The Woman Behind the President: The Legacy of Leadership Through the Eyes of Peggy Grande

Peggy Grande spent ten years at the side of President Ronald Reagan, witnessing leadership not from history books, but from the quiet moments behind closed doors. Her journey, from the private office of a former U.S. President to global stages, media platforms, and advisory roles, is a masterclass in service, intention, and the power of leading with both strength and kindness. In this special INSPIRE Series interview, Peggy opens the door to her story with honesty, wisdom, and a voice shaped by legacy.

Peggy Grande | Former Executive Assistant to President Ronald Reagan | USA | LinkedIn | Website

Peggy Grande was Executive Assistant to President Ronald Reagan from 1989 – 1999, after he left the White House. She is author of the book, "The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years.” She has served as a Presidential appointee during both Trump Administrations and considers it the honor of a lifetime to have worked for two Presidents of the United States in both support and strategic roles. Peggy is an international keynote speaker, television and radio commentator, and widely published opinion writer in the US, UK, Australia, and the Middle East. She was Chair of World for Brexit, was national spokesperson for a California ballot initiative, and serves on several boards. Peggy is the mother of four grown children and has two granddaughters.

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Elizabeth Sutkowska: Peggy, your decade alongside President Reagan gave you a front-row seat to a kind of leadership that combined strength with grace. What lessons from those years have become part of how you choose to lead and live your own life today?

Peggy Grande: I consider myself one of the luckiest women in the world and feel so blessed to have had a front row seat to history. I still carry with me today the lessons from my decade with President Ronald Reagan. His example gave me a foundation for my own leadership and he inspired everything I have done since then. Sitting right outside The Great Communicator’s office gave me a window into what world-changing leadership looks like, especially as a young person working for him.

I previously thought you had to choose whether to be a strong and successful leader, or a kind, good person. Ronald Reagan showed me that you can be both, that the two can coexist. No one ever doubted President Reagan's strength, he challenged the Soviet Union by calling it the "Evil Empire", he stood at the Brandenburg Gate demanding that Gorbachev "Tear down this wall!" His courage and resolve fundamentally changed history. Yet behind that strength was also a deep and sincere kindness.

Ronald Reagan embodied a graciousness which he extended to everyone, from world leaders he hosted, to the janitors in his office building. He never lost sight of the people affected by his policies and always took a moment to truly see and acknowledge those around him. His example showed me you don’t have to choose, you can be both, strong and successful AND a kind, good person.

So now in my own life and career, I try to approach every project and every interaction with a Reaganesque blend of grace and grit. I show up with tenacity, hard work, and a fierce, unshakeable commitment to my principles: the grit. And try to balance that with equally profound respect, and kindness: the grace. That harmonious balance I watched President Reagan achieve regularly, strength and kindness, or grit and grace, is one of the core lessons I learned from my years with President Reagan and is a vital principle I still strive to integrate.

Elizabeth: You often speak about “leaving a lasting legacy.” If you were to describe the moment you realized your own legacy was taking shape, not just as President Reagan’s assistant, but as a leader and voice in your own right, what moment or realization comes to mind?

Peggy: As an administrative professional, our job usually involves supporting and amplifying someone else’s life, career, and success. We are typically in the background, making the foreground possible. For me, the moment I first started thinking about my own legacy came while I was writing my book, "The President Will See You Now.” I submitted the first few chapters and, soon after, I received a call from my publisher who asked me a simple, yet profound question, "Peggy, do you know what a memoir is?"

Of course, I knew the definition, but wasn’t sure what he meant by the question until he followed up with, "Peggy - you have written yourself out of your own story.” He continued, “The reader has to know you, like you, or even love you, before they will listen to you. No one can relate to being President of the United States, but everyone can relate to you and your story. Tell your story alongside his so that you are not an interruption to the story, but become the very lens through which they get to see Ronald Reagan as you saw him." Wow, he was right. I was diluting the impact of my own story by excluding myself from it.

That hit me as a metaphor, not just for my book, but for life. Especially those of us who have built our careers on support and service, we often do exactly that - we write ourselves out of our own stories. We serve others, think of others, speak for others, represent others, and in the process, we may unknowingly lose our own voice or forget our own value.

It took time to give myself permission to stand on my own ideas and speak for myself, but the publisher's feedback forced me to reframe my own legacy. I began to intentionally write myself back into my own story, not just in my book, but in my life.

I hope this serves as a reminder to us all to be intentional about knowing our voice, expressing our perspective, and embracing the unique value we each add through the narrative and experiences of our own life story.

Elizabeth: From the private offices of a former president to global stages, from television and luxury hospitality to work in government, your professional journey beautifully blends service, elegance, and excellence. How do you thread it all together and how would you personally define how to live life with intention and impact?

Peggy: I believe that in order to truly succeed, reach your highest potential, and contribute in the most impactful ways to the world around you, you have to know precisely who you are and how you uniquely add value. Whether you are known for being detail-oriented, innovative, a people person, reliable, confident, or for elevating standards, until you identify and articulate the best of you, you will never be able to bring your best to others.

For me, I was able to achieve and succeed in a high-stakes environment working for the former President of the United States because I know that my personal superpower is bringing greater excellence to everything I do. I take every situation and clearly see how things can be done better, more efficiently, more effectively, with greater impact, or increased “wow” factor. I can promise to deliver world-class results because that is inherently what I am wired to do.

From Presidential protocol to meticulous project and event management, I brought expertise and exacting standards to everything I did for Ronald Reagan. I was able to navigate complexity with the clarity of my experience and diplomatically defuse even the most sensitive issues with tact and positive outcomes, because that role required what was already the best of me.

For you, maybe your superpower is seeing details others miss and averting crises before they arise. Perhaps you use great relational skills to smooth over the most irate client or the messiest internal conflicts. Maybe you have a gift of ensuring quality control or creating protocols which ensure that outcomes can be repeated with consistency and accuracy. Others lead through confident ideas and persuading others to join and follow. Whatever your strengths are, learn to articulate your value and maximize your impact by leveraging the best of you whenever you can.

You don’t have to be like everyone else, just focus on being the best version of yourself and bringing your best to the projects and people in your life. Once you identify that, you can articulate it in ways that others will see and rely on it too.

Elizabeth: Many Executive Assistants see themselves as the quiet architects behind great leaders. From your unique vantage point, what do you believe distinguishes a good assistant from a truly transformative one?

Peggy: In this day and age, being good at your job isn’t good enough. The mechanics of your work must be strong, and are essential. But in order to elevate your role, increase your confidence, and expand your opportunities, you must change your mindset and develop an executive presence. Regardless of your title or place on the organizational chart, you need to see yourself as a leader and act as one, because you are.

Here are a few mindset shifts I made during my years with President Reagan.

I thought of myself as a Gateway, not a Gatekeeper. My goal was never to try and keep everything and everyone out, I wanted to be a filter who fast-tracked the President’s highest priorities. I didn’t want people to see me as an obstacle preventing their interaction with the President, but rather to see me as a facilitator.

I also chose to be proactive, not passive in my role. I had a plan for every day. Rather than sit back and wait to be asked, told, or instructed, I tried to anticipate. There was a schedule, a rhythm, a strategy, and a purpose for daily actions, of course with flexibility to adjust as needed. I viewed my desk as a roundabout, not a dead end. Projects didn’t sit on my desk to stagnate. Instead, I had protocols in place to ensure that work and priorities kept moving.

Leaders act empowered, not emotional. They see the big picture and look past small daily frustrations and setbacks. When your boss is demanding, take it as a compliment to your competence and resilience, not a sign of disrespect. Of course I’m not saying to stay silent or be victimized in a bad environment, but often when things are moving quickly or your boss is processing information or thinking out loud, it may require you to have thick skin. Don’t let emotions dictate or diminish your effectiveness. Be a problem solver and be resilient.

Because the head of the organization is often insulated from others, their assistant, by default, sets the tone for the entire workplace. That person chooses whether the environment in the office is pervasively toxic or contagiously optimistic. Are people afraid to approach you? Do they feel comfortable telling you the truth? Assistants who lead, choose to be warm, welcoming, and calm. They realize they are the face and the voice of the company.

During my time with President Reagan, for every hundred people who wanted to see or interact with him, ninety-nine got me instead. I wasn’t just filling a seat, I was filling the space between the President and the world. I knew their interaction with me, in part, determined how they felt about him. I wanted the experience to be positive and treat everyone as he would have.

Through transforming your mindset, you can transform your role. Your mindset can move you from efficiency to excellence, from competent to confident, and from proficiency to powerhouse.

Elizabeth: If you could speak directly to the next generation of Executive Assistants and young professionals who want to lead with purpose and leave a positive mark, what would you want them to carry with them?

Peggy: Remember that beyond your work, you are writing the legacy of your life with every day of your life. So, in the midst of growing professionally and contributing to the world around you, don’t forget what my late father always said, "People are the most important thing". That is the part of your life which truly endures. Your spreadsheets will become outdated, calendars fade, technology changes, but the relationships you invest in will last.

You will never regret prioritizing people over process, making others feel valued, treating everyone with respect, even when things are busy or stressful. In the end, people may not remember exactly what you did or said, but they will always remember how you made them feel, and will know whether they felt valued and important to you.

You should extend that graciousness to yourself as well. There's so much pressure today around work / life balance, and for most of us in demanding roles, when we evaluate our balance, it can feel like a guilt trip. Instead, I want you to believe in work / life presence. Seek to be present where you are and be there fully. When you’re at work, be fully engaged, giving it your time, energy, and full attention. And when you’re at home, be fully present there too, focusing on your family and relationships. I’m not saying you’ll never take a call or check an email, but by intentionally committing to being more present, you can alleviate the guilt of wondering whether you are in or out of balance.

And finally, don’t be afraid to live a big, full life. If you think small you will stay small. Take on new challenges and grow. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, they are opportunities to learn. Mistakes don’t define you, let them refine you. Don’t let fear keep you from being the best and most impactful version of yourself.

Life is too short to ruin it with negativity. Choose to be joyful. Be intentional about being grateful. Celebrate and embrace opportunities to grow professionally, to problem solve, to be challenged and then celebrate your accomplishments. You have the opportunity to positively impact and influence the people and the world around you, so choose to leave a lasting legacy of impact that is meaningful and memorable.

Thank You!

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