"Creativity is Everyone's Superpower." A Conversation with Wiley Author and CEO Advisor Leslie Grandy Artwork

The Sage Sayers

A weekly podcast on ways to stay calm and compel others as you communicate. Along with executive communications tips and strategies, we interview intriguing individuals who've found the "Sage approach" by finding gifts, opportunities, and knowledge within trying situations. New Zealander show host, Debbi Gardiner McCullough, has written on social and business trends and struggles for the Economist, the Guardian, and Financial Times of London. She's a self-retired college professor of writing, an executive communications and narrative coach. Visit her at: www.hangingrockcoaching.com

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The Sage Sayers

"Creativity is Everyone's Superpower." A Conversation with Wiley Author and CEO Advisor Leslie Grandy

November 14, 2025 • Leslie Grandy and Debbi Gardiner McCullough • Season 5 • Episode 23

Award-winning author, speaker, and CEO advisor Leslie Grandy guides teams, companies, and product leaders to leverage their creative thinking to elevate their organizations. She's worked across the entertainment, retail, and IT industries for the big giants whose names you'd know (including Amazon, Oracle, and Apple.)

Although her book, "Creative Velocity," encourages us to harness our creativity, Leslie herself felt highly uncreative growing up. She knew she was great at other things; but creativity felt something outside of her realm, which in part inspired her book.

In our lively interview, we hear of Leslie's first published work through Wiley (2025) and how that evolved vs the popular route of self publishing.

We learn of the serendipity of her careers which started in Hollywood and her leadership style which includes that enviable hybrid of kind, but firm, direct, but spacious.

I enjoyed hearing of the ebbs and flow in Leslie's career and the serendipity within. Also, how she found the Sage approach and the creative approach along the way.

You can find Leslie on LinkedIn and find Creative Velocity here, which will be a great read to add to our must reads by the end of the year.

D G McCullough has written for the Economist, FT of London, and the Economist. She runs Hanging Rock Coaching and serves as a personal branding coach to foreign-born leaders working at Fortune 100s, including Google. Find her on LinkedIn. Join her workshops on Maven, Brag Anyway, and Listen Like a Boss.