In keeping with Prolink’s commitment to being a vehicle to get employees where they want to go, our organization has established a Women in Leadership Initiative, which is a year-long program that supports a group of women in personal and professional development, while also helping cultivate leadership skills.
This program was founded in 2016 by a small group of Prolink women who first began offering support to each other informally; before long, their discussions evolved into a class where women could share stories and information related to their careers, as well as learn more about topics of interest.
Now, the program has a formal application process; participants must be with Prolink for at least one year and applicants must have a letter of recommendation from their manager. The group is limited to 10 – 12 women, which helps ensure there is time and space for everyone to participate. The group meets monthly and both as a group and with guest speakers, they cover topics such as confidence in the workplace, remote work and team management, stress management, work/life balance, and public speaking and presentations. Each year, participants submit a short list of what they would like to get from the program, and the curriculum is tailored to meet those needs.
Here are what some of the recent participants have to say about Prolink’s Women in Leadership initiative:
Q: What about the program impacted you most?
A: Being able to be vulnerable with some of the most driven, successful, strong, powerful Women Leaders in our Company. Knowing you are not alone and what you are feeling and going through professionally someone else is probably going through the same thing. Connecting monthly to build confidence, constructive feedback, positive self-talk, stress management, self-worth, caring personally, and challenging directly. – Katie W., Associate Payroll Manager
Q: How important is it for your company to support women and offer programs such as this?
A: I think this program is extremely important, it creates a sense of belonging and respect. I appreciate that Prolink offers this! – Molly Z., Program Manager
Q: What did you learn?
A: There are infinite take-aways from my time in Women in Leadership – the one that was most important to me is to learn that I wasn’t alone. Not alone in my fears, not alone in the self-doubt that creeps in from time to time. Learning that someone else has similar thoughts and has overcome hardships, is a realization that we all need. Confiding in other women and celebrating each other’s success, is a reminder that you too, can get through anything when you believe in yourself. We all have different hopes and dreams, but as a united front, we want to be heard, respected, and loved. – Rachel S., Digital Strategist
This year, the organization decided to expand the programming, offering the alumni an opportunity to engage. Jacqueline M., who serves as both leader of the Women in Leadership program and Prolink's Controller, is most excited to get to know more people she hasn’t worked with before. As she says, “these groups just keep getting better!” We at Prolink are grateful for our leadership’s support of this empowering experience, which helps support the women in our organization and strengthen the Prolink Family.
