the Leadership Difference

11/22/2023

"When interviewing candidates, ask 'Tell me about a time when you disappointed your boss/parents,' their response helps identify if they take responsibility and if they're coachable." - Dave Mitchell, the Leadership Difference @

09/20/2023

Cherry Creek designer, Christina, had the opportunity to visit Roth Living for a professional continual education lecture on Creating a Luxury Client experience by Dave Mitchell, the founder of the Leadership Difference. Our staff at Cherry Creek are always staying educated to continue to create the best experience possible for our customers!

07/13/2021

Yes, I am still posting on social media, just not on Facebook. If you don't follow me on LinkedIn, please connect!

View Dave Mitchell’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. Dave has 2 jobs listed on their profile. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Dave’s connections and jobs at similar companies.

02/13/2021

Humble brag. Email from my client...

Hi Dave!
THANK YOU so much for an awesome event last night!
WOW!
Best Zoom event I have attended.
Well done.
THANK YOU!!!

Not all virtual experiences cause fatique...

02/08/2021

You can make the case that the path to peak performance involves three components: aptitude, training, and self-efficacy. Leaders often focus on the first two but not enough on the latter. Self-efficacy involves placing performers in situations in which they feel confident in themselves. Leaders who reinforce good performance and take steps to ensure that their team members are sufficiently prepared to succeed in the situations in which they are placed help create high self-efficacy.

I have often been responsible for providing classroom training to service providers, sales professionals and leaders. The participants display the aptitude to succeed and a command of the concepts that are trained. However, they are often immediately expected to use this aptitude and training to excel on the job. Peak performance isn't achieved that easily.

When selecting and training your team, be sure each person has the skills necessary to be successful, train them on the details and specific scenarios they will face AND build their self-efficacy by using positive feedback from successful experiences that gradually increase in complexity to assure the team member believes in their own abilities. As any sports coach will tell you, "I prefer teachable moments after a victory!"

02/06/2021

I have no idea how Amazon can do this, but my most recent book is currently on sale for under $9.00. Regularly $25.00. I can't even get my own book for that price. Check it out.

Peak Performance Culture: The Five Metrics of Organizational Excellence

01/26/2021

Leading a large, multi-national corporation is an incredibly demanding and impressive responsibility. You know what else is an incredibly demanding and impressive responsibility? Running a small business.

We often look to the iconic companies for best practices, rightfully so. But, the leaders of these organizations are supported by a staff of experts and resources that can ease their personal burden and insulate them from the daily demands of successful ex*****on. On the contrary, small businesses are lead by individuals who are required to know everything about their operation and have far fewer resources from which to draw - both in terms of intellectual and financial capital. Small business leaders head up sales, operations, marketing, procurement, human resources and finance.

CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are excellent sources for business insight. So are small business owners. And, the latter's experiences are often more rooted in the daily challenges that are common to all of us. Bonus, they are accessible. Want to learn the truth about success? Buy a small business owner a cup of coffee, ask questions, and listen.

01/19/2021

Most organizations focus large amounts of attention and resources on acquiring customers. Between advertising, marketing, branding, etc. - they create high expectations among prospective clients about the customer experience. That's necessary in a competitive market.

Unfortunately, many organizations fail to invest that same amount of effort into the onboarding and retention of acquired clients. Once a client commits to the organization, they are often treated as less of a priority while the organization focuses on the next new customer acquisition. Sales professionals often hand off new customers as if they are simply items on a conveyor belt that have moved beyond their role in the process. And yet, delighting and retaining an existing client is likely less expensive and generates more revenue over time than attracting a new client.

It is imperative for sales and operations to work in tandem to ensure that new clients experience the service standards they were promised so that they are retained long-term. In time, these clients will evangelize your company attracting new customers and requiring less investments in client acquisition.
Operations must understand sales and sales must remain connected to the customer experience after acquisition.

01/13/2021

During a recent guest lecture on leadership for soon to graduate university students, I was asked to name what I believed to be the most toxic characteristic a leader can manifest. My answer was "to desire power." Let me explain.

One of the most disturbing trends in recent years, in my opinion, has been our society's increasing adulation for icons. We anoint individuals as gurus or thought leaders or geniuses based on wealth or social media followers. We conflate greatness with branding. This, to me, smacks more of idolatry than authentic leadership.

True leaders - and there are countless numbers of them - are the people that get up every day, work hard to ensure the success of those around them, care deeply about others, take pride in their craft, take responsibility for their results and face down the daily demands of life with steely determination. The title of their job doesn't matter. Nor does their net worth, popularity or platform.

That is leadership.

11/25/2020

The (unofficial) cycle of professional development - as determined by my clients' webinar requests - looks like this:
--March - June: Communication issues
--June - September: Leadership issues
--September - now: Team building issues (including wine events - this is when we just decided to drink ON camera!)
--Now: Resiliency issues
This second wave of WFH mandates has taken an even greater toll on the mental health of our team members. Be especially kind, patient and loving during this holiday season - both to others AND to yourself!

11/18/2020

FINALLY! Seven years after its release, The Power of Understanding People (the book) is now available in an audiobook format. And, I am the narrator. Check it out.

The Power of Understanding People: The Key to Strengthening Relationships, Increasing Sales, and Enhancing Organizational Performance