Leadership for Women in Tech: How to Step Up and Stand Out

Hello and welcome to the She-Stack podcast. This is Space for Crows, Inspiration and Change. Here we talk to women in tag about things that matter. Korea and live, leadership in motherhood, breaking barriers and making breakthroughs. This podcast is brought to you by Intelias. I'm Yule Hamburg and today we are joined by Vanya González, research manager at Cloud Flare and founder of Geek Girls Portugal. With over two decades of experience in tag, Vanya blans deep technical expertise with the strong commitment to inclusion. In this episode, we will explore what it means to lead with purpose and how women in tag can step up, stand out and bring others along. So let's dive in. Vanya, I'm really happy to have you here. Thank you for joining. For our listeners who don't know you yet, maybe you can share your story of your journey in tag or your live journey as well. Tell us a bit more about you from personal perspective and from your Korea perspective. First of all, Yule, thanks for a demonstration and for having me here today. I think my over 20 years journey so far has been a blend of curiosity, of community, of resilience, both in my personal and my professional life. I just didn't really follow a straight line. I've sought growth in multiple directions. I initially graduated in computer science and engineering and after some years working in networks and security. I decided to learn a bit more about what drives and how we drive technology adoption from other perspectives such as governance, policy, and even economics. And so I pursued a mastery in technology policy. This opened me doors for me to work at the Indian institutions more closely with startups and academia in technology innovation, in problem framing and system analysis and even market dynamics and business. So in 2016, I completed a PhD on market and policy dynamics of future internet networks. I spent some years in academic research and even advising startups in several fields on strategy and research. Because tech-driven startups are very innovative but they sometimes lack focus and even time on attracting funding to support their tech research activities. And so I saw an opportunity to support more startups on this side of things. Several years on, I'm really now back in the cybersecurity industry. I'm leading a research team developing research in internet privacy, resilience, and cryptography related topics. If I look back, over the years, I've really explored different paths across several industries and even countries. While having technology at its core, but with the good mix of innovation, of strategy, and management. I think each experience has been a chance to learn something new for me, to adapt and start over, even that reflects in my personal life. But also an opportunity to be surrounded by incredible people who have also shaped my journey. Thank you, Vanya. Really fascinating experience and background and actually listening to your story about your journey. I also had a thought about the importance of the community and talking about community. I would like you to tell us a bit more about Geek Girls Portugal. Because as I understood, you founded this community long before the diversity in tech was a mainstream topic. What was your, I don't know, the idea, the spark behind it? And in what ways leading this community has influenced your own leadership style, maybe? You're right. So I founded this community 15 years ago when community and networking opportunities were not a topic in the professional setting. No one really used to get together and understand the power of networking and showing up. So at the time in 2010, or basically in 2009, when I was living and working in Brussels, I got to know Geek Girl Dinner's community. An incredible group of talented women in tech related fields that attended those events. And from my former time studying and working in tech and Portugal, I was often the only woman in the room and I actually didn't really know many women working in tech in Portugal. And that was what sparked the idea to create a safe space in Portugal where women could in tech could meet, share, support each other, the usual thing. But actually also meet real women working in tech. So this really started a small gatherings. I would organize everything while in Brussels, fly into Lisbon or to Porto before each meet update. And the community soon got really some traction and became more than just small gatherings, became a community with meetups in several cities across Portugal. It's been a slow growth, but we keep showing up. It's 15 years. We continue doing a lot of meetups in I think six cities now. And we also do a lot of all range of other activities, such as sessions for students and mentorship program, a yearly conference. Of course, this all wouldn't happen without the power of people. And a very big group of talented women who have been dedicating their free time to support each other and to support other women over the past years. And the effect that this has been having on the careers and even just showing up for others is been huge and very inspiring for me and for many other women. So I think leading girls Portugal for me has been one of the most transformative experiences of my professional life. I really learned that true leadership isn't about having all the answers, but about creating a space where people feel safe to ask questions and be themselves. And that's also really taught me the importance of valuing and amplifying other voices, of inspiring others and the power of diversity in a group. Thank you. Thank you talking about leadership as we are podcast mostly for women and by women. Let's talk about women leadership. I know that many women in tech are still hesitating to see themselves in some leading roles. Maybe they can be inspired by your experience, by your example. So could you please tell what helped you personally recognize your own place in leadership? How did you work through any bias challenges you faced on this way? Well, it's a tough path. I've had my share of doubts. I'm not going to say it was easy and it's been easy, but I certainly leaned a lot on the work I was doing in the Geek Girls Portugal community because when you see women like you doing credible things, it really sparks the belief that you can do it to. So I think over time I stopped asking myself, do I belong here? Can I do it? Can I just, you know, take that path and really start asking what impact can I make here? What can I transform here? How can I show up for others here and help them? So I think that small shift in perspective was actually very powerful because the belief that I could actually make real impact, drive ideas, support people, long the journey gave me this friend to step in and own my space. And you know, and whenever those barriers feel overwhelming, whether they're external or internal things going on, I really choose to focus on the mission, on the people I want to support, on driving things forward and not look back. Of course, the imposter syndrome often shows up. I often choose to look at it as a sign that I'm growing, that I'm going out of my comfort zone, that it's not easy, but it's also not a reason to quit, right? So keep moving forward has been my driver so that I don't quit. And I think also what helped me step into leadership roles was having, you know, the belief that I could contribute that I could show up for others and make some impact. Thank you. I already have some notes in my mind from your speech, some pieces of advice, which are really valuable. Thank you for that. And maybe to continue this leadership, women leadership topic, again, we have a lot of doubts and maybe we have a lot of inner doubts, even not only from the society, etc, but dictating by our inner voice that maybe sometimes we are not feeding into some traditional mold of traditional leader, etc. maybe because we see the majority of leaders around us are men, but again, now the situation is way better and better, but what practical steps you can suggest for our listeners to grow into leadership, but at the same time, staying authentic, staying yourself, not losing yourself, you know, in this maybe very structured, and probably stereotypical world that we have now, how to keep being yourself, even when you're growing into a leadership role. I think the most important thing is, or the most important advice I would give is just don't try to squeeze yourself into something, into a mold that wasn't really built for you. I think the important part is for you to reflect about yourself, your strengths, and the qualities you bring to the table, whether it's empathy, curiosity, I don't know, vulnerability, or even, you know, being introvert is also a quality. So reflect on your qualities, reflect on yourself, understand what are your strengths, what you think, what helps you show up as your authentic self to make you a powerful leader. So I think with those things in mind, and having knowing well your traits, instead of asking yourself, how do I fit in, is just like, how can I show up, you know, how can I show up and make a difference, and really like what I said before, how can I show up and make an impact. Knowing well, what are your differences, what you bring different to the table will set you up for success, I think. Yeah, thank you for this thought. I also agree that embracing your own skills, embracing your own special traits is a great way to stay yourself, but again, to use them for some purpose, work purpose, career, leadership, etc. Talking about example, I would like us to turn back to your experience and what I've heard that people, when they describe your leadership, they use words like curious, empathetic, inclusive, which are for me traits of a modern leader. So first of all, do you agree with such feedback, and what does it actually look like inaction in your day-to-day work? How do you use such strong traits of yours in your everyday work? Yeah, I do agree. I think in practice, it means I really make an effort to listen more than talking. I practice a lot on being there for my team and understanding my team, my team's motivations and challenges. It really also means leading with transparency, even admitting when I don't know or don't have all the answers right now. And I share that, well, instead of making an excuse, I really say, well, I don't know, I have to think about it and also need your suggestions and your opinions. So I really value a space and I really value, you know, creating trust with the people I work with and creating spaces where really people feel safe to be themselves, that it's okay to not know everything, that it's okay to ask questions, that in fact we are all different. So respecting each other is individualities and perspectives is really top of my list so that everyone can show up at work authentic but also vulnerable because we don't know, we don't always know everything, you know, it's really that it's okay to not know everything and it's safe to say it, but it's safe to say that we're struggling, it's safe to say they're struggling at work right now, I'm struggling in my personal life right now because it really affects how we show up at work too. So I really value creating a space where people trust me to say, you know, I'm struggling right now in my personal life, you know, I'm not really focused at the moment and my answer is how and where can I support you, right? So showing up as authentic, showing up as empathetic, I think it's really part of my day today and showing those things to my team really has helped me getting great feedback and moving along and supporting them and having happier people at work. So again, I think empathy and even collaboration are really essential to foster trust and inclusivity and forging also the right opportunities for each person, for each team member. Yeah and I agree and I think that it's also about a 17 at the same as with your personal traits, it's a 17, some changes and challenges in your team, not working against them but cooperating and making the best of what you have currently in the moment. Thank you. Let's also talk about some cross-border lessons because as you mentioned, you've had a global career moving between industries and countries. Could you think how could it shape you or maybe shape your leadership approach and maybe you can see some leadership lessons that kept proving true no matter where you were? That is a tough one. I think there isn't just one leadership lesson or like I've seen many things in different industries and even in different cultures and in working in different countries, but perhaps I think one of, yeah, just not one one lesson but perhaps two, although I think one leads to the other. I think no matter the industry or the country, curiosity and again it goes back to curious and I think curiosity is really key to effectively their ship. So I think curiously, there is normally ask more questions and they give answers. They strive to understand different perspectives, are open to feedback, are not afraid of admitting that they don't know everything. So you show up vulnerable and I think it's important too. Also, curiosity creates a culture of continuous learning and innovation and that not only solves problems but also inspires the people around you to be better. Of course, when you ask questions you also need to be able to listen, right? So that is the second lesson but really interconnected. Listening is really such an important create and really often overlooked. I think when people feel hurt, they really also feel valued. So when people feel valued, you know, they show up every day happier and in their best selves and they are motivated to be there and to contribute and that's really key to having an innovative culture and also agile and also people show up as wanting to discuss and to suggest and to improve their work, others work. So the end result is much better when you have those two things on the table, I think. Okay, I would suggest all of us after listening to this episode going to read or listen a bit more once again about active listening because it's always on time to train the skill. Thank you. Thank you. Vanya, I agree with you 100% on each of the points you've mentioned and yeah, I feel like our conversation today filled so much with the different valuable pieces of advice and the thing that I like in our podcast in general, that this is the great opportunity to meet wonderful women and listen to their experiences and their wisdom. But I would ask you for one more advice to wrap up our conversation. So for someone who only starts the journey or maybe preparing for some big change in her professional life, I'm talking about, for example, our average listener. So for the woman listening to this episode right now, whether in tag, research or the community doesn't matter, what one thing you would suggest her to start doing today to move closer to her vision, to her goal in a future. - It will look like a hard advice, but I think I would say start. Start with one small step, but start now. So don't exitate and don't wait until you feel ready or you feel like everything is perfectly aligned and finished so I can now focus on this fully and start. No, just start with little steps. Because the right moment, the right alignment, the right people, they will never come up at the same time. So just start, make little steps, little actions. Send that message to someone you admire, share your ideas if they feel, even if they feel and finish right now, or even volunteer to that project that you always admire, then you always thought you could be in, but you never had the courage to be in. Or even if you felt like, oh, I'm too scared of handling many things at the same time, just two little steps, just to just take action, just lean also on others and on how they can help you on those actions or just can support you with discussing your ideas, right? Sometimes you only need one person to listen to your ideas and they will give you suggestions. Even if they also, those suggestions don't seem to fit at that moment, they also will help you moving forward with your little actions. And I think over time, those actions, those steps will create a path that you really couldn't have imagined at the beginning. And I think important along that way, because it made me a journey of two or three years or two or three months, right? But no matter how long the journey is, I think it's really important that you celebrate each little achievement or each big achievement both. But importantly, we sometimes don't know how to celebrate those little achievements too. So do celebrate them because they give you the courage and the encouragement also to keep on going and on taking another step and moving forward. I think it's a hard thing for us to see, especially women because we really need to feel like we control everything before starting. But yeah, just forget about it and just start. Take your, you know, make your little step into reality today. - Yeah, maybe it's a good idea for today, just to just do it without any other preparations. Yeah, you've said that right that it's gonna be a hard advice, but at the same time, it's so simple. It's so simple just to make the smallest move that you're ready for right now. All of us are ready for at least a tidy move. Thank you, Vanya, for such an inspiring conversation for your huge journey that you shared with us and all of the lessons you learned a long way. And thank you that we can also listen to it, embrace it and use it in our careers or personal lives. At least the reminder of just starting something small today is a good start for todays. But for our episode, it is the finish. So thank you. Thank you for being our guest. I wish you all the best in your leadership and technical career. And I will wait forward for the next conversation, maybe in a few months or a years, our audience will be ready to listen to your journey once again. Thank you. - Thank you, Julia, for having me. And thanks for doing this. I think it's really important that we share our voices and that brings inspiration to others. And that's those little things actually may create action. So I'm really happy. - Yeah, indeed. Thank you. Thank you. (upbeat music) - Thank you for tuning in to the She-Stack podcast. We hope today's episode with Vanya Gonzalez showed you that stepping up and standing out isn't about being the loudest voice. It's about leading with impact, staying curious and making space for others to rise too. Our mission is to unite and inspire women in tech. Be part of our community by following the She-Stack LinkedIn page. Just follow the link in the episode description. You can also share this episode to help us amplify women's voices. And don't forget to subscribe. We've got more interesting conversations coming. Until next time, take care and keep striving for change. (upbeat music)