Erick Segaar describes himself as a consultant in the broadest sense of the word. He moves where he is needed. Sometimes that means training teams, sometimes it means organising hackathons, and sometimes it means diving deep into code to remove a bottleneck. But no matter the role, there is one constant in how he works: a strong sense of responsibility for people and for progress.
"I see myself as a shield," Erick says. "If there is pressure, politics, or chaos around a team, I'll step in between so they can keep doing their work."
That instinct did not appear overnight. It was shaped early in his career.
From overdrive to purpose
Erick started out as a developer in large, complex organisations, where deadlines were tight and the stakes were high. Early on, he learned what it feels like to carry responsibility. When systems broke or bugs appeared, he felt personally accountable. That sense of ownership pushed him to improve, again and again.
One moment changed everything. During a massive transition in the healthcare sector, his team had only a few months to rebuild an entire system. The pressure was relentless. Erick went into overdrive, working extreme hours to protect his team and deliver on time. They succeeded, but at a cost.
"That was the moment I knew," he says. "I never want to work like that again. Not because I can't, but because it's not sustainable. I'd rather help people work better than burn myself out trying to fix everything alone."
From that point on, his focus shifted. Continuous improvement became his compass. Not just technically, but also in processes, collaboration, and human dynamics.
Finding a place where honesty is allowed
When Erick joined Xebia, he brought that mindset with him, along with something else: doubt. Despite years of experience, the assessment process confronted him with a familiar feeling of imposter syndrome.
"I honestly thought I had cheated my way in," he says. "The assessment was intense. I put more than sixty hours into it and still felt unsure."
What made the difference was not the assessment itself, but what happened around it. Erick chose not to hide his uncertainty. He spoke openly about his doubts, his questions, and the areas where he felt less confident.
"That was a conscious choice," he explains. "I could have put on a façade, but that's not me. I decided to be honest."
That honesty was met with recognition rather than judgement. From the moment he joined, Erick felt something he had not experienced before: permission to be himself, fully.
"At Xebia, you don't have to watch your words all the time. If something doesn't make sense, you can say so. And if it's nonsense, people will tell you, but always with the intention to help you grow."
Support that goes beyond work
One of the moments that truly shaped Erick’s experience at Xebia had little to do with technology. When personal circumstances started to affect his mental space, he reached out. Within days, he was speaking to coaches and mentors inside the organisation.
"It was handled so naturally," he says. "No bureaucracy, no stigma. Just people asking: who are you, what do you need, and how can we help?"
Coaching became a place for reflection, not only about work, but about patterns, triggers, and balance. It helped him learn to step back when his mind went into problem-solving overdrive.
"That support didn’t just help me professionally," he says. "It helped me as a person. And the fact that this is openly discussed within Xebia makes a huge difference. There’s no shame in asking for help."
Belonging by doing
Erick never eased into Xebia slowly. He jumped in headfirst. From organising social events without asking for permission to contributing openly to discussions, he learned quickly that initiative was welcomed.
"I was never told to write a business case or wait for approval; you just do things. And if it doesn’t work, you adjust."
That freedom created a strong sense of belonging. Not because he was told he belonged, but because he experienced it through action.
Growing without needing more titles
After several years at Xebia, Erick knows exactly where he stands. He has no ambition to climb an organisational ladder or take on formal leadership roles. Instead, he focuses on impact at the client and learning through collaboration.
"I’m in a place where experience starts to replace overdrive," he says. "I don’t need to push endlessly anymore. I learn from colleagues, they learn from me, and together we stay sharp."
Knowledge sharing plays a key role in that. Through conversations, sessions, and informal exchanges, new ideas constantly flow. One week, Erick might explore a topic deeply. A few weeks later, a colleague brings a new angle that changes everything.
"That interaction keeps me moving, it’s how we grow together."
What makes Xebia stand out
For Erick, Xebia stands out because it allows him to be fully himself. Honest, driven, sometimes sharp, always committed. It is a place where feedback is direct but never destructive, where growth is encouraged but never forced, and where support is real.
"I don’t have to play a role here, I can just be me. And that’s exactly why I can do my best work."
When you are free to be yourself, improvement follows naturally.
Curious how others experience working at Xebia? Read more stories from people who keep moving with us.
In Motion with Arjan – Freedom to be Real
The Power of Being Surrounded by People Who Inspire You – Fokko’s Story
Written by
Vivian Andringa
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