Basketball opened doors for John Palacios. He grew up surrounded by the greatest plant biodiversity in the world in the lush rainforests for Choco, Colombia. Despite the natural beauty, his hometown was burdened with a high poverty rate, lacked transportation infrastructure and had limited medical access.
As a teenager, I was on the national team and traveled internationally for years representing my country,” said Palacios. “It was exciting to see other parts of the world, learn about the cultures and meet new people.”
Palacios’ parents are academics, who instilled in their eight children that education is the path forward. For Palacios it was his talent on the hardwood that would drive him even further.
The family moved to the capital city of Bogota, an ethnically diverse town of 8 million people. But diversity doesn’t automatically translate to inclusion and Palacios felt out of place.
“People would point out that I was different,” Palacios remembers. “Until then it didn’t occur to me that how I looked would be an impediment. I got called names. People would yell derogatory things at me and my family.”
He found release, as always, on maple floors 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. The squeak of the sneakers. The sweet swish of the net. The thump of the ball. It was here he honed his skills on teamwork, communication and a common goal.
“My saving grace was my teammates,” said Palacios. “I remember one game someone was yelling racial slurs. My teammates stood up for me. It was a brotherhood where we supported each other. The only color we saw was in the jerseys.”
A two-guard, or a shooting guard, is insanely quick and often the team’s best scorer. At 6 feet, 3 inches tall with seeming wings on his feet, Palacios was more than the two-guard on the team, he was the dunking champion in Colombia.
At a pre-Olympic tournament, a college coach offered Palacios a scholarship to play in the U.S. It appeared to be a slam dunk but Palacios did not speak English. The teenager arrived in the US and attended a junior college to refine his language skills. After graduation, the basketball star returned to Colombia to play for the Olympic team. A broken ankle abruptly ended his days on the court but he soon found another industry where he could soar.
The father of two built a career in pharma and now serves as Field Vice President of Sales, US Commercial Specialty. He has leveraged his career to curate a community where all feel a sense of responsibility for the team’s success.
A foundation of perseverance
“I don’t want people to experience what I did so it’s always been in my nature to bring everyone along,” Palacios states. “At previous companies, I’ve seen what happens when companies don’t commit to diversity and inclusion. You get a revolving door of talent who could have brought in innovative thinking. Because they don’t feel valued, they take their skills somewhere else.”
Previously Palacios witnessed a disconnect between leaders who insisted there wasn’t a problem and staff who found a dearth of development paths. He focused on recruitment and retention, changing processes and introducing a mentor program.
“I fundamentally believe it’s a competitive advantage to have a diverse team,” Palacios said. “Organizations are competing for the best talent. We need a variety of backgrounds, thought processes and strategies. Homogenous teams will make the same decisions and reach the identical conclusions. This is when innovation stagnates.”
Appointed a culture lead in the sales organization, Palacios models inclusivity. He elevates voices so people can be heard without judgement. He’s appointed culture representatives who measure the impact of engagement.
“Grassroots efforts are more authentic and sustainable because people are driving work they believe in. It’s not prescriptive,” Palacios described. “Experiences drive beliefs. We listen. We schedule a regular cadence of calls. We recognize our staff. We maintain consistency with the little things. The more we support people, the more valued they feel and the better their performance.”
As a member of GSK’s Hispanic/LatinX employee resource group, Crece, Palacios passes on what he learned from his family – hard work, discipline, collaboration and to extend assistance when needed. It appears his superpower is empathy. It is only natural that he continues a labor of love started by his late mother.
“Growing up in our town, my mother took in many orphans left behind by the violence of the drug trade. She made sure the children had a safe place, got an education and food to eat,” remembers Palacios. “When she died, we set up a foundation to honor her. Sometimes I reflect on this, it never feels like it’s enough. She did so much with so little.”
This motivation and seeing others succeed gives Palacios fuel to keep going. For a man who seems to have boundless energy, Palacios sees through the darkness. He brings light to every interaction. It’s not enough to be known as an outstanding basketball player, Palacios is motivated to live a life that shines every day. That is his legacy.
