Leading with intention: Julie’s Rotman experience
April 7, 2026
For Julie Bélanger, Senior District Director, Wholesale Affiliated Independents, growth isn’t a milestone, it's something she actively builds into how she leads every day. That mindset recently led her to the Rotman School of Management, where she took part in an immersive four-day mid-career, women in leadership program.
Julie attended alongside four other Loblaw colleagues, with the experience supported through the Go Further Women pillar providing a shared opportunity to learn, connect, and grow together.
When Julie first saw the self-nomination call, she didn’t hesitate. The opportunity to step outside her day-to-day, learn in a structured environment, and connect with other women navigating similar career moments felt like the right next step. What she found was an experience that challenged her thinking, strengthened her confidence, and created lasting connections.
From the start, the program struck a balance between theory and real-world application. But it was the conversations that left the biggest impression. In a room where every voice was welcomed, participants quickly built trust, sharing perspectives, asking questions, and reflecting onreal experiences. The openness of the group created a space where learning felt practical, relevant, and immediately applicable.
One idea, in particular, stuck with Julie: integrative thinking. Though it was new to her, it reframed how she approaches decision-making, encouraging her to look at challenges objectively, evaluate multiple data points, and weigh options, while staying grounded in possibility and positive outcomes. It’s a shift she knows will influence not only how she leads at work, but how she approaches important decisions in her personal life as well.
Back in her role, Julie has already started to put her learnings into action. She introduced a weekly “Wins of the Week” touchpoint with her team—a simple but intentional moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate progress to make sure that team members feel valued and appreciated. Ina fast-paced environment often focused on solving problems, it’s a way to bring balance and ensure successes don’t go unnoticed.
The experience also deepened Julie’s understanding of her own leadership style. It reinforced that leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all, it requires adapting to different situations, individuals, and moments. As a leader of a team of four, she’s focused on creating an environment where her team feels supported, confident, and motivated to grow.
Beyond her immediate team, Julie is also thinking about how to extend what she’s learned more broadly. Through her involvement with the Wholesale Way Culture & Inclusion Council, she sees an opportunity to actively initiate and share new ideas and insights with the wider Wholesale community, amplifying the impact of the experience.
For Julie, the opportunity to step away and invest in her development is something she doesn’t take for granted. It reflects a culture where people are supported not just in the work they do every day, but in who they’re becoming as leaders.
Looking ahead, she’s already identifying areas she wants to continue building on, updating her Individual Development Plan, and leaning into what’s next. But if there’s one takeaway she’d share with others, it’s this: don’t wait. Opportunities like this are more than just learning moments, they’re a chance to build confidence, expand your perspective, and connect with others in a meaningful way.
