An interview with Dari Samson, Systems Engineer – Feature Owner, BorgWarner
Note: This interview took place prior to Dari’s promotion to Advanced Quality Engineer in September 2025.

Through the Women Rising® program, Dari embraced her strengths, challenged imposter syndrome, and reframed her path forward. By letting go of overperformance and perfectionism, she began leading with clarity, curiosity, and the confidence to claim her space — not just as an engineer, but as a future business leader.

---

What does your role as Feature Owner mean?

Within systems engineering, we typically break down a system into multiple features. At BorgWarner we develop and produce automotive parts, and one feature of the part would be motor controls. As a Feature Owner, I own the motor controls feature. For anything that falls under that category, I am responsible for ensuring the stakeholder requirements are correctly analyzed, and that my feature team develops and verifies our products according to those requirements.

What motivated you to go through the Women Rising® program?

When I was offered the opportunity to go through this program, I wanted to learn about myself, gain more self-awareness by learning about my leadership style, and then learn how I could use my leadership style in a way that supports the organization and has greater impact so I can be a greater leader. I’m early in my career and saw it as something that could transform me professionally. At the time, I didn’t realize that it would also transform me personally.

What stood out to you that you learned about yourself?

The first workshop was on strengths, and then the second one was focused on habits. I think I’ve always been a perfectionist and so I’ve always looked at things asking, “What am I doing wrong? How can I fix it?” instead of saying, “I excel in this area” and “I want to further develop in that area.” This program taught me not to try to fix all my qualms about myself, but to lean into my areas where I’m strongest.

I learned that my top strengths are Deliberative, Relator, Focus, Analytical, and Achiever. Instead of trying to pinpoint what my weaknesses are and fixing them, I looked at my strengths and said “Okay, wow, I didn’t know that I’d be considered a Relator because I’m so introverted.” But when I look around, I realize I do have pretty significant professional relationships, and I’ve learned to lean into that strength of relating with people and my team.

The second most beneficial thing was learning about habits. I believed that if something worked for me in the past, I needed to keep doing that thing. But the program taught that what got you here won’t get you there. I was putting my job before my career. Being a new engineer, a woman, and having imposter syndrome, I thought I needed to learn everything relative to my position because everyone else was more experienced. I overworked and overstressed myself trying to prove I belonged.

What is next for you?

If you would have asked me that question when I first started the program, I would have said, “Obviously I’m going to go from engineer to senior engineer to engineering manager!” The mentor-coach I was matched with has a background as an attorney, so she didn’t come in limited to an engineering perspective. She showed me that basically whatever I want to do is open to me. Working with her, I decided that I want to get an MBA and get into business. My next short-term goals would be to diversify myself within business — learn topics like quality, sales, and purchasing, and step out of engineering to go learn about business.

Was working with a coach your first experience with coaching?

Definitely. That was the first time I’ve worked with a coach, and it made me realize if you don’t have someone advising you, then you’re missing the big picture and leaving a lot of potential on the table.

What has been the most significant barrier in your career?

For me, the biggest fear in my career has been imposter syndrome because it’s affected a lot of decisions I’ve made — self-limiting decisions. When I was asked to step into the role I’m in now, even though on paper I was saying, “Yes, I belong in this role,” in my head I was thinking, “Am I the right person? Do I even have the necessary skills?”

One of our workshops was on confidence — identifying how the way we say something is just as important as what we’re saying. For example, instead of “I’m sorry to bother you, but if I could just get a minute of your time to discuss topic X,” we say “We need to discuss topic X. I put an invite on your calendar.” The program put us into small groups to practice as simple as an elevator speech until it felt right coming out of our mouths.

What advice do you have for women going through the Women Rising® program?

Number one: turn your notifications off during the sessions. That’s letting your job get in the way of your career. Your manager selected you for this program — your company obviously believes in you. Show up 100% and be 100% authentic and honest with yourself, with your coach, and with the people in your small learning group about your weaknesses. No one’s there to judge. We’re all there to help each other and lift each other up.

Lightning round: The most important thing for a woman leader to do is…

Claim her space.

A woman leader should never…

Be too harsh with yourself.

When it comes to leadership, I would like to be…

Understanding — understanding your team’s perspectives and needs and making people feel understood. Understanding their needs, their limitations, and their thought process helps you understand how they got where they are, and how they solve problems.