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Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer. Hedy Lamarr invented technology that was foundational for today’s WiFi. Grace Hopper created the common business-oriented language (COBOL), a computer programming language. The list of contributions of women in technology is long. In celebration of Women’s History Month and  International Women’s Day in March, we’ve kicked off an interview series to explore the topic of inspirational and inclusive leadership from a few of our top leaders. You can check out their words of wisdom on the SiTime blog—watch this space for more to come.

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Debra Severin, senior director of human resources at SiTime, is a no-nonsense, get-it-done systems thinker, a pro with a successful career spanning roles from finance to human resources (HR). Debra’s family moved to the Sierra foothills while she was still young. She grew up taking advantage of all the countryside had to offer, from backpacking to riding horses, and traveling back to her native San Francisco frequently to maintain her roots and family ties in the city. It was the best of both worlds. She has always loved variety (it’s the spice of life, isn’t it?). Today, Debra wears many hats in her role. From learning how to operate in new countries to problem solving and creating systems to run HR effectively. These skills could have landed her in any number of industries, but she has found a home in the technology sector—one of the most dynamic places to be. We sat down with Debra recently, to ask about her journey and advice for other women looking to advance their careers.

Q. How did you come to this place in your career?

A. I had one mentor at a past position who was also my manager. He gave me several opportunities, to learn new things, and I loved it—I kept asking for more. I started out managing payroll, then I managed benefits, and then HR information systems (HRIS).

One day my manager called me into his office, and he asked, “What do you want to do?”

My answer? “I want to be you.” 

I wanted to manage both payroll and HR and be the head of the group. To do this, I learned everything I could from the different disciplines to prepare me for the challenge. Today, I try to give my team the level of support I received in my early work experiences. I challenge my team to take our learnings to a systems level. Sometimes they might laugh (“Here she goes again!”) because I’m so predictable. They can count on me asking the question, “How can we look at this through a systems lens?” I look at everything through the lens of a system. It doesn't necessarily mean that we will put a system in place because sometimes it is smarter not to do that. But I always look at it from the systems perspective. For me that’s a formula for success—not just looking at the project in front of you and doing it well but thinking about how you can bring your learnings to the organization to have a greater impact. I try to instill this perspective in my team.

Q. What has been one of the bigger challenges in your career?

A. Moving from accounting to HR was challenging. There are different drivers between HR and accounting which result in different pressures, some hard and others soft. I needed to acclimate to the pressures of my new role. I wasn’t just looking at the next deadline but how the work impacted the business and employees.  

I’m proud of the diversity of my knowledge, the skills in my toolbox and the ability to figure things out when I don’t know the answer. I can pivot and figure out what I need to do to deliver. Whatever role that I am in, it’s about digging in and just doing it. No excuses. That's not an option for me and not how I live my life. Embracing this outlook can help your career develop and grow and open doors that may not have been open before.

Q. What advice do you have for navigating challenging situations at work?

A. I had one role model who when the world appeared to be falling apart, she stayed calm. She had confidence that we'd figure out whatever problem was at hand. I learned so much from that, and I try to model that in my work. I find it a little humorous when people call me even keeled. I can be kind of hyper underneath, but this shows that you can teach yourself to be the calm in the storm, even if sometimes you don’t feel that way. It’s a learning edge, but if you can keep calm, it’s easier to navigate through the storms. For me, it helps to ground myself when it’s chaotic. I do that by listening first. If I ground myself by listening before adding to the conversation, I find the conversation goes better.

Another thing I learned back when I was a first-time people manager: your people should always know where they stand whether it's good or bad. They should never be surprised. Hard conversations are part of being a people manager. I guide not only my team but managers in the company on how to deliver difficult messages to their employees. I always advise them to give clarity to their people. You're setting people up for failure if you're not giving enough feedback so that they can improve in their roles. Few people can rise out of performance issues once they reach the point of corrective action. Before it gets to that point, providing clarity—even when the conversation may be difficult—is a kindness.

Q. Why is variety in your work so important to you?

A. I'm all about change. I tell my son all the time that despite our best efforts life can be chaotic.  Sometimes it's going be bad chaos and sometimes it's going to be good chaos. Sometimes you’ve got to set aside being particular because there is often a kind of alchemy when you mush things up. And I say this even though I take a black-and-white perspective sometimes. (That’s my systems and numbers background coming into play.) But in HR, I've had to learn how to operate in the gray, too. And change isn't for everybody. Some people have a really hard time with change. They have a hard time flexing or pivoting to where they need to go. You have to think about the fit of your environment and how it works with your values and lifestyle. That’s important.

At bigger companies where operations tend to be in silos, there are not as many opportunities to wear multiple hats as there are in smaller companies. However, at SiTime, despite our standing in the industry, there is a startup feel that allows you to be out of your proverbial box. You can have a lot of diversity in your role. When I interview candidates, I tell them they need to be comfortable playing outside their comfort zone, and this will help them be successful here. Because of this culture, I have had the opportunity to learn so many new things that have challenged me and my team. I got lucky. My job is the right fit for me.  

Q. What do you find most challenging about being a woman in a technical company?

A. Being a woman in tech, you can often be the only woman in the room or one of two or three. After a while, you get used to it. I've been the only woman in the room for a lot of my career so I don't even think about it anymore. It’s critical to assert yourself. You have to be able to read the room, the personalities and the weight of the topic at hand. Then you assert yourself as needed. Don’t let people talk over you or divert you from the message you want to convey. This is very important.

Remember: you are just as important as anybody else. Your personality might be quiet. Maybe you are afraid to speak up. But you’re there for a reason and your opinions matter. Your voice needs to be heard. I still get intimidated in some of the rooms that I walk into. I find that role playing can help because it's like studying for an exam.     

If you are presenting in a meeting, study your presentation. Practice it in front of a mirror. Know what you are going to say and do at each moment. The most important thing is to fully understand your data. If somebody pushes back, you can stop in the moment and rely on the data. Having the confidence of knowing your data will help you stay grounded. You’ve done your homework, so repeat the data and explain your position.

Years ago, I was visiting a client in New York City and there were 50 people in the room, and it was the first time I had to do a presentation in front of that many people. I didn’t know anyone in the audience. I had stage fright, and I was one of the last few presenters, which made it worse. During the break before I spoke, I went to the restroom, fanning myself, breathing hard and sweating profusely. But I did it. I walked back to the room, got up front and picked a point on the wall to focus on. I still looked around as I spoke, but I focused above the heads. I’m naturally shy and I have to force myself to speak up and say what I need to say. Practice by taking small risks along the way, and build on them so you get more comfortable. Train yourself to put yourself out there and push yourself beyond your fear. If you want to grow your career, always speak up and ask for what you want because if you don’t ask, the answer is always no.

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