562: Steve Jobs' Former Colleague on How to Achieve Creative Velocity in the Age of Gen AI

562: Steve Jobs' Former Colleague on How to Achieve Creative Velocity in the Age of Gen AI

Leslie Grandy, a seasoned executive who has led global product teams at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and T-Mobile, shares a deeply practical perspective on how leaders can activate creativity across functions, not just in design or strategy.



Drawing from her early years in the film industry and later executive roles in technology, Grandy explains how she developed three capabilities that proved critical in high-performance product environments:



"You've got to grind it out… and you have to have that intrinsic motivation to continue, even when it looks like failure is obvious."

"You have to be resilient and flexible… because you have so many people depending on the outcome."

"If I haven't seen the problem before, it doesn't seem daunting to me… It seems fun."

These capabilities (grit, adaptability, and creative problem solving) formed the foundation of her success in ambiguous, fast-moving, and high-stakes environments.

Grandy also speaks directly to what supports and undermines creative velocity inside organizations. She notes that the most adaptive cultures don't reserve creativity for a few select teams:

"They expect every role is going to show up with that same creative intention… that the status quo doesn't seep into the lower ranks."

But she also warns:

"Status quo as a cultural norm is dangerous."
"Consensus-driven thinking is equally problematic for creative velocity."

Her insights on Steve Jobs provide a rare look inside Apple's leadership culture. When asked about her interview with him, she explains:

"Your interview will be five minutes or it'll be 60 minutes. It's up to Steve."
"I didn't come in there acting like I was an equal… I just came in there with a confidence that I could answer whatever he asked."

When her team added preset engraving suggestions to iPods to help customers complete purchases, Jobs reacted immediately:

"He saw it, and within a day, it was pulled down."
"He had such a finite view of his brand… there were no blurry edges around the brand."

Grandy's new book, Creative Velocity, argues that creativity is not a fixed trait, but a capability that can be developed with intention.

She addresses how leaders should approach generative AI, not just as an efficiency tool, but as a creative partner:

"What's really transformative… is doing the exact opposite of prompt engineering."
"It's not about speed to answer. It's about using that time to evolve a thought into different tributaries of thought."

This episode raises a critical question for senior leaders:

"Are you designing your organization to perform or to invent?"

Get Leslie's book here: https://rb.gy/d5zr69

Creative Velocity: Propelling Breakthrough Ideas in the Age of Generative AI

Here are some free gifts for you:

Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach

McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf

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201: When consultants overbill a client (Strategy Skills classics)

201: When consultants overbill a client (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we cover a topic about how to handle a difficult client situation and what happens when a strategy firm overbills a client. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

22 Dec 202145min

200: Jason Goldsmith, The art of self-coaching and awareness

200: Jason Goldsmith, The art of self-coaching and awareness

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 200, an episode with a globally recognized performance coach, Jason Goldsmith. Get Jason's book here: https://amzn.to/3GVf3ny   In this episode, Jason speaks about his experience shifting careers: from running a boat company to becoming a highly sought-after performance coach. We will learn how self-coaching, awareness, and identifying one's purpose can change your perspective, and eventually, your life. For people who always see things in a negative light, constantly doubt themselves, hold themselves back, and make decisions out of fear, this is for you. Jason Goldsmith is the founder of Goldsmith Performance and has coached multiple Major champions and numerous top-fifty golfers. Jason emphasizes combining the mental and physical aspects of optimal performance in high-pressure environments. His accomplishments in golf include assisting Jason Day and Justin Rose in achieving the number-one world ranking and helping Rose win both the Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FedEx Cup. Jason is also the president and founder of Mustard, a computer-vision-enabled social platform that is revolutionizing performance coaching by creating proprietary CV/AI technology in partnership with legends Dr. Tom House, Mia Hamm, Drew Brees, Nolan Ryan, Anson Dorrance and several other hall-of-fame coaches and athletes. His practice has expanded into other sports in recent years, including the NBA, MLB, NFL, USTA, Olympic athletes and coaches, Division I and II college athletes, nationally ranked juniors, Fortune 500 executives, and professionals.   Take Charge of You: How Self Coaching Can Transform Your Life and Career. Jason Goldsmith. https://amzn.to/3GVf3ny

20 Dec 202155min

199: Are the analyses always the same for a strategy workshop? (Strategy Skills classics)

199: Are the analyses always the same for a strategy workshop? (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we covered a topic about analyses. - Are the analyses always the same for a strategy workshop? In other words, what determines the analyses you should undertake for a strategy workshop? - How does one set objectives for the workshop?  - How many strategy workshops should be completed during an engagement?  - Why are top-down analyses so important?  Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

15 Dec 202119min

198: What if the client demands more analyses? (Strategy Skills classics)

198: What if the client demands more analyses? (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we cover a topic about what to do if the client demands more analyses. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

13 Dec 202123min

197: What happens if the client asks for proof of the strategy? (Strategy Skills classics)

197: What happens if the client asks for proof of the strategy? (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we cover a topic about what happens if the client asks for proof of the strategy. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

8 Dec 202120min

196: Kay Formanek, Embracing diversity in the workplace

196: Kay Formanek, Embracing diversity in the workplace

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 196, an episode with an inspiring speaker, author, and coach, Kay Formanek. Get Kay's book here: https://amzn.to/3EgXNYP Kay Formanek is the Founder and CEO of Diversity and Performance, a company committed to creating new insights and more conscious diversity leaders. She is the author of Beyond D&I, a book that equips leaders with strategic models and practical tools for advancing Diversity Performance in their organization. Kay is a leading authority on diversity and inclusion, a global speaker, board member, contributor to leading business schools, and advisor and expert to various top advisory organizations. She brings over 30 years of experience of navigating diversity journeys and cultural transformations in over 50 organizations spread across the world. She was Partner and Managing Director in Accenture, where she played a crucial role in advancing diversity and inclusion for 25 years. She also assumes the role of Inclusive Leadership Coach and Expert in Aberkyn and McKinsey. Within the framework of her own company, Diversity and Performance BV, Kay has spent the last six years undertaking extensive study and research in the areas of diversity, inclusion, equity, leadership, and purpose. She has collaborated with multiple organizations to develop and test her thinking. Her experience and research led to the development of the anchor diversity models: The Virtuous Circle and the Integrated Diversity Model. Kay believes in the importance of knowledge and personal learning to overcome personal and systemic bias and that personal learning is at the heart of becoming a courageous and inclusive leader of diversity. She has developed the global certification program for corporates, government institutions, professional services organizations, and NGO's entitled "Inclusive Leadership and Mitigating Bias" Certification. Diplomats, ambassadors, D&I practitioners, leaders, professors, and many individuals who wish to play a role in advancing inclusive diversity have attended certifications around the world: Dubai, Singapore, South Africa, Boston, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, and more than 30 other locations. In this episode, Kay spoke about the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in an organization. We will learn more about the underlying reason behind why people discriminate, stereotype, and why people have unconscious bias.  Beyond D&I: Leading Diversity with Purpose and Inclusiveness. Kay Formanek: https://amzn.to/3EgXNYP Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

6 Dec 202157min

195: How confident must I be to lead the workshop? (Strategy Skills classics)

195: How confident must I be to lead the workshop? (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills, where we cover a topic about understanding the readiness and level of confidence required to go out there and lead. Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

1 Dec 202122min

194: Your body image impacts your confidence, which impacts your leadership (Strategy Skills classics)

194: Your body image impacts your confidence, which impacts your leadership (Strategy Skills classics)

For this episode, let's revisit one of the classics by Strategy Skills where we cover a topic which we believe is very important and we think will resonate with everyone. As always, we focus on critical yet overlooked insights.  Enjoying our podcast? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo

29 Nov 202121min

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