Cognitive dissonance is among my favorite topics in the field of psychology.  Why?  I think this relates to two things:  It is very simple to understand, and it is extremely powerful. 

Cognitive dissonance describes the stress that develops when we hold two ideas that are inconsistent.  The theory of cognitive dissonance purports that we all have a fundamental drive to reduce this stress, which may include minimizing, denying, or avoiding contradictory evidence.  As a natural extension, we also tend to seek input that is consistent with our beliefs (confirmation bias).

Cognitive dissonance, of course, impacts us in all aspects of our lives, including our business dealings.  Are the employees we hire outstanding model citizens, simply because we are great judges of character?  Or rather, do we have low regard for some of our employees?  Is it not appropriate to challenge our beliefs with potentially contradictory evidence?

Video, when properly utilized, can help to confirm, or abandon, these pre-conceptions.  Our employees, and customers, will be the beneficiaries.