The World According To von Roy
The Word | Te Kupu
The Word KUPU #9 - Holly Ransom
0:00
-56:12

The Word KUPU #9 - Holly Ransom

What is the science of leadership & how important is it for everyone to discover their own inner leader? A fascinating talk with one of the world's most innovative and original thinkers on this topic.

This week we talked with the incredible Holly Ransom and wow, was it an enlightening conversation - she is so knowledgeable in so many areas, I could have kept talking for hours.  

Holly is an absolute phenomenon in both her original thought and brilliantly unique style of oration. She is a renowned public speaker and a very gifted interviewer, who has been formally requested to lead interviews by some of the world’s most renowned leaders, such as Michelle Obama and Julia Gillard last month. So it was doubly unnerving interviewing this master interviewer, to say the least. Holly is a Fulbright scholar and recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School in Boston.

Unsurprisingly, Sir Richard Branson was so impressed after talking with Holly, that he put her name forward as a nominee for WIRED magazine’s Smart List of Future Game Changers to watch out for. In 2019, the US Embassy awarded her with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Leadership Excellence. As if this wasn’t enough, Holly has previously had the privilege to deliver a Peace Charter to the Dalai Lama and interview the likes of Barack Obama, Malcolm Gladwell, Richard Branson, Billie Jean-King, Condoleezza Rice, Nobel Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and the world’s first humanoid robot Sophia.

Holly is a recipient of the prestigious Anne Wexler Public Policy Scholarship, allowing her to work intimately within the public sphere, actioning her own social and economic concepts effectively, by bringing people together and connecting them in meaningful ways that affect their lives profoundly.  

Fight complexity with curiosity

In Holly’s own words, she:

“fights complexity with curiosity, apathy with empowerment and fear with fact.”

We also discuss Holly’s latest book, The Leading Edge. A book that helps people “harness their own potential to lead by asking better questions, thinking beyond biased answers, and building collective momentum for change.” Furthermore, this book brings together real-world leadership lessons from the many diverse thinkers Holly has interacted with in her past. It really is a brilliant book that can be recommended to everyone, even those (especially those) people who don’t necessarily see themselves as leaders.

To quote from the book’s Preface:

“I also hope that in the diversity of the stories and skills that follow you’ll see your own strengths, find your own edges and feel emboldened to reach, believe and be. Because the world needs you, all of you.”

Beautiful words, Holly!


Remember sharing is caring and donating is a form of sharing. If you can’t afford to subscribe to the podcast or newsletter that is totally okay, you will always be able to access it for free. If you feel like sending me a one off Paypal donation (to chrisvonroy@gmail.com) then that would be awesome. Otherwise you can also become a patron on Patreon.

Become a civilisation enhancing patron

Thank you very much.

Mauri Ora.

“It takes generosity to discover the whole through others. If you realize you are only a violin, you can open yourself up to the world by playing your role in the concert.”

The legend himself, Jacques Yves Cousteau.

0 Comments
The World According To von Roy
The Word | Te Kupu
A podcast about science, psychology, politics, philosophy and things to make you think. 21st century approved parlance... recorded in New Zealand with guests from all over the world.