The objective was clear: to highlight female leadership in construction and its impact on team performance, collaboration, and decision-making in high-risk environments.
An immersive, hands-on experience… up close with the machinery
In addition to presentations and discussions, the event featured machinery both indoors and outdoors, allowing participants to see equipment provided by Location Équipements Cooper, including aerial work platforms and other machines commonly used on construction sites.
Welcome, Breakfast, and Networking
The morning began with a warm welcome, followed by breakfast and a networking session. This first moment gave participants the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and share their professional experiences in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Welcome Address and Official Opening
The welcome address was delivered by Véronique Robitaille, Regional Director at Location Équipements Cooper, alongside Judive Jean-Gilles, President of Les Elles de la construction.
They emphasized the importance of creating inclusive and practical spaces for dialogue to help advance practices within the industry.
Icebreaker Activity: Networking Bingo
The morning continued with a networking bingo activity, encouraging spontaneous conversations and the discovery of diverse career paths. This activity helped establish a sense of trust and collaboration from the very start of the event.
Panel Discussion: Leadership, Collaboration, and On-Site Performance
The highlight of the event was a dynamic panel discussion, hosted by Florence Morin-Laurin and featuring three panelists from diverse sectors:
- Isabelle Sergerie, President of Médiation organisationnelle PRD Inc.
- Judive Jean-Gilles, Founder and President of Cygne Béton
- Laurence Drouin, Project Director at Ferland Drouin
Right from the start, the panelists addressed a current challenge: leadership in construction goes beyond management—it’s about influence. As Judive Jean-Gilles pointed out, the ability to inspire, mobilize, and align teams around company values is essential today.
The panelists agreed that a confident leader with clear communication is key to high-performing teams: giving precise directions, repeating, and confirming understanding. It’s often assumed that everyone understands, but unspoken expectations come at a real cost: delays, errors, and tensions. Engaging in difficult conversations is therefore an act of leadership in itself. In addition, recruiting people whose values and goals align with the company is a powerful lever for building strong, high-performing teams.
As Isabelle Sergerie noted, the leader’s role is to “take chaos and turn it into something structured.” A good leader today knows how to surround themselves with the right people, listen, elevate others, and proactively manage conflicts. Training, prevention, and on-site presence are all part of anticipation.
Listening, the ability to bring people together, and humanizing work environments are strengths of female leadership. “Remember, you are breaking through glass ceilings,” a memorable piece of advice shared by Laurence Drouin.
Judive Jean-Gilles concluded the discussion with an important message: invest in your teams, train and support leaders, and focus on people in positions of influence, because they are the ones who shape organizational culture day after day.
Between networking and the panel discussion, the event highlighted concrete ways to advance female leadership practices on construction sites.
Relive the Event in Pictures
Revisit the event’s best moments by exploring all the photos below.
