IT Meets Women in Tech in Lviv: Talking About Leadership, Fear, and Personal Choice

On July 30, IT Meets Women in Tech took place in Lviv, gathering 350 participants. The event explored leadership without formal status, impostor syndrome and self-sabotage, and decisions that society tends to label as “unconventional.” The event also served as a platform for the “Women Can Do Anything” charity fundraiser by the VETERANKA movement.

Mykhailo Lemak, CEO of Lviv IT Cluster, and Olha Honchar, Executive Director of VETERANKA Movement Lviv Chapter, opened the event with a welcome address, setting the tone for a day of honest conversations about navigating change and turning fear into new possibilities. They also highlighted the importance of amplifying women’s voices and building meaningful professional connections that support career growth.

Leadership Without Formal Status

Leadership was the focus of the conference’s opening panel, where speakers talked about both formal and informal leadership through the lens of trust, responsibility, and competence. They shared practical perspectives on building strong teams through consistent leadership, strategic thinking, and empowering others.

The discussion also explored the evolving role of women leaders, highlighting how stereotypes can still slow career growth while emphasizing the increasing value of authenticity and diverse leadership styles. 

The panel also discussed how leaders can delegate effectively, including the principles of situational leadership, where early-career and fast-growing professionals are given opportunities to mentor others. The speakers emphasized that clear boundaries within a team help maintain accountability and prevent relationships from becoming overly informal at the expense of results. 

Impostor Syndrome and Self-Sabotage: How We Hold Back Our Own Careers

The second discussion focused on internal barriers. Speakers distinguished healthy self-criticism from self-sabotage: the former moves you forward, the latter stems from a lack of self-belief and social anxiety. One practical piece of advice was to track goals and results over a year or a quarter in order to see one’s own progress, along with a perspective-shifting technique: thinking about what advice you would give a friend in the same situation.

Larysa Didkovska, Ukrainian scholar and psychologist, Rector of the Ukrainian Free University, noted: “Focus on what we need and what we’re capable of — the main thing is to be yourself. That doesn’t mean being good, it means being genuine — and only you know what that looks like.”

Choices That Require Explanation

The closing session focused on the courage to make decisions that may seem unexpected to others. From joining the military to pursuing an MBA later in life, the speakers challenged conventional expectations and argued that the right timing is deeply personal, not defined by others. 

Speakers also reflected on the confidence gap in the workplace, discussing how women are more likely to underestimate their readiness for new opportunities, while men often apply for roles before meeting every requirement. 

Closing the conference, the speakers encouraged participants to trust themselves, embrace uncertainty, and remember that there is no single path to success. Their message was simple: allow yourself to dream — because today’s ambitions become tomorrow’s achievements. 

Co-financed by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.