Leadership, Wellbeing, and Culture
In this episode of Walk the Talk, Sarah Mayo speaks with Gita Singham Willis, founding partner of Cadence Innova and Strategic Engagement Director at Transform. The conversation explores workplace wellbeing, leadership, and the practical application of values.
Key highlights:
Career & Perspective: Gita shares her journey from manufacturing engineer to founding Cadence Innova, emphasising the importance of culture, values, and mental fitness throughout her career. The recent merger with Transform aligns both companies’ cultures and expands their capabilities in tech, policy, and organisational change.
Wellbeing Practices: Gita prioritises daily walks/exercise and balanced nutrition. She stresses the value of building habits and self-awareness to support personal resilience.
Core Values: Kindness, collaboration, resilience, and curiosity guide both her personal and professional life. She believes curiosity fosters non-judgmental collaboration and continuous learning.
Leadership Philosophy: Effective leadership empowers and enables others, adapts to circumstances, and maintains open, supportive communication. She cites leaders like Jacinda Ardern as examples of kindness and forward-thinking leadership.
Workplace Challenges: Middle management training, AI-driven reskilling, generational and neurodiverse inclusion, psychological safety, and the evolving role of DEI are key priorities. Gita highlights the importance of transparent communication, ethical AI use, and supporting employees in a hybrid work environment.
Embedding Culture & Values: Successful organisations live their values through inclusive development, leadership visibility, open feedback, and aligning performance frameworks with desired behaviours.
Employee Empowerment: Cadence used a flat “family” structure, regular standups, open-book transparency, and an employee ownership scheme to foster connection, inclusion, and psychological safety.
Advice for Leaders: Lead by example, openly discuss challenges, prioritise wellbeing, and create environments that allow employees to take ownership of their development. Encourage employees to know themselves, communicate their needs, and access support when required.
Gita emphasises that leadership and wellbeing are intertwined: empowering people, fostering open communication, and living values consistently are essential for organisational success.
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Be kind, be curious, be well.