Who Eddie Jones Leadership Must Learn Faster Than

“The only reliable advantage we’ve got in life, in business or sport, is to learn faster than the opposition.”

A quote one interviewer cited upon launch PR for his treatise, Leadership, as summing up the approach of rugby super-coach, Eddie Jones.

It seems he identifies as rather “driven and obsessive” about it.

This instantly reminded me of the many poor, misguided souls I’ve had tell me they don’t need help with video call performance.

Zoom is a flash-in-the-pan.

Using Teams for almost two years, we know all about it by now.

We’d never have budget for that kind of thing.

We seem to be getting on alright.

In-person meetings will return in force shortly.

I have even heard from the mouths of more than one senior exec, ‘it’s just a phone call with a picture‘.

Here’s another quote. From the first business historian, Chandler. On which I blogged back in 2009;

“the reason why some businesses succeed whilst others fail is to do with how companies learn and apply what they learn”

It would not be the right response to suggest, no matter how gently, that those who’ve never caught themselves wondering if there might be more to how you come across over live video, firmly inhabit the unconscious incompetent zone of proficiency.

Alternatively, how about this spin of the classic ‘outrun the lion’ joke;

A scientist and a philosopher are being chased by a hungry lion.
The scientist makes some quick calculations and says,
“It’s no good trying to outrun it. It’s catching up!”
The philosopher keeps a little ahead and replies,
“I’m not trying to outrun the lion. I only need to outrun you!”

The opponent you must better, is nothing to do with the tech.

If you are ‘selling’, and you are not actively working on how to use video calls to properly sell, then you are leaving the door wide open for your competition to come in and steal the food off your table.

Whatever, whoever, maybe competing for your funds, project time, resource is likely working on when and how to use video meetings to their killer advantage.

It’s not too late though. The penny is only now dropping. Video calls are a great way to make both you personally and the buying process your prospect goes through with you distinct from all-comers. To the extent it earns you the final preference.

Get cracking now. As Eddie says, learn faster than the others and the reliable advantage awaits.