Sally-Ann Williams, CEO, Cicada Innovations on championing lifelong learnings to effect change for people, planet and prosperity.

Sally-Ann Williams, CEO, Cicada Innovations shares how she seeks out the murky ambiguity in her roles and champions lifelong learnings to effect change for people, planet and prosperity. Sally-Ann also talks about her passion for changing Australia’s economic base and blending her purpose-based leadership style and self-awareness to step up and say yes when others believe in her.

Key Insights

(01:26) How did Sally-Ann start her leadership journey?

Sally-Ann’s leadership journey started in humble beginnings growing up in a small regional area of Australia. She was the first in the family to finish high school and university. Sally-Ann felt that leadership for her was almost accidental and circumstantial. She also said it came from others recognising skills in her and inviting her to be on boards for youth organisations, speak at events or participate in leadership roles. She attributes it partly to her naivety and saying ‘yes’ without understanding what she was signing up for, but wanting to serve.

(14:11) How does Sally-Ann learn and thrive in the murkiness of ambiguity?

Sally-Ann works on a problem by looking at it from every angle, rehashing it, pulling it apart and putting it back together again. She also says you need to be humble in your approach because no one has all the answers and no one can know every single piece of the puzzle.

(28:54) What tool can Sally-Ann share to the audience to add to their Leadership Toolbox?

Sally-Ann shares that you've got to know yourself. When you know what your strengths

and weaknesses are, knowledge is power. Sally-Ann says to surround yourself with opportunities to play to your strengths and surround yourself with people who can uplift your weaknesses and become stronger together.

 

Important Resources and Links

If you’d like to learn more about how CommBank is supporting the growth of women in business visit https://www.commbank.com.au/women-in-focus.html  

Host of the Leading Women podcast, Shivani Gopal is a serial entrepreneur, speaker and advocate on a mission to create a more equal world. She’s recognised as a leading business thought leader helping professional women navigate their careers, businesses and financial success.

As the Founder and CEO of The Remarkable Woman and Co-Founder of Upstreet, Shivani was recently awarded the 2022 NSW Excellence in Women's Leadership Award and the Top 50 Small Business Leaders award, As a dedicated advocate for gender equality and for closing the wealth gap for everyday Australians, Shivani launched “Equality 2050”; a campaign to achieve gender equality within our lifetimes. If you’re interested in learning more about Shivani visit her website: https://www.theremarkablewoman.com.au/

The Leading Women podcast is proudly brought to you by Commonwealth Bank.  The series is produced by Nicole Hatherly, recorded at RadioHub Studios with post production by Cooper Silk and Iain Wilson.

Things you should know: Guests featured in the podcast are speaking from their personal experiences only. As this podcast has been prepared without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on the content consider its appropriateness to your circumstances. CommBank does not necessarily endorse the views of a particular individual or guarantee the accuracy of the information provided.