The Video Test for Leadership

30 Jan The Video Test for Leadership

Posted at 10:38h in leadership by

Leadership is about doing not about “saying.”  No matter what you believe your capacity for leadership is the reality lies within the feedback you get from your team.

As the old saying goes, it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.  At ViRTUS we call this the Video Test: people turn down the volume on what you’re saying and simply watch your actions.  If your behaviours don’t match what you espouse you’ll be seen as inconsistent and in leadership inconsistency leads to a breakdown in trust.  Trust is the very foundation of any successful relationship.

If you realize that some of your actions aren’t fitting what you know and say about your leadership style you might be wondering what to do next.  If so, watch this quick video for the easiest way I know how to start back on the right path.

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Mike Desjardins
miked@virtusinc.com

Mike is a a graduate of UBC’s Sauder School of Business with a Bachelors of Commerce, Mike has spent the past 21 years transforming businesses.

8 Comments
  • Jane Nyachiro
    Posted at 15:58h, 30 January Reply

    I really enjoyed your speech at the Gateway Networking night. It was very driven and motivating. I am glad you are willing to share your knowledge and encouragement.

  • mikedesjardins
    Posted at 22:27h, 30 January Reply

    My pleasure Jane. I appreciate your feedback! Let me know if there are any topics you’d like to hear more about from the speech and I’ll include them in the blog.

  • Jane Nyachiro
    Posted at 09:50h, 02 February Reply

    I would really like to see a topic on leadership strategies that are effective. Like you said that sometimes we may look back and no one may follow. I would also like a discussion on the top pigeon illustration. I think that we take it too lightly these days but it affects everything we may try to pursue later in life.

  • mikedesjardins
    Posted at 15:25h, 02 February Reply

    Jane – I’d recommend these two previous posts on my blog: Leadership in the land of Google and How to Know if You’re a Great Leader?

    I’ll do a post of matching leadership style to individual tasks (based on motivation and competency) as well.

    Pigeon illustration – for pigeon holing I’ll write about person branding. In the meantime, checkout this article from Tom Peters: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html

  • Jane Nyachiro
    Posted at 12:42h, 06 February Reply

    Thanks Mike.
    I will check that posting out and the website too and will be back with some feedback.

  • Jane Nyachiro
    Posted at 16:21h, 15 February Reply

    Hey Mike:
    I am enjoying your recent learning posts. I have also seen the recommended articles and I am still digesting the information. I like the focus on branding the most. I really appreciated the focus on branding as a way to market oneself and as a way to attach certain characters (like trust) to a particular company and product. It does take thought and skill to direct a particular focus into relating to another.I am also looking into the Fast Company articles. Thanks for sharing.

  • Why most leadership development initiatives fail. « Some thoughts on strategy, leadership, corporate culture, and technology.
    Posted at 13:55h, 04 August Reply

    […] in this company so I know how to act like them so one day I can become an exec too. We call it the Video Test. If the senior team doesn’t understand, promote, and clearly demonstrate the behaviours that […]

  • Change: the right way and the wrong way « Some thoughts on strategy, leadership, and corporate culture.
    Posted at 14:50h, 20 October Reply

    […] will manage to change either a behaviour or a system. The challenge is that when we apply the Video Test to the outcome the test […]

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