Leslie Grandy Talks About Creative Velocity and the Future of Ideas

Sep 24, 2025

Join Leslie Grandy, a global product executive and author of Creative Velocity, as she dives into the intersection of creativity, technology, and leadership. She busts the myth that creativity is for artists only and reveals how everyday spaces can spark ideas. Discover how emotional regulation fuels sustained momentum and why precision can be a double-edged sword. Leslie also highlights using AI not just as a tool, but as a creative partner that transforms chaos into structured innovation, expanding the horizons for breakthrough ideas.

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INSIGHT

Creative Velocity Defined

Creative velocity is the ability to reliably generate novel, meaningful ideas and then iterate them into valuable outcomes.
Humans add meaning and purpose to ideas, making iteration and evaluation essential to creativity.

INSIGHT

Creativity Is Not Just For Artists

Many professionals believe creativity is reserved for artists or specific job titles, which limits their creative self-efficacy.
Creativity is a daily capacity used in countless choices and habits, not just an innate art talent.

ADVICE

Use Small Spaces As Idea Triggers

Use everyday pockets of space like showers, walks, or runs as intentional triggers for idea generation.
Capture those insights immediately after the trigger to prevent losing valuable ideas.

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On this episode of A Productive Conversation, I sit down with Leslie Grandy, author of Creative Velocity: Propelling Breakthrough Ideas in the Age of Generative AI. Leslie is a global product executive turned CEO advisor who helps organizations unlock creative thinking to accelerate growth. Her decades of leadership at Apple, Amazon, Best Buy, and T-Mobile give her a unique perspective on how creativity, technology, and leadership intersect.

Our conversation explores why creativity isn’t limited to artists, how space and time fuel ideation, and what role emotional regulation plays in sustaining momentum. We also dig into how precision, AI, and frameworks can both hinder and propel breakthrough ideas. If you’ve ever doubted your own creativity—or wondered how to harness it consistently—you’ll want to hear this one.

Six Discussion Points

Why many professionals mistakenly believe they aren’t creative—and how to reframe that thinking.
The power of space—whether walking, running, or even showering—in activating creative flow.
Precision as both a driver and deterrent of creative velocity, depending on how it’s applied.
Emotional regulation and equanimity as essential tools for sustaining creativity without burnout.
How to think about velocity beyond speed—focusing on predictability, quality, and intentional triggers.
Using AI as a creative collaborator through structured frameworks to expand possibilities without chaos.

Three Connection Points

This conversation with Leslie reminded me that creativity isn’t an exclusive club—it’s a capacity we all share, provided we give ourselves the time, space, and intention to use it. Whether you’re leading a team, writing your next book, or simply looking to bring more meaning to your daily choices, Leslie’s insights on creative velocity offer a clear path forward.

This episode is sponsored by Nexos.ai. Nexos is the all-in-one secure AI platform for enterprise—bringing workspaces, model access, and governance together under one roof. Try it free for 14 days at nexos.ai/apc today.