Empowering Teams: Neurodiversity/Cultivating Belonging and Fostering Autonomy

This evening you will learn from two speakers:

1. Annelies van Dijk - Neurodiversity: creating a belonging culture
2. Michal Zygar - Give your team some space: lessons learned on team autonomy

Catawiki is so kind to host this event in Amsterdam!
17:30 - Doors open
17:30 - 18:00 food (pizza 🍕🍕) and drinks
18:00 - 18:05 welcome by Stefano, the VP of engineering of Catawiki
18:05 - 18:35 Annelies on neurodiversity and building a culture of beloning
18:50 - 19:30 Michal about lessons learned on team autonomy

See travel instructions at the bottom of this text.

ABOUT THE TALKS

Neurodiversity: creating a belonging culture
Have you ever found yourself quickly labeling someone or do you sometimes feel misunderstood because your brain works differently? You often hear about the importance of fostering a neurodiverse environment, but what does that truly mean?
In this talk, we will explore the topic of neurodiversity in the workplace from a fresh perspective, addressing the core challenges of creating a true culture of belonging while confronting biases through practical examples.
Regardless of your position, role, or neurotype, this session offers valuable insights from any perspective.

Give your team some space: lessons learned on team autonomy
We all know our teams are filled with brilliant minds, but are we really giving them the space to shine? What happens when you empower your team with true autonomy? And more importantly, what becomes the role of tech leaders in this new dynamic? In this talk, we’ll dive into how to foster a culture where engineering teams can flourish, innovate, and take ownership. With insights from real-world case studies from my recent projects, you’ll leave with practical lessons on how to unlock your team’s full potential and redefine your leadership.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Annelies van Dijk
Agile Coach, IT Department at Essent
I am Annelies van Dijk, an Agile Coach in the IT department at Essent. I have gained experience as both a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, working with teams from diverse ethnic and neurodiverse backgrounds. I began exploring the social factors that influence team interactions and decision-making processes through Deep Democracy trainings.
As the co-founder of the Neurodiversity community at Essent, the greatest challenge—and the part I enjoy most—is applying these insights in practical, real-world situations.

Michal Zygar
Engineering Manager, Customer Experience Tech at Catawiki
I'm Michał Zygar, currently the Engineering Manager at Catawiki. After spending most of my career as an iOS Engineer, I transitioned into leading a cross-functional team of talented engineers. This shift sparked my passion for understanding how to unlock the full potential of team members and create a fulfilling work environment. My journey from hands-on engineering to leadership has given me unique insights into building strong, autonomous teams that thrive on innovation and collaboration.

LOCATION AND TRAVEL

Sint Jorissteeg 2, 1012 XV Amsterdam

Just to let you know, our entrance is in an ally (Sint Jorissteeg 2, Floor 4, 1012 XV Amsterdam). People sometimes don't understand that they have to go into the actual ally to find the door. Of the building we have floors 3-5, the bottom of the building is now a showroom for the car brand Zeekr (people should easily see this)

Parking is difficult as we don't have parking at our building. Closest parking garages are:
- ParkBee Kalverstraat - Singel 451C, 1012 WP Amsterdam
- Q-Park Kalverstraat - Singel 451 C, 1012 WP Amsterdam
- Q-Park The Bank Rembrandtplein - Amstelstraat 12, 1017 DA Amsterdam