.png)
Anne Gretland (Fotoware) and Ellie King (Equal IT) on the Equal Inspired Podcast.
Inclusive leadership in practice: Six principles at Fotoware
What does it take to lead in tech today? For Fotoware CEO Anne Gretland, the answer is simple: show up every day with purpose and people at the center. In this article, she shares six guiding principles that have shaped a culture where inclusion drives innovation and success.
When Fotoware CEO Anne Gretland appeared on the Equal Inspired Podcast recently, one message stood out clearly: effective leadership means showing up every day. Her approach to leading in tech combines purpose, psychological safety, fairness, creativity, and lived values, all grounded in a belief that people drive innovation and success.
READ MORE: Leading with purpose: CEO Anne Gretland on Equal Inspired Podcast.
These principles shape how Fotoware hires, builds teams, experiments, grows, and makes decisions. They’re also the reason the company has become a recognized Great Place to Work and an example of strong, inclusive culture in the tech industry.
Below are six of Anne’s guiding principles for leadership. These philosophies she consistently returns to, and the practices that have shaped Fotoware into a workplace where inclusion fuels performance and innovation.
2. Create safety so people can do their best work
Psychological safety is one of Anne’s non-negotiables as a leader. For people to bring their best ideas forward, they must feel safe doing so.
Inclusive leaders build that safety by setting expectations for respect, calling out inappropriate behavior, and leading by example. In practice, this means listening to every voice in a meeting, acknowledging contributions, and supporting colleagues who take creative risks.
— “Research shows men are more often hired based on future potential, while women are hired based on their previous experiences. In Fotoware we consciously look for potential in women and those who haven’t held leadership roles before.”
4. Overcome self-doubt and embrace failure
Many people who don’t originally come from the tech industry hesitate to take opportunities because they fear not being “technical enough” or making mistakes. Anne’s message to them, and to leaders everywhere, is clear: take risks, try, fail, and try again.
Leaders set the tone for how their teams handle self-doubt and failure. By normalizing experimentation and framing setbacks as learning opportunities, they give others permission to do the same.
Practical ways to apply this include:
- Sharing your own learning moments openly.
- Rewarding curiosity and effort, not just results.
- Encouraging preparation and resilience, being ready to “dust yourself off and try again.”
When leaders show courage in the face of self-doubt, they empower others to step forward with confidence too.
6. Live your company values every day
Company values shouldn’t just live in a slide deck; they should guide behavior and decisions every day. Living your values means showing them in how you hire, communicate, and respond to challenges.
READ MORE: Celebrating 30 years of Fotoware’s culture and values
At Fotoware, we decided and established our values together as a company: Responsible, Caring, Passionate, Innovative. And they aren’t abstract ideals, they define how the company operates and every single employee acts according to them. It guides how decisions are made and how we interact with each other – from management over product development to customer care.
Leaders can bring their own company values to life by:
- Being role models in acting according to the values themselves.
- Recognizing employees who exemplify them.
- Making values part of the hiring process, and day-to-day conversations, not just the company handbook.
When people see leaders acting consistently with the company’s values, it builds authenticity and alignment, the foundation for a strong and inclusive culture.
