Despite being the most decorated figure skater in history, with five Olympic medals, Tessa Virtue didn’t always love skating.
“I think there’s a misconception, especially with athletes, that they must love what they do. I don’t think you have to love what you do to be great, but I do think you have to have meaning,” she told honours business administration (HBA) students.
In her keynote to incoming HBA students, Virtue didn’t sugarcoat the grind of chasing perfection, the systemic toxicity that can be present within sports culture or the toll of injuries and pressure. Instead, she offered a rare window into how she rebuilt her relationship with her sport – and, in the process, herself.
The event was part of HBA Leadership Day, hosted by the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, which helps students reflect on who they want to be as leaders. Dean Julian Birkinshaw reminded the audience in his opening remarks that Ivey’s emphasis on character is a key differentiator and especially important in today’s business environment.
“Elevating character alongside competence is not only a strategic imperative, but also a social responsibility,” he said. “Strengths such as courage, resilience, integrity, empathy and self-awareness, amongst others, can be activated at the right times and in the right amount to the betterment of the organization, the individual and the community.”
Dusya Vera, PhD’02, Ivey professor and executive director of the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership, emphasized character is not fixed, but developed through practice, feedback and reflection – the very processes students experience in the classroom and through events like Leadership Day. Beyond the keynote, the day included a morning panel, mini-case discussions on leadership crucibles and a Leadership Café where students could engage with guests.
Virtue’s three Olympic chapters
Naïve ambition at 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver
As underdogs, Virtue and partner Scott Moir won gold skating with a sense of freedom. But success came at a price: Virtue had undergone surgery for chronic exertional compartment syndrome and struggled to walk without pain in the months leading up to the Games.
“I was in so much pain that I was counting the steps from the village to the cafeteria. If I walked the 272 paces, I wouldn’t be able to practice,” she said.
The physical and emotional strain also tested her partnership with Moir, teaching them early lessons in accountability and communication.
Winning at all costs at 2014 Winter Olympics Games in Sochi, Russia
Success in Vancouver brought pressure, rivalry and disillusionment.
“Things crumbled. The trust, the communication, this code of respect we had built within our team was dismantled,” she said. “We had totally lost the joy in skating. We had completely lost our purpose,” Virtue said.
Although they won two silver medals, the victories left them unfulfilled and exhausted enough to retire.
Redefining success at 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea
Still driven, Virtue and Moir returned from retirement with a new approach: prioritizing recovery, surrounding themselves with experts and shifting their mindset from the pursuit of perfection to the pursuit of excellence.
“Excellence to us was showing up and being an eight out of 10 every single day. That was sustainable,” she said.
They also reframed failure through deliberate practice.
“We gave our coach a whistle, and every time she blew it, we would fall and get back up. With each recovery, I gained confidence. I knew exactly what I would do in the worst-case scenario. It took the power away from that,” she said.
By the end of her Olympic journey, Virtue no longer endured skating out of discipline, but had begun to embrace it with purpose.
Beyond the ice
Since retiring from competition, Virtue has earned graduate degrees in business and positive psychology and now serves as an executive advisor with Deloitte, working with senior leaders and clients to unlock potential and sustain high performance. She told the students many of the tools she honed in sport – such as authenticity, accountability and optimism – translate directly to business.
She also described how the constant feedback loop of sport shaped her perspective and said that any team that wants to be better should frame feedback as a gift.
Virtue’s keynote built on other insights from HBA Leadership Day, including themes shared by CIFAR chief operating officer Franca Gucciardi, EY Canada’s chief learning and development officer Jeannine Pereira, HBA’95, and Landmark Group’s chief leadership officer Rashid Wasti, EMBA’03.
Pereira emphasized the importance of humility and growth.
“Feedback doesn’t always come wrapped the way you want it, but it’s a gift,” she said.
Wasti reminded students about the importance of resilience and adaptability in effective leadership.
“There is no substitute for excellence. But you also need to listen deeply, learn constantly and preserve your uniqueness as you grow,” he said. “Being a leader is hard work. You sometimes have to do things that don’t feel natural.”
Virtue closed by encouraging the students to think about their own “why” as they begin their leadership journeys, challenging them to define success not by outcomes, but by finding purpose.
“Are you chasing perfection or excellence? Are you ready to be comfortable in the uncomfortable? How do you find meaning in your everyday lives?” she asked. “You won’t fail if you launch fully into the process with meaning. That’s what allows you to thrive.”
