In this episode of Empowered in Tech: Women in Tech Netherlands, host and producer Ilaria Severi sits down with Silvia Román—Senior Product Marketing Manager at Booking.com, inclusive leadership mentor, keynote speaker, and founder of Seeds to Lead—to explore what it truly takes to grow from first-time manager into an inclusive leader.

Silvia shares her journey of stepping into leadership early in her career, the challenges of navigating loneliness as a new manager, and the critical role of emotional intelligence in building trust, belonging, and performance. This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about titles—it’s about creating environments where people can thrive.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Why leadership often feels isolating for first-time managers
• The overlooked role of emotional intelligence in leadership success
• How to build psychologically safe, inclusive, and high-performing teams
• The difference between managing tasks and truly leading people
• Why authentic leadership is built on trust, influence, and community

✨ About Our Guest:
Silvia Román is a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Booking.com, an inclusive leadership mentor, and an international keynote speaker. She is also the founder of Seeds to Lead, a leadership mentoring program supporting emerging leaders. Formerly the Chair of Lean In Netherlands, Silvia has dedicated her career to advancing DEIB, gender equity, and authentic leadership.

🙌 Special Thanks to Our Sponsor:
This episode is brought to you by DMN-WESTINGHOUSE, a company committed to diversity and inclusion in tech. They are actively hiring for a range of exciting roles—connect with them on LinkedIn to learn more!

💡 Connect with Women in Tech Netherlands:
Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn to stay inspired and engaged with our community.

🎧 Listen now to discover how inclusive leadership starts with authenticity, emotional intelligence, and the courage to build teams where people truly belong.