The Legendary Leaders Podcast

Picture this: a remote coral atoll in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Brutal heat. Cadaver dogs. Archaeologists on their knees sifting through debris, because on this island, coral looks almost identical to bone. And one journalist sitting quietly with her notebook, watching it all unfold — asking the question everyone there is trying to answer: what really happened to Amelia Earhart? That journa...

What happens when you've spent decades being the most reliable person in the room — and you finally stop to ask: reliable for whom?   In this warm, wide-ranging episode of Leaderspace, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Linda Misegadis — senior government strategist at UKG, global DEI ambassador, certified payroll professional, and host of the Her Resources Podcast. Linda built her career the w...

What if the confidence you've been waiting to feel is actually something you've been building all along—one small, imperfect action at a time? In this solo episode, host Cathleen O'Sullivan tackles one of the most common beliefs she encounters with clients: that confidence is something you either have or you don't.   Drawing on psychology, client stories, and her own experience, Cathleen reframes...

What if the success you spent three decades building disappeared overnight — and the hardest part wasn't the money, but knowing who you were without it? In this honest, unhurried episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Scott Proposki — photographer, entrepreneur, author, and business coach based in Boston, Massachusetts. For nearly three decades, Scott built one of the...

What if the very drive that takes you to the top of your career is quietly dismantling everything underneath it? In this raw, deeply human episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Nick Jonsson — global keynote speaker, bestselling author, and the world's number one thought leader on executive loneliness. Swedish-born, educated in Australia, and based across Southeast Asi...

What if the biggest barrier to high performance at work isn't talent, strategy, or even time — but the way your brain and energy actually function? In this grounded, practical episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Alex Davids, director and founding partner of Next Evolution Performance — a global coaching business that helps leaders and teams achieve more while using...

What if the key to reinventing your career isn't a dramatic leap—but a quiet, stubborn plan built one small step at a time?  In this warm, deeply honest episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Lorraine Whale, qualified genealogist, house historian, and founder of Time Flies Ancestry—who spent over 25 years in HR and leadership roles before following a passion she'd been...

What if the biggest breakthrough in your leadership journey wasn't about having all the answers—but about showing up anyway, doubts and all? In this milestone solo episode, host Cathleen O'Sullivan celebrates 200 episodes by sharing the raw truth behind her podcasting journey—a masterclass in self-leadership, persistence, and knowing when to hold on versus when to let go.  Cathleen opens up about...

What if the culture your organisation is trying to build isn't hiding in a values poster or a strategy deck—but in the smallest things you do every single day?  In this warm, deeply practical episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan is joined by Augusta Vivian, CEO of Higson, a people development consultancy helping senior teams lead through change, build inclusive workplaces, and em...

What if the person making your work life miserable isn't just difficult—but following a predictable pattern you were never taught to recognize? In this eye-opening episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Lena Sisco—former military interrogator at Guantanamo Bay and expert in dark psychology—whose unflinching take on toxic workplaces will make you see that impossible b...

What if your career success was never meant to be about the next promotion—but how free you feel every single day when you show up?  In this powerful episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Clare Laycock—former SVP at Warner Brothers Discovery who spent 30+ years leading major UK television brands—whose honest account of walking away will make you question what you're...

What if the key to success wasn't fitting in—but finally giving yourself permission to stop trying? In this refreshingly raw episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Fiona Fraser—founder of Power PR and former BBC publicist—whose unfiltered honesty about ADHD, identity, and the exhausting performance of "professionalism" will make you question everything you've been to...

What if the most powerful shift you could make as a leader wasn't another productivity hack—but simply learning to breathe? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Anthony Abbagnano—founder of the Alchemy of Breath and one of the world's leading voices in modern breathwork—whose calm presence and practical wisdom will make you rethink everything you thought yo...

What makes someone quit a six-figure advertising career to write books that help people think differently? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Karen Salmansohn—bestselling author, behavioral change expert, and the creative force behind NotSalmon.com—whose sharp wit and mortality-driven wisdom will make you rethink everything on your to-do list. Karen share...

Are you the person everyone turns to because you'll "just handle it"? The one replying to emails at 11pm, rewriting your team's work, or silently resenting the people you keep rescuing? In this solo episode, Cathleen O'Sullivan tackles a behavior that's as exhausting as it is common: over-functioning in the name of being helpful.  Cathleen reveals why constant helpfulness isn't kindness—it's a con...

What makes a complete stranger walk up to you on a bus and say, "I'm really having a hard time today"? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Darryl Stickel—trust researcher, founder of Trust Unlimited, and author of Building Trust—whose life's work reveals that connection isn't magic. It's a skill you can learn, practice, and pull off even when everything fe...

What does it take to lead with both purpose and perseverance? In this episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Kate Grant—CEO of the Fistula Foundation and author of No Woman Left Behind—whose remarkable journey from Madison Avenue to global health leadership reveals what can happen when compassion meets conviction.    Kate shares how walking away from a thriving adver...

What does it really mean to design your own destiny? In this episode of Legendary Leaders Podcast, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Donzel Leggett—former Fortune 200 executive, author of Make Your Destiny Happen, and founder of Destiny Development Delta whose career has spanned three decades of transformational global leadership.  From his Key West roots to the pivotal moment he walked away...

What does it really mean to bring your authentic self to leadership? In this episode of Legendary Leaders Podcast, host Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Lenya McGrath—global brand strategist, creative leader, and award-winning marketer whose career has shaped some of the world's most iconic brands.    From her early days in Sydney's ad world to leading high-performing teams across continents, Le...

What if productivity isn't about doing more—but doing less, with purpose? In this solo episode of The Legendary Leaders Podcast, host Cathleen O'Sullivan challenges one of leadership's biggest myths: that constant hustle equals success.    Drawing from her own journey and stories from the leaders she's coached, Cathleen exposes the "productivity lie" that glorifies busyness and burnout. She reveal...

What does it really mean to do more good—and how can empathy spark genuine impact in our everyday lives? In this heartfelt episode of The Legendary Leaders Podcast, Cathleen O'Sullivan sits down with Neil Ghosh, social impact strategist, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of Do More Good, a book featuring voices from global icons like the Dalai Lama and Bill Clinton to everyday changemakers maki...

What can honeybees teach us about leadership, focus, and living with intention? In this episode of The Legendary Leaders Podcast, host Cathleen O'Sullivan welcomes back Jones Loflin—speaker, coach, educator, and co-author of Focused as a Bee.  Drawing from his beekeeping journey with his daughter Sydney, Jones reveals how small shifts in focus can create big changes in how we lead and live. Their...

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with our host Cathleen O'Sullivan  and Laura Venezia, an educational leader whose passion for nurturing others has taken her across the U.S., China, Hong Kong, and now Germany. In this episode of Legendary Leaders, Laura reflects on her early love of teaching, the challenges and lessons of working internationally, and how her commitment to kindness and inclu...

Do you ever feel like you're chasing status, promotions, or recognition only to arrive and still feel unfulfilled? What if leadership wasn't about control, but about creative direction and truly designing a life and career that excites you?   In this inspiring episode of Legendary Leaders, host Cathleen sits down with Vincent Wanga, dynamic design thought leader, brand strategist, creative executi...

Have you ever wondered why, no matter how big your ideas or how talented your team, you keep running into the same old obstacles at work? Today, in Legendary Leaders, Cathleen O'Sullivan, is talking to Doug Hall,  renowned innovation expert, founder of Eureka Ranch and Brain Brew Distillery, and author of  Proactive Problem Solving. Doug is on a mission to help leaders everywhere "stop the stupid"...