A kickoff to the 2025–2026 BLD Women of LBM Leadership Series 

So… do you all just get together and talk about your husbands?

That’s an actual question I was asked, by more than one well-meaning gent, when we first launched the Women of LBM initiative a few years ago.

It was meant as a joke, of course. But like most jokes, there was a little truth (and a little discomfort) hiding in the punchline.

Because let’s be honest: a group of women in the lumber and building materials industry gathering to talk about leadership was… unusual. New. Maybe even a little weird.

Here’s the deal: we’re not plotting world domination (yet). We’re building something better, and there’s room for everyone.

Why We’re Doing This

Women still make up only about 12% of the LBM industry workforce, and an even smaller sliver in leadership roles. That’s not just a diversity problem; it’s a missed opportunity.

If you’re struggling to hire, promote, or retain talent and haven’t tapped into the other half of the population…what exactly are we doing here?

This leadership series isn’t about exclusion, it’s about expansion. We’re inviting women to the table, to the field, to the front lines. Because a rising tide really does lift all boats. And right now, we’ve got too many good ones stuck in the harbor.

Why Confidence Matters

We kicked off the series with over 40 women across the association joining a conversation about confidence and executive presence.

Not fluff. Real stuff. Stuff that we deal with every day.

Because confidence isn’t just a feel-good poster word…it’s the piece I see missing most when I coach women in this industry. They’ve got the knowledge. The drive. The grit. But what they often don’t have is the internal permission to show up and take space.

Now think like a coach for a second:

1. One was taught to take the shot.
2. The other was taught to pass the ball and cheer from the bench.

Guess who’s going to hesitate when the clock is winding down?

That’s what we’re talking about here. It’s not about talent, it’s about training. It’s about culture.

While every upbringing is different, many women are socialized early to be the peacemakers. The supporters. The ones who read the room, smooth things over, and keep everyone else comfortable—even if it means silencing themselves.

Meanwhile, their male counterparts, coached from childhood to speak up, take the lead, go for the win, are already three steps ahead in the confidence game. It’s not about blame. It’s about awareness.

Because confidence isn’t about volume. It’s not arrogance. It’s not swagger.
It’s that moment when someone says, “you can’t,” and your response is, “Hey, hold my beer.”

“You can’t take the winning shot if you’ve been trained to pass the ball your whole life.”

Confidence…Without the Apology

So, let’s talk about that word: apology. Why would a woman feel the need to apologize for being confident?

Because she’s been trained, subtly and overtly, that confidence in a woman can be seen as threatening. Or abrasive. Or “a lot.”

• “I just think…”
• “Sorry if this sounds pushy…”
• “Not sure if this is a good idea, but…”

It’s not a personality quirk. It’s a learned survival skill. A way to stay likable. Palatable. Less risky.

“There’s this cultural script that says, ‘Be likable, be agreeable, don’t take up too much space.’ So when a woman breaks that script, she often feels she needs to soften the edges.”
- Dr. Amy Cuddy

Confidence without apology doesn’t mean bulldozing the room. It doesn’t mean grandstanding. It means showing up without the disclaimers. It means saying, “I know what I bring, and you’re welcome.”

What’s Next

The *Built to Lead* series continues quarterly, with topics like:

• Developing Your Authentic Leadership Style
• Navigating Conflict
• Building Credibility (in a room that wasn’t originally designed for you but somehow evolved that way over a few hundred years)

Each session is real. Practical. A little messy. And full of the kind of grit and insight that only comes from women who’ve spent years building their careers in a tough, male-dominated industry—and are still standing tall (in work boots, heels, or both… no judgment).

So no, we’re not gathering to talk about our husbands. We’re gathering to lead, authentically, unapologetically, and on purpose.

And we’d love you to come along.

Dena Cordova Jack

Women in the Industry Lunch & Learn Upcoming Sessions:

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 (11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT)

Thursday, February 12, 2026 (11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CST)

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 (11:30 AM - 12:30 PM CDT)