Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead series celebrates female leaders who are changing the world. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds and industries, and are all doing their part to have an impact in their communities and at their workplace. We’ve asked them to share a bit about their background and path to success.
What is your name and title?
Kassy Morris, Head of Construction Education and Employee Onboarding at Procore Technologies.
Briefly (1-2 sentences) describe your current role.
I lead the awesome teams that develop and deliver a world class new hire orientation and long-term construction education for employees. The Construction Education Program focuses on practical learning experiences that help non-construction folks understand how construction works and how our company helps.
What’s the best decision you’ve ever made?
I made the very difficult decision to leave the traditional construction industry to step to the sidelines and drive positive change from the outside.
What’s the number one challenge you face as a woman in your industry?
In a male-dominated profession, the number one challenge I’ve experienced is demonstrating competence. The burden of proof is on me as a woman, instead of having assumed competence as my male counterparts do.
Do you have any mentors? What does mentorship mean to you?
Yes. I have several, both male and female. My mentors do many things for me. The things that come to mind are modeling the way, advocating for me and those around them, and providing direct feedback and advice in tough situations. They also tend to push my boundaries when I’m not doing it myself.
What advice do you have for women who are just starting their career?
It is incumbent upon you to take your seat at the table. It is no one else’s responsibility.
If you are fortunate enough to have advocates for you and that support you, make sure you embrace them. We can’t do it ourselves, even though it does start with self-advocacy. Use your voice; your perspective is valuable.
What woman inspires you the most? Why?
At this time in my life, during the season of my life, a woman that I work with named Kelly inspires me the most. She is a leader with a strong but thoughtful voice. She believes in herself and speaks the difficult truths that drive success for her teams. She is a wife that supports her husband in all circumstances and she is a mother who has raised two strong, independent, successful children.
She’s done this all while developing a career of her own in which she is respected and sought after. She is objective but kind, resolute in her positions, cares fiercely for individuals in her life and models a work ethic that cannot be rivaled. She shows both dedication and selflessness in the things that she does, both personally and professionally. She does so in a humble way, without being boisterous. She does not expect others to drive her success.
Are you reading/listening to anything interesting at the moment? Please share your most recent favorite book or podcast!
I’m currently re-reading Measure What Matters, which speaks to the power of OKRs as a goal-setting methodology for business; however, I leverage them personally as well. I love good fiction as well and have fallen in love with Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. I also enjoy NPR’s How I Built This podcast and Last Podcast on the Left as a guilty pleasure.
What’s something coming up that excites you?
I have recently been asked to share an idea I have on a TEDx stage in 2020 and to author a book about it. The topic is aimed at how the homeless can save the construction industry.
It will explore my hypothesis that we can leverage the able-bodied homeless population to supply the construction industry with trades people and knowledgeable workers. This will then reduce the severe labor shortage we are experiencing that threatens the future of our built world.
Originally posted: March 10, 2020
