EPISODE 13: Diversity & Inclusion Q&A with Raul Herbster, Engineering Manager

This month I’m back to amplifying the voices of our fantastic allies in the world of DI&B = Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging.

EPISODE 13: I had the pleasure of speaking with Raul Herbster, Engineering Manager at Spotify.

Raul is optimistic, and as such, is always open to contribute and build together a better common for the future. He has been involved with mobile infrastructure for over a decade, working in different companies, from start-ups to big ones like Spotify and Nokia. As an Engineer Manager, Raul believes that processes, productivity and people’s development go hand-on-hand — and here DIB plays a very important role. Working on blending the culture is a challenging and rewarding experience that he is always proud to talk about.

Check out our full video interview here: https://youtu.be/SHZnTgNZJNQ

In our Q&A, Raul shares valuable insights on:

🌟 Benefits of DI&B: As a member of the LGBTQ+ community Raul shares his personal experience of how a strong sense of DI&B in the workplace improved his productivity and mental health. We break down the definitions and significance of each aspect of DI&B and how they all equally intertwine.

🌟 DI&B Challenges ->Solutions: We dissect challenges like ‘Preaching to the choir’, delivery, accountability and the power of taking an engineering focused business oriented approach to find solutions.

🌟 Allyship For All: Raul shares his top tips on how YOU can become a better ally. Plus the importance of being curious, humble, empathetic and engaging in conversations to better understand the struggles of specific communities.

🌟 Overcoming Unconscious Bias: Gain a step-by-step guide on how you can take control of your daily biases. Acceptance and acknowledgement is the first step!

🌟 Creating a Safe & Inclusive Culture: As a manager or employee you can make a change! We explore social exercises that you can implement to create an environment where people can bring their best selves to work and voice contrasting opinions without the fear of negative consequences.

🌟 Inclusive Remote Working: We share interactive tools like Gather.town and examples of successful remote socialised events you can utilise to ensure your teams mental well-being, whilst cultivating a strong sense of belonging.

🌟 Influential DI&B Advocates: Kenji Yoshino, Lovette Jallow, Lily Zheng, Cassi Mecchi.

& so much more!

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Are you passionate about D&I in the technology field too? How has your experience been similar or different? Do you have any questions for Diversity & Inclusion Allies in the technology industry? Would you like to get involved in this initiative? I would love to hear from you, please contact me on LinkedIn.

By Ellie King - Principal Talent Partner - Data / AI - Nordics