Back when I was a first year manager I videotaped everything.  I was eager to get feedback and I thought I’d look good on camera.  Turns out, the feedback was great, but I rarely watched any of the videos myself.  I literally have hundreds of hours of footage of me checking in with my direct reports.  To this day, I’m still amazed so many people agreed to be recorded during deeply personal conversations, all in the name of my growth.

But something unexpected happened: my team started doing it too.  They began recording their own check-ins and team meetings.  And those, I did watch—because it made coaching easier.  I didn’t have to be in the room to help them grow. In a way, we were ahead of our time.

This past week I resurrected this practice and recorded a sales call for the first time.  I know—recording calls is standard now. But I’ve been hesitant. Maybe it’s because once something’s on film and up for peer review, you open yourself to scrutiny. Or maybe I didn’t look as good on camera as I thought. (No, that can’t be it...)

Whatever the reason, I’m glad I hit record.  I was testing out a few new skills from a recent training and wanted feedback from my team.  I wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing that without the trust and vulnerability we’ve built.

Turns out, they appreciated it, not just the transparency, but the chance to reflect on how we approach sales as a team.  Just like before, sharing my practice didn’t just help me. It helped us.  And now I can’t wait to watch their videos.

When leaders show their work, teams show up differently.  Curious what that could look like for your managers?  Book a call.