In this episode of The Wisdom Of... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Mike Desjardins, CEO of ViRTUS, a leadership expert who has spent more than two decades helping leaders transform not just their businesses, but their people. Mike challenges what we think leadership really is, revealing why emotional intelligence is not a soft skill, but the concrete foundation for every result that truly matters in business. Discover the Leadership Triangle (IQ + EQ + AQ), why "the me has overtaken the we" threatens our collective future, and how curiosity becomes the most powerful tool a leader possesses.
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Episode Breakdown
00:00 Introduction and "As go the leaders, so goes the world"
05:11 The first-time leader trap: why personal excellence doesn't equal leadership success
08:47 Why you manage processes but lead people
17:18 Teaching EQ practically across industries
24:32 The five components of emotional intelligence and building them in children
34:42 Adaptability Quotient (AQ) and operating with resilience in VUCA environments
37:20 Why subject matter expertise is just table stakes
42:43 The erosion of truth in leadership and untruth by omission
45:04 Expanding emotional vocabulary and the wheel of emotions
47:15 How curiosity builds instant connection
48:11 The $330,000 deal closed in 5 minutes after 55 minutes of genuine connection
54:15 Play and curiosity as the pathway to AI fluency
59:40 From fragmentation to collaboration: "The me has overtaken the we"
About Mike Desjardins
Mike Desjardins is CEO at ViRTUS, where he drives strategy, growth, and vision. With a Bachelor of Commerce from UBC's Sauder School of Business, a CPHR designation, and over two decades of experience transforming businesses, Mike is a master in strategy and leadership development.
From entrepreneurial businesses to large public companies and public-sector organisations, Mike focuses on driving return on investment in every client engagement. He is passionate about leveraging his team to co-create ViRTUS's future vision and using ViRTUS as his vehicle to empower leaders both within the company and among their clients.
Mike has been a member of the Entrepreneurs' Organisation (EO) since 2002 and served as President of the Vancouver Chapter. He received the Business in Vancouver Top 40 Under 40 Award in 2006 and served on the Board of Directors for CPHR BC from 2010-2016.
Connect with Mike Desjardins:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikedesjardins/
Website: https://www.virtusinc.com/
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1i7yNzzuOnFa3CRf0Oynsf
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtus.inc/
About Simon Bowen
Simon has spent over two decades working with influential leaders across complex industries. His focus is on elevating thinking in organisations, recognizing that success is directly proportional to the quality of thinking and ideas within a business. Simon leads the renaissance of thinking through his work with global leaders and organisations.
Connect with Simon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsimonbowen/
Website: https://thesimonbowen.com/
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