Taking the Stage: WEG session supports leadership skills for women

Women are making their presence known in the environment sector. But the C suite still eludes too many of us. What specific skills do women need to develop to enhance their leadership presence?

Yesterday the Women’s Environmental Group (WEG) gathered virtually to learn about leadership tools to help take women to the next level in the environment sector.

WEG is a new industry initiative that aims to connect and empower women working in the Canadian environment sector. Together the growing group of members gather to tackle critical issues about gender and employment. The goal is to provide a valuable platform for mentorship and networking to support women working across the country through virtual meetings and in-person events.

According to a survey WEG conducted earlier this year, networking and leadership skills were the most frequently mentioned skills and knowledge areas respondents wished to develop through the group, including public speaking.

Taking the stage together

Public speaking is an executive skill that many industry leaders possess. With this in mind, on October 22, 2025, the “Taking the Stage” presentation was delivered by a facilitator from The Humphrey Group, an organization that has been providing communication and leadership training for over 35 years. The Humphrey Group’s visionary founder, Judith Humphrey, leveraged her passion for improving leadership skills. Her pioneering Taking the Stage® program continues to help women around the world.

Participants gained insights into how to harness the power of communication to motivate, inspire and lead.

Maggie Huculak, an executive coach with diverse experience across various industries, provided a safe and supportive environment to highlight some valuable insights into personal and professional transformation.

“True leadership requires a balance of power, intelligence, and compassion.,” said Maggie, who has made significant contributions to the development programs for The Humphrey Group, has co-authored theatre productions and has provided narration for the CBC, among other accomplishments, over the course of her award-winning work spanning five decades.

The virtual session focused on empowering women in leadership roles within the environmental sector, highlighting the importance of mentorship, networking, and effective communication. Participants were encouraged to speak up, ask questions, answer with conviction and disagree when need be.

The “Taking the Stage” program was developed to counteract the tendency of women to undermine their authority in the workplace and to provide tools for inspiring action and enhancing leadership capabilities across a variety of sectors.

Maggie provided an overview on the program’s structure, which includes modules that explore the leader’s mindset, effective communication, and the importance of personal conviction. She emphasized the need for women to transition from being recognized for their job performance to becoming visionaries within their organizations. The discussion also touched on the emotional complexities of leadership communication, with participants sharing their experiences related to imposter syndrome and the balance between compassion and assertiveness.

Maggie encouraged attendees to reflect on their personal convictions and the risks associated with expressing them in professional environments, advocating for the communication of a blend of personal beliefs and data-driven arguments.

Sticking to the script

The session focused on practical applications of the leadership skills being taught, including the use of a structured “leader’s script” to enhance communication abilities. “The script takes the guesswork out of persuasive communication,” said Maggie, explaining the various sections, including: subject, message, structural statement, body, restated message, and call to action.

“This script, rooted in classic Greek argumentative structure, helps individuals organize their thoughts, speak their truth, and tailor their message to specific audiences,” said Maggie, who advised that script preparation process should include a deep dive into each component, crafting a personalized message, and soliciting constructive feedback.

The embodiment of this script on stage also requires consideration, coaching and practice. Maggie highlighted the significance of managing speaking pace, having confident body language, maintaining eye contact and expressing emotion to engage the audience as an essential embodiment of that script. “It’s important to be present with the people in the room,” she said. “The aim is to be a strong and steady flagpole, rather than the flag.”

Maggie emphasized that this script could be prepared in anticipation of an upcoming leadership opportunity and can also be applied to various professional situations, such as emails, high-stakes meetings, performance reviews, or addressing senior leadership.

Recipe for success: community and mentorship 

Participants engaged in discussions about the importance of community support and the balance between listening and speaking in leadership roles.

Some of the candid conversations that ensued exposed ongoing challenges for women in balancing workplace and personal responsibilities. For example, while women are recognized for their competence, they often face challenges in developing visionary skills. Some attributed to the demands of “family caretaking” (children and aging parents) and the mental bandwidth needed to effectively think long-term. Others expressed that they feel the need to modify their behaviour to avoid “ruffling feathers,” making it complex to portray themselves as leaders due to concerns about perception. Maggie affirmed this, noting that women are often taught humility and are sensitive to others’ feelings, which can lead to avoiding being perceived as “too bold” or “overpowering.”

Even so, program emphasizes that being good at one’s job and even an excellent employee is no longer sufficient currency for a leadership role; becoming a visionary is important to attaining a leadership role.

In a segment led by Maggie, participants explored the fear of sharing personal convictions and visions, rather than just facts. Participants shared personal convictions in the chat, with many similarities and insights from a diverse representation of women from across the country. There was a lot of optimism about women’s ability to lead and to communicate and make powerful change in the industry and for the environment.

Maggie defines leadership as the “ability to inspire an audience to take action on a vision through authentic connection, strong conviction, clear argumentation, and powerful physical presence.”

The conversation also touched on the importance of women supporting each other in a safe environment. Mentorship is a key component of more women entering leadership roles and confidently taking the stage.

Maggie also stresses the importance of connection over perfection in communication. She advised how it’s better to be authentic and to connect with the audience, rather than to speak with a “phony” voice that seeks perfection.

With all this talk about speaking, participants also pointed out the importance of listening before speaking and acknowledging relevant data and expertise. Maggie acknowledged this and responded with a metaphor of leadership as a “healthy breath”—encompassing both inhaling (listening/receiving) and exhaling (speaking/sending)—and encouraged awareness of whether one is operating from a position of strength or weakness in either role.

Finally, Maggie shared a mantra from the Taking the Stage course: “I am powerful. I am intelligent. I am compassionate and I have a right to be heard.”

Overall, the program aims to provide an individual approach to foster self-awareness and equip women with the tools necessary to assert themselves confidently in various professional scenarios.

For further information on The Humphrey Group, click here. 

Connie Vitello is Editor of Environment Journal and a founding member of WEG.

The next quarterly WEG meetup is scheduled for February 11, 2026. Stay tuned for further details. In the meantime, for queries about WEG, click here.

Featured photo credit: Getty Images