he IAPD Women in Plastics (WIP) Leadership Program is designed to attract, retain, advance and empower women throughout the performance plastics industry. What sets the program apart is its focus not on materials, products or the technical expertise, but on the people who help drive our industry forward. Women in Plastics provides opportunities for participants to strengthen their leadership skills, invest in their personal and professional growth and bring greater value back to their organizations. For companies, it is an investment in their people and in developing the next generation of leaders who will help shape the future of the performance plastics industry.
This year, the Women in Plastics Leadership Program evolved further as we moved from individual events throughout the year to a 5-month leadership program. The program included four 90-minute virtual sessions, with breakout rooms where many great connections began, followed by an in-person capstone event in Chicago.
Each virtual session built on the one before it. Participants weren’t just learning—they were taking those skills back to their everyday lives, putting them into practice and sharing their experiences at the next session.
Designing the program this way allowed participants to build rapport and become comfortable with one another. Seeing the same faces each month created an environment where women could learn from one another, share challenges and have honest conversations about the leadership challenges we face every day.
IAPD partnered with SHAMBAUGH Leadership to develop a leadership curriculum that would bring the most value possible to our cohort. Participants explored topics such as building confidence, shifting their mindset, growing their executive presence, strengthening their influence, handling difficult conversations and much more. The conversations were focused on developing women into strategic leaders by helping them shift from a management mindset to a leadership mindset. Our goal was for every participant to better understand their value, lead with confidence, and take new resources and tools back to their teams.
From being “volun-told,” as I like to call it, to getting involved with Women in Plastics a few years ago and starting as a fly on the wall at my first event, to now serving as chair of the committee, this program has helped me grow personally and professionally in ways I never could have imagined. It has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and expanded my skill set as a leader within my company. I’m thankful that I continue to learn alongside our participants at every step, while also having the opportunity as Women in Plastics Committee Chair to welcome new members and be part of their growth.
The success stories we have already heard from the new Women in Plastics Leadership Program participants have been incredible. Watching women who initially shared that they struggled to use their voice or felt shy at the beginning of the program confidently step up to the microphone by the end of the capstone is exactly what Women in Plastics is about. It is about helping women recognize their value, find their voice, feel empowered and learn how to make a difference within their organizations and with the people they lead.
The capstone event in Chicago was truly an incredible experience. It was amazing to watch participants greet one another with so much excitement, as if they had known each other forever, because of the connections they had built during our virtual sessions. The engagement throughout the breakout sessions was some of the best I have ever experienced. It was clear that something special had been created.
More than anything, Women in Plastics has fostered relationships and created a safe environment where these women can continue to lean on one another, support one another and lift each other up within our industry long after the program ends.
Women in Plastics has changed me for the better, both as a woman and a leader, and has given me so many lasting friendships. I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished in this inaugural year of the leadership program, and I am even more excited to see how the program continues to grow and make a difference for women across our industry. In the meantime, I’m happy to serve as a resource for anyone interested in learning more, whether you are considering participating yourself or identifying someone within your organization who could benefit from the experience.