Be a duck: Gila Wilensky [98]

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about learning how to stay steady when none seem to exist.

In this conversation, Gila Wilensky, Chief Solutions Officer at WPP Media, shares what it means to lead with curiosity, composure, and a sense of humor in an industry that never stops reinventing itself. From her first lesson—“be a duck”—to her later discovery that tension and change can be creative forces, Gila reveals how she balances decisiveness with empathy and innovation with imperfection.

We explore how AI is reshaping the marketing world, why curiosity is the most underrated leadership skill, and how the best systems evolve the same way people do—through trial, iteration, and the occasional burnt pancake. Gila also opens up about the rituals that keep her grounded: early mornings, deep focus, and the rare art of doing one thing at a time.

This conversation is about staying human in fast-moving systems, leading with calm in the churn, and finding grace by gliding through chaos.

linkedin.com/in/gilawilensky/

99 Humans is a multimedia platform centered on humanizing leadership. Hosts Jeff Lakusta and Nadia Carta interview a group of cross-industry leaders, seeking stories about the human side of leadership. Join us and share your story:

www.99Humans.com | linkedin.com/company/99-humans