Vision of Leadership
From breaking barriers to building better teams: A woman's journey to leadership in the electrical trades.
Thriving and Leading in a Male-Dominated Field
I want to talk not only about being a set of hands in a male-dominated field like the electrical union, but about how to thrive and lead within it.
I started in this profession at the age of 19, armed with some previous experience and the excitement of not only entering the workforce but beginning a career at a young age that could support my independence and future. Soon, however, my role needed to change so I could raise a family. I became fully immersed in being a homeschool mom, and stepping away from such an intense career made it difficult to imagine returning.
As my children grew and our financial situation shifted, the dollar no longer stretched the way it once did. Supporting a teenager is a very different reality than raising one young child. I knew it was time to put the work boots back on.
I started small, welding for a company close to home with shorter hours so my family and I could adjust to Mom being back at work. My children continued with their homeschool schedule, and we supported each other through the transition. Eventually, with two boys competing in sports and traveling across the country, financial strain appeared again. That’s when I returned to my local union hall—IBEW Local 43—to rejoin the brotherhood of electrical workers.
There was a lot of anxiety about what work would look like after so many changes in industrial and commercial construction. But many coworkers I had previously worked alongside were there to support me and help me get back into the swing of things. I settled back in quickly, and before long, I started craving growth and setting bigger goals.
I began stepping into the role of substitute foreman and learned how to handle the pressure of leadership and planning ahead. During my time back in the field, I became well-versed in different systems, job sites, and project needs. With each experience, my comfort and confidence continued to grow.
Now I find myself stepping into leadership on a more consistent basis—not only guiding coworkers but running a small crew of journeymen and apprentices.
In the weeks leading up to taking this step, I spent a lot of time thinking about what truly makes leadership effective. There are the standard responsibilities that come with any leadership role, even outside the trades. It’s about understanding the scope of the project, specialized tasks, floor plans, and deadlines. It’s also about delegating work appropriately to each team member.
But the thought that kept coming back to me was something deeper: leadership is about keeping the team moving forward together when deadlines approach and unexpected challenges arise.
Because they always do.
Real leadership is about maintaining positive relationships and reinforcing the importance of every team member’s role and contribution. It’s about making sure needs are being met—because with the pace we work at today, burnout is far too common.
When I was in my twenties, I viewed success as reaching the finish line and checking off goals. Now, in my forties, I see leadership differently. The care you show for the crew—individual care—is the key.
The success of the job depends on the success of the individuals doing the work.
That realization has reshaped how I approach leadership today compared to how I might have approached it in my twenties. Leadership means making sure every member of the crew still feels valued and effective, even when conflicts arise or when the team must shift focus to solve a problem rather than point out shortcomings.
Individual care leads to team success.
It means staying close enough to hear about progress, challenges, and needs—not just pushing toward a deadline. Mental health and safety can be overlooked far too easily in our industry, and probably far too often.
Strong leadership ensures those things are never ignored.
Because when people feel supported, respected, and valued, the entire crew becomes stronger—and the work speaks for itself.
