Leadership and Mentorship in Tech with Etsy Senior Engineering Manager Najla Elmachtoub

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In today’s discussion we’re only scratching the surface of the very present gender gaps women in STEM (and STEAM) careers face from their time in school to the workforce. Meet Najla Elmachtoub, a voice in the industry that serves as a catalyst for change. Najla is the Senior Engineering Manager at Etsy, a one-of-a-kind global online marketplace and community that supports independent makers and creators. Keep on listening to learn more about Najla’s career, her perspective on role models and mentorship, and much more!

Show Notes:

Najla Elmachtoub started her path in STEM in high school studying computer sciences. She is now the Senior Engineering Manager for Etsy (0:40.)

Especially when it comes to tech, Najla found interning at as many diverse programs as possible would provide her the best scope of the industry (2:40.)

To start off each day, Najla finds makes sure to take the time to exercise, meditate, and write before she kicks off her work day (5:30.)

“The fact that I am a woman plays a big part in how I am perceived and some of the opportunities that I was allowing myself to take and others were allowing me to take.”
— Najla Elmachtoub

Najla realizes that sometimes self-depreciation can be the only thing holding her back and that she has the ability to solve any problem (7:40.)

Having a role model especially in the STEM field is so important. Najla found her role model while at Etsy, the VP of Engineering, who really made her feel like she could rise to any challenge (9:05.)

“Being able to provide psychological safety and full transparancy as a leader are the most important aspects to provide people with the trust and space to be themselves and make them feel that they have the ability to do their best work.”
— Najla Elmachtoub

As a leader Najla discovered, it's not about the qualities that you have but rather, how you make others feel (13:00.)

When in the field of STEM it's important to have an advocate and a mentor. It is common to change your domain of expertise and is super important to adapt. Seek out someone who will bring growth opportunities and will fight for your space in a growing company (14:00.)

Outside of reading the New York Times, Najla likes to seek out opportunities to broaden her knowledge. She likes to ask her role models what they are reading to understand what inspires them (15:50.)

“If I am the smartest person in the room, I am in the wrong room.”
— Najla Elmachtoub

One day, Najla aspires to be the CTO or VP of Engineering for a small company but until then she loves managing her team and plans to take things day by day (17:40.)

Follow Najla on Twitter @najtube to stay connected and follow her journey!

Interested in talking with Najla about tech, product engineering, or leadership? You can check out her office hours here.

Thank you readers for tuning into the Brava Podcast. If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes! 

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