There’s something uniquely powerful about watching leadership videos that can’t be captured in books or articles alone. The right leadership video can change your perspective in minutes, spark new ideas, and motivate you to take action in ways text simply cannot. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills as a team leader, seeking inspiration during challenging times, or simply curious about what makes great leaders tick, visual content delivers impact through both words and emotions.
I’ve spent countless hours searching for the most compelling leadership videos available – from powerful TED talks that challenge conventional thinking to moving speeches that demonstrate authentic leadership in action. Each video I’ve selected offers something different: some provide practical frameworks you can apply immediately, while others tell stories that will stick with you for years.
In this collection of the 17 most inspirational leadership videos, you’ll discover gems that have transformed how I approach leadership challenges in my career, family, and community. These aren’t just any videos on leadership – they’re carefully chosen resources that have helped thousands of professionals, including many of my coaching clients and leadership workshop participants.
So grab your notepad, find a quiet space, and prepare to be inspired. These videos might just change how you lead forever.
1. How Great Leaders Inspire Action with Simon Sinek
If you only watch one inspirational video on our list, this is the one you NEED to see. Sinek’s “Golden Circle” is a simple, brilliant concept everyone needs to take to heart, no matter what their position is within an organization. If you can master it, you’re well above many others in your industry already.
2. The Art of Managing Emotion with Daniel Goleman
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Sometimes, getting ahead in business means stepping outside the box. That’s why this talk from Daniel Goleman, a leading psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence, is such a gem. The better you understand emotional intelligence, the more you can improve your team’s productivity and motivation. (learn more about the book Emotional Intelligence in the post 11 Books Every Great Leader Should Read.)
3. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us with Daniel Pink
Taking concepts from his bestselling book Drive, Daniel Pink breaks down some of the most core conceptions of motivation. Most of us believe that money and wealth are the greatest motivator for every situation. The complicated truth of this notion might surprise you – and change how you approach motivation in your own life. (learn more about the book Drive in the post 11 Books Every Great Leader Should Read)
4. Dare to Disagree with Margaret Hefferman
You won’t get much done in an echo chamber, as Hefferman states in no uncertain terms. Learn how challenging the status quo can lead to changing things for the better in business, science, and life. It’s certainly food for thought.
5. The Essence of Leadership with Colin Powell
It doesn’t get much better for leadership videos than advice from a four-star general in the United States Army who just happens to be a former Chief of Staff for the President of the United States. Answering a question from the press, Powell gives an amazing, succinct answer to one of the biggest questions out there – what makes a good leader?
6. The Power of Positivity with National Geographic
At first glance, this may not seem like an inspirational video but don’t be fooled by the title. The key to motivation can be as simple as how you use reinforcement to help – or hinder – your team’s productivity. In this fun social experiment, the NatGeo team shows how positive reinforcement plays out in the real world.
7. It’s How You Act, Not Your Position with Pat Cormier
If you don’t have time to sit down and listen to a full lecture, we’ve added several shorter videos to our list. This short snippet from John Kotter and Pat Cormier discusses how the role we take – no matter what our actual job title may be – shapes our role (and potential career growth) in a company.
8. What Makes a Great Team? with Charles Duhigg
If you’re leading others, the first hurdle you’ll often face is the team itself. You have to build a functional team to get the best work from each person. But how do you do that? What matters most – the people on the team or how they interact? And which of those interactions help or hinder the most? Looking at the writer’s room at SNL and Google’s research on the subject, Duhigg shares the perfect storm for an excellent team.
9. How to Manage for Collective Creativity with Linda Hall
While we’re on the topic of teamwork, here’s a great TED talk from Linda Hall on how to nurture creativity from all your employees, not just those in the expected positions to do so. Innovation is key to success and you never know where – or with whom – lightning might strike next.
10. Be a Mr. Jensen with Clint Pulver
If you’re struggling to motivate a younger workforce (or anyone for that matter), we recommend checking out this inspirational video from Clint Pulver – the Millennial Speaker – as he shares a story about leadership and perspective. It only takes one great leader to change someone’s life.
11. How to Start a Movement with Derek Sivers
In this short, entertaining TED talk, Sivers uses an unusual dancing man as a lesson in how to become a leader and how movements are created. This video might employ plenty of humor to go along with the lesson – but it’s still sure to give you a new perspective on making waves.
12. How to Be a Leader with Simon Sinek
Leadership is a choice. That’s the central point of this video from Simon Sinek. But what does it mean to choose leadership? And how do you make that choice? Thoughtful and filled with practical advice, How to Be a Leader is a must for any aspiring manager.
13. Steve Jobs Talks About Managing People
Apple’s success took the world by storm. In this short interview snippet, Steve Jobs discusses how Apple manages people from the top down, focusing on trust and teamwork at all levels. The takeaway from this one? Run a business on ideas, not hierarchy.
14. Speak Like a Leader with Simon Lancaster
If there’s a big presentation in your future – or even if you want to boost your public speaking skills – you just might benefit from learning a few secrets from this professional speechwriter. If you want to be heard, you must learn how to talk like other great leaders.
15. Transformational Leadership | Be Unreasonable with Simerjeet Singh
Another short clip that’s sure to motivate your inner leader. While it certainly sounds unconventional, Singh’s exploration of George Bernard Shaw’s advice to “Be Unreasonable” illuminates how transformational leaders thrive – and even depend – on their own “unreasonable” drives.
16. The Key to Success? Grit with Angela Lee Duckworth
There’s more to success than your ability to manage a few spreadsheets or hang a diploma on your wall. It takes hard work and determination to get where you want to be (and to stay there). While talent may get you the job, Angela Lee Duckworth succinctly points out that “effort counts twice.”
17. Everyday Leader with Drew Dudley
There are no rules for being a leader. Likewise, there is no specific time or place when you should be practicing leadership. In this uplifting talk, Drew Dudley teaches us all that leadership can be a part of our everyday life.
Bonus Inspirational Video: Funniest Leadership Speech Ever!
Leadership comes from the most unconventional places. Just in case you need a little humor with your motivational moments, we hope you’ll enjoy this video to end our list.
