Brickster Voices is a sequence that spotlights the individuals who make our work potential. By private profession journeys, behind-the-scenes seems to be at impactful tasks, and a glimpse into how we work collectively, these tales provide a window into life at Databricks. Whether or not you’re exploring new alternatives, interested by our work in Knowledge + AI, or just impressed by tales of development and collaboration, Brickster Voices invitations you to get to know the people driving our mission ahead.
As a part of our Brickster Voices sequence, Leide Cabral-Donald, Supervisor, Inclusion, sat down for an interview with Cindy Nicola, our VP of World Expertise Acquisition, who joined Databricks simply over a yr in the past. Cindy has led world expertise acquisition groups via a few of tech’s most defining chapters—from Apple and Tesla to Rivian and now Databricks—with a gentle mix of braveness, readability, and care. Throughout this dialog, she displays on her profession journey, what it means to steer boldly via hypergrowth, and the teachings which have stayed along with her. Spoiler: it’s as inspiring as it’s refreshingly actual.
Leide: I’ve been so impressed by your resilient private story because you shared it with our crew. Are you able to inform us a bit about your journey and what led you to work in HR?
Cindy: I used to be adopted at a younger age and left residence at 14. I by no means went again. Once you depart residence that early, the street is never linear. I didn’t all the time make the very best decisions, however I prioritized my obligations first and located solace in getting straight As and lifting others up. In school, I labored full-time whereas going to high school full-time to pay for each my life and training. I used to be drawn to affect, which led me to pursue a level in Psychology and Sociology. I began working in psychological well being early on, with sufferers in disaster: these battling dependancy, suicidal ideation, and extreme psychological sickness. I liked that work. I felt like I used to be making an actual distinction. After incomes my BA, I enrolled within the Grasp of Social Work program at Boston College. However throughout my first yr, a shift occurred. I spotted that regardless of my ardour for the sphere and for serving to others, sustainable affect felt uncommon, and admittedly, I wasn’t all the time impressed by the folks I noticed main the work. I wished to be surrounded by individuals who challenged me, folks I may be taught from — and I craved systems-level change.
Someday, throughout an internship at a big social companies company in Dorchester, I used to be speaking to my supervisor about this shift and dilemma. He appeared to actually perceive, and he requested me, “Have you ever ever thought-about HR?” He mentioned the intersection of individuals and enterprise is likely to be the place I may make the most important distinction.
That dialog modified every part. I shifted the again half of my MSW to concentrate on administration and enterprise, graduating with a brand new mission: break into HR. Someday, whereas ready in line for an aerobics class, I overheard somebody point out their HR particular person had stop. I sprinted to my automobile, grabbed my resume, and handed it to her. The subsequent day, I bought the decision. I took an enormous pay minimize and began as an HR coordinator.
Six months later, I used to be promoted to HR generalist. Eighteen months after that, I grew to become an HR supervisor. I spent the following decade in HR management roles (with a brief detour main high quality & HR), and in 2000, I used to be requested to assist construct a strategic recruiting operate.
That’s once I fell in love with expertise acquisition — and the facility it has to form an organization’s future.
L: What a robust journey — it’s clear that function and affect have been on the coronary heart of each chapter for you. It looks as if discovering your approach to expertise acquisition actually aligned with that deeper drive to affect programs and uplift others. What do you discover most rewarding about working in expertise acquisition?
C: There’s nothing fairly prefer it. You get to form the way forward for an organization by serving to construct the groups that construct every part else. Each rent is a lever for affect on the product, the tradition, and the momentum of the enterprise. Once you get it proper, it’s transformational.
Nevertheless it’s additionally deeply human work. You’re serving to folks make a few of the largest selections of their lives—the place to develop, what issues to resolve, and who to belief with their time and expertise. Being a part of that second and doing it with care, intention, and readability is extremely significant.
And whereas I really like the craft of expertise acquisition, what’s much more rewarding to me is main. I’ve had the privilege of constructing and main world groups from 50 to just about 1,000 folks—and that’s the half I’m most happy with. I’ve been part of so many profession journeys, and it means the world to see people who as soon as sat on my groups now main TA at different corporations.
L: You’ve led expertise acquisition at corporations identified for his or her explosive development and impressive missions — what does daring and genuine management seem like for you through the hypergrowth stage?
C: Daring and genuine management, for me, means creating readability amidst the chaos—readability of function, readability of expectations, and readability round what nice seems to be like. I attempt to present up as an actual human, not only a chief with a to-do record. Which means being trustworthy about what’s working and what’s not, creating area for others to do the identical, and supporting my crew via the inevitable ups and downs. Being daring is about setting a excessive bar and never reducing it when issues get exhausting. Being genuine is about being trustworthy about tradeoffs, supporting folks via uncertainty, and creating a way of shared possession within the outcomes. I feel the mixture of care and readability is what retains you intact and stronger via hypergrowth.
L: Wanting again, was there a second that felt like a serious inflection level or profession leap? What did that call train you about danger and self-trust?
C: For me, there wasn’t only one large leap—it’s been a sequence of inflection factors, every one shaping how I present up as a pacesetter. But when I needed to title a defining shift, it was the second when worry began to get changed by braveness.
Early in my management journey, I carried loads of nerves. Making powerful calls, giving exhausting suggestions, pushing again on an government, or just holding area in high-stakes rooms didn’t come naturally at first. Worry—of getting it incorrect, of not being heard, of making rigidity—typically bought in the best way of effectiveness.
However over time, as I gained extra expertise, I constructed not simply experience but additionally common sense. And with that got here a sort of quiet confidence. I began to belief my voice extra. I discovered that management isn’t about all the time being sure—it’s about being grounded sufficient to talk up anyway, particularly when it’s exhausting.
That shift—from worry to braveness—was transformational. It didn’t occur in a single day, however it’s what allowed me to develop into the sort of chief I aspire to be: one who leads with readability, care, and conviction, even when the stakes are excessive. Each time you select braveness over consolation, you increase your capability to steer—and to take smarter dangers. You be taught to guess on your self. And in fast-moving environments, that sort of grounded self-trust is every part.
L: What’s one lesson you want folks discovered earlier of their management journey?
C: That management isn’t about having all of the solutions—it’s about creating the circumstances for others to thrive. Early in your profession, there’s this stress to show your self by being the professional within the room. However actual management is about listening, asking the proper questions, and constructing a crew that challenges and enhances you.
Top-of-the-line classes I’ve discovered is to rent people who find themselves higher than me—smarter of their area, sharper in areas the place I’m not, and powerful within the issues you’ll be able to’t train, like curiosity, resilience, and sound judgment. I’ve all the time employed individuals who deliver one thing I don’t have—and that’s by design. Nice leaders construct nice groups, not by being the hero, however by surrounding themselves with individuals who elevate the entire.
So the lesson is: get comfy not being the neatest particular person within the room. If you happen to’re doing it proper, you not often can be. And that’s the place the magic occurs—while you create the area, readability, and belief for others to do their greatest work.
L: What do you prioritize on a day-to-day foundation so to be the very best chief to your crew?
C: It begins with caring for myself—mentally, bodily, and emotionally. Health is a giant a part of that for me. It’s not nearly well being—it’s about power, resilience, and carving out area to reset. After I’m prioritizing my well-being, I could be extra current, extra considerate, and extra grounded for my crew.
And simply as vital, I attempt to have slightly enjoyable alongside the best way. Laughter, actual conversations, checking in on life outdoors of labor—all of it issues. Staying linked to the non-public facet of my crew helps construct the sort of tradition the place folks really feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
On the finish of the day, management is about the way you present up—constantly and with intention. For me, it’s about work-life match, not steadiness. Life and work aren’t separate containers—they’re built-in. And once I’m aligned in each, I’m at my greatest for my crew.
Desirous about becoming a member of our crew and dealing with unimaginable leaders like Cindy? You’ll be able to go to databricks.com/careers to be taught extra about careers at Databricks and open roles immediately!
