IN-PERSON | The Power Series | Pebbles and Grenades: It's Our Responses That Define Us
Step into a leadership journey designed to challenge your perspective, sharpen your communication, and revolutionize the way you lead teams. This three-part series equips you with powerful tools, deeper self-awareness, and practical strategies to thrive in today’s dynamic workplace.
What if the very irritations you face daily could be the key to your greatest leadership breakthroughs? In this workshop, we'll uncover the secret to turning life's irritations into leadership gold.
Participants will leave with:
- A new framework to support themselves and others during stress or conflict.
- A practice to elevate their leadership growth.
- A path to a deeper understanding of their unique gifts as leaders.
Leslie Anderson is a seasoned C-Suite coach with over 2,500 hours of coaching experience. She champions the transformative power of coaching to not only elevate the leaders she works with but also positively impact everyone within their sphere of influence. Leslie partners with senior leadership and their teams, diving quickly into core challenges and guiding them toward decisions that foster thriving cultures where both the organization and its people excel.
With a unique ability to engage, inspire, and support, Leslie helps leaders align with their values and pursue their best selves. Her empathetic approach quickly builds trust across all organizational levels, earning her a trusted advisor role within senior leadership teams. By integrating the leader's whole self with the organization's ecosystem, she ensures a balanced focus on culture, well-being, and systemic impact.
In 2024, Leslie co-founded Essential Wisdom, alongside her partner Tom Anderson. Their signature program, Essential Wisdom Coaching Skills for Leaders, equips leaders with a coaching-driven leadership style. This initiative is a culmination of over 50 years of combined expertise in leadership coaching, personal growth, and the creation of transformative experiences for leaders and their teams.
Before launching Essential Wisdom, Leslie gained invaluable experience with top-tier brands like Hermes of Paris, Burberry, Talbots, Hallmark, and CBIZ Talent & Compensation Solutions. As a trailblazer, she opened Hallmark's flagship HMK 1910 store in Kansas City, creating an innovative customer experience model that spurred the brand's growth into additional locations. Her leadership left a legacy of exceptional team culture and customer engagement, leading her to train future store leaders.
At CBIZ, Leslie spearheaded the development of the company's first executive coaching and leadership development service lines. In her role as Managing Director, she introduced an executive onboarding curriculum and revamped career transition services, achieving year-over-year revenue growth while expanding the company’s capabilities. Her earlier career includes leadership roles at Talbots and Burberry, where she built high-performing teams, exceeded revenue targets, and cultivated enduring customer relationships.
An entrepreneur by nature, Leslie launched her first venture, Sovereign Hearts, in 2005. This multifaceted company combined visual merchandising, accessories, and a graphic T-shirt line, establishing national accounts and robust supplier partnerships. Her career began at Hermes of Paris, where she quickly rose through the ranks, leading high-value projects across various markets.
Leslie holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development (with a focus on Psychology & Coaching), graduating Magna Cum Laude from Avila University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Merchandising & Business from the University of North Texas. She is certified in a variety of leadership and assessment tools, including the Barrett Values Index, Kolbe Index, Harrison Assessments, and the Social & Emotional Intelligence Assessment by the Institute for Social and Emotional Intelligence (ISEI). Additionally, she is a Wisdom Hunger Practitioner, having trained in an integral leadership approach under Ramon Corrales, Ph.D.
A certified professional coach, Leslie is trained in the International Coach Federation (ICF) model, with emphases on The Hudson Model and Co-Active Coaching Model. Her industry-agnostic coaching spans fields such as financial services, technology, healthcare, higher education, legal services, food processing, and public services.
Date and Time
Tuesday Jun 24, 2025
8:30 AM - 10:30 AM CDT
8:30 AM - Arrival, Mingle and Enjoy Breakfast
9:00 AM - Program Begins
10:30AM - Program Ends
Please Provide Us Notice If You Need To Cancel:
We understand that schedules change. If you have registered for this program and can no longer attend, we greatly appreciate you notifying us of your cancellation by completing our cancellation form or emailing hello@centralexchange.org at least 48-hours prior to the program if possible. This is so we can adjust our catering order to help eliminate food waste and prepare accordingly. Thank you!
Location
IN-PERSON AT UMKC BLOCH EXECUTIVE HALL
5108 CHERRY STREET, ROOM 414
KANSAS CITY, MO 64110
Pick up your parking pass in Lot 12. Click HERE to download a pdf with parking instructions.
Fees/Admission
FREE for CX Members Interested in becoming a CX Member? Read more about membership here and be our guest for up to two CX Programs or Exchange Circles.
1 Voucher for CX Partners
$35.00 for Non-members
No refunds.
Contact Information
Allison Baker
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