empower the lives of urban youth by improving their physical and mental health through the sport. All kids should have access to learning and practicing a sport because the benefits they get from it are lifelong and that’s what I will continue to push for. 

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Wendy: An effective leader will lead by example, empower others, listen to those around and communicate efficiently. As a leader, it’s important to listen to those at the top and to those at the bottom. It goes back to diversity and inclusion, the more perspectives and voices you hear from, the better you will lead. Be conscious of your surroundings, who you’re communicating with as well as how you’re communicating with them. Words have power, use them wisely and stand by them.

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?

Wendy: To anyone in a leadership position it’s important to be resilient and have that ability to cope with a difficult situation or crisis. It takes a lot of mental and emotional strength, but it’s vital to be able to process challenges to help your organization and business navigate in a positive direction.

Secondly, I would say be open to listening to those around you, especially during these times. With everything that has happened in the pandemic, particularly the BLM movement, it has made everyone slow down and take a different look at things. Listen to those around you, ask questions you might have been afraid to ask and be open to new conversations.

Lastly, know your businesses from top to bottom, inside and out. It’s important to understand your business on all levels, because it will help you navigate others when they’re brought on to help manage. You need to know the grassroots and even when you’re way up at the top, you still need to know what’s happening on the ground, because it will give you a better overarching knowledge of the business.

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Wendy: If you get knocked down, get back up, and keep going. Everyone faces challenges and hurdles that might make them second guess themselves, but it’s important to know your worth, your works worth and the positive value you bring in everyday life. Additionally, be sure to pick up those around you and be an advocate for those who might need a helping hand. Working at the New York City 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Bid as well as being President of Women’s Sports Foundation it opened up my eyes and motivated me to want to go beyond being an advocate for athletes of color but also athletes with different disabilities. Spread kindness to yourself and others, it goes a long way.

Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Wendy: This year has been a challenging time for everyone and COVID-19 has impacted people in many different ways. As a business owner, I had to face decisions for my organization that had never crossed my mind before. When lockdowns were put into place, I was worried about how we were going to teach when the hallmark of the WHGF is live and in-person classes. We pivoted to online programming and I’m so grateful for my staff who made that transition so seamless. They were able to keep the kids engaged and in shape and really connect with them on a deeper level.  With this pandemic, everyone’s going through it, the kids, the parents, the coaches, and I think by acknowledging this challenging time and coming together on Zoom to keep that positive energy going, really strengthened the relationships between the gymnasts and the coaches. Despite all the setbacks, the foundation has grown stronger in some aspects.