Dave Mitchell

Leadership Keynote Speaker on Communication, Customer Experience, Sales, Team Building & Peak Performance

Expert on

  • Leadership
  • Communications
  • Sales
  • Team Building 
  • Employee Engagement

Fee Range

$10,000–$20,000

Travels from

WA, US

Biography

Since founding the Leadership Difference in 1995, nearly half a million people have attended Dave’s “enter-TRAIN-ment” seminars on topics that include leadership, customer service, selling skills, and personal performance enhancement.  His clients include Allstate Insurance, Bank of America, Universal Studios, Hilton Worldwide, Janssen/Johnson and Johnson, Novartis, Sub-Zero Wolf Appliances, Electrolux Appliances, Trek Bikes, Walt Disney World and the CIA.  In July 2013, Meeting Professionals International selected Best Speaker of the Year at their World Education Congress in Las Vegas.  In September 2015, Meetings and Conventions Magazine named Dave one of the Best Speakers of the Year.

Dave is the author of four books.  Live and Learn or Die Stupid! focuses on personal contentment and performance excellence.  The Power of Understanding People, was released in December 2013 by acclaimed publisher Wiley and was immediately named Best Business Book of the Month by Amazon.  The Power of Understanding Yourself, was released on January 7, 2019 also by Wiley and was an Editor’s Pick by getAbstract and named Top Read by Training Magazine.  His fourth book, Peak Performance Culture: The Five Metrics of Organizational Excellence, was released in September 2020. Dave chairs the Business Advisory Committee at Walla Walla Community College, teaches MGMT560 Managing and Motivating People in the MBA program at Walla Walla University and is a frequent guest lecturer at several universities.  Dave has a Master of Education degree from the University of Illinois and is a certified Advanced Wine Sommelier.  After failing to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball, Dave went on to a successful four-year career as a coach at the Tee Ball level.

Dave lives in the Walla Walla Valley wine country with his wife of 40 years, Lori; has two adult children, Brooklyn and Slade; three horses, and Miles and Mingus – the canine security system (and Jazz tribute).

The Power of Understanding People

One of Dave’s most requested programs; “The Power of Understanding People” provides the tools to understand each participant’s own unique communication and leadership style.  This info-filled, energizing training event provides an ideal combination of strong content, laugh-out-loud humor and audience interaction.  Attendees discover the cornerstone of high performance and tips for enhancing communication, teamwork, employee engagement, customer service excellence, and influence.  Content is customized to the specific learning outcomes desired by the client.  This program was named the Meeting Madness Winner 2013 for best educational event of the year by Meeting Professionals International at the World Education Congress in Las Vegas.  In December 2013, the book of the same name was released and was immediately named Best Business Book of the Month by Amazon.  It is now available as an interactive webinar!

Learning Outcomes

  • An understanding of their own strengths and vulnerabilities as a leader, team member, and communicator.
  • An ability to better understand the intrinsic needs of others and how to best engage them, build more effective relationships, inspire them to peak performance, meet their service expectations, and influence them.
  • Better communication skills to apply in all relationships in their life.
  • Content can be tailored to leadership, sales, teambuilding, or customer service themes.