Leading with kindness: How Varsha Vala infuses compassion into Medihelp’s success

From steering a major medical scheme to fostering meaningful connections, Varsha Vala proves that kindness is not just a value – it’s a powerful tool for collaboration and growth.

Whether Varsha Vala is spending quality time with her husband Mitesh and their two children Tanaya (19) and Khayden (16), playing padel, or steering the Medihelp Medical Scheme ship as principal officer, kindness has always been a core value and compass.

Growing up in a large community and close-knit family in Lenasia, kindness was ingrained in her DNA, says Vala. “I remember at my dad Parsie’s funeral, someone came up to my two older brothers and me and told us how my dad paid for their university tuition. He never told any of us. He just did it. I subconsciously learned much from his behaviour rather than his words.”

Kindness fosters collaboration

Kindness has nothing to do with wealth, Vala explains. “Kindness levels the playing field. It creates a safe space for vulnerability, sharing, and growth. It’s about unselfish acts of uplifting others.

“I’m convinced that kindness without ego is a superpower. It removes bias and allows you to think clearly and listen intently without judgement.”

For Vala, the corporate world is often too focused on driving numbers and critical deliverables and needs more kindness.

“It’s survival of the fittest. Who am I out to beat? But who says that’s how business should be conducted? Kindness isn’t about being overly agreeable; it certainly isn’t about shying away from tough conversations. Sadly, since kindness can be interpreted as weakness, it’s rarely seen or felt in the workplace.

“When kindness forms the foundation of client interaction, making someone feel valued and validated, the rest comes naturally. You will deliver great service and achieve great results if you are genuinely empathetic in your interactions. Genuine empathy can’t be faked, even when the answer is no.

“Kindness can be providing a word of advice or mentorship, making eye contact, or being invested in someone’s well-being. Kindness fosters connection and shared vision; purpose drives collaboration, not promotion.

“In the end, kindness builds trust.”

Vala understands that medical aid is often seen as a grudge purchase. “The industry can seem cold and clinical, yet it can be infused with care. Many companies don’t do this, and hard numbers often dominate the conversation. But what about the consumer’s voice?

Kindness is a verb

For Medihelp, kindness is at the core of human-centred, heart-centred design. It’s the “why” behind everything the scheme does, says Vala.

Vala recalls how she recently phoned a Medihelp member who had resigned from her job to care for her sick child.

“Imagine your whole life being turned upside down like hers. It didn’t cost me anything to call and check on her, to show kindness.

“You must put yourself in the position of every member, financial advisor, and healthcare provider. If you haven’t stood in someone else’s shoes, you can’t tell them how to tie their laces,” Vala believes.

That’s why Medihelp is taking a tech-heavy, touch-heavy approach.

“Technology should enable, not disable, human connection. By offloading mundane tasks to technology, we can focus our knowledge and skills on creating deep human connections. Instead of just counting calls, we improve care coordination, adding value to the conversation.”

Vala adds that Medihelp is deeply invested in its members; it’s a community. “How can members contribute to the collective? By caring for their health and making a difference with passion and purpose.”

Be the change through kindness

“My dream is for kindness to become contagious. Remember how communities, the country, and the world came together during the Covid-19 pandemic? It took a catastrophe for kindness to become part of our being. Unfortunately, our memories are short.

“The same happens on the day of a funeral. There’s empathy, care, and support. And we tell ourselves, ‘I need to live my life differently; life’s too short’. The very next day, however, we revert to default mode. Survival. Because that’s the path of least resistance.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by negativity, but it isn’t always as easy to fill your cup with positivity that overflows into kindness. It’s hard work. You must respect yourself enough to fill your cup with the right stuff. Looking after your well-being has a ripple effect, like skipping a stone on the water’s surface.”

Vala says it’s all about reframing your thoughts. “You can think of cooking dinner with resentment as a chore or relish it as a privilege to break bread with your loved ones. It’s about mindfulness in every moment, even the mundane. If we practise consciousness, kindness will follow.

“It shouldn’t take a catastrophe for kindness to flourish. As Gandhi said, we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Start by taking care of yourself. Only then will your cup overflow, and your kindness become a compass for others,” Vala concludes.

Brought to you by Medihelp Medical Scheme. 

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