There’s something special when you realize your purpose through challenges. I recently discussed this with Dave Sanderson, an inspirational survivor and leadership speaker, on the Profitable Home Service Podcast. We discussed the value of resilience and adaptability, especially for entrepreneurs like us. Life will throw curveballs at you, that’s certain! But the key is to remain focused on your area of expertise while delegating other tasks to those who excel in them.
In this episode, we discussed:
- Dave’s experience as the last passenger off US Airways Flight 1549 and his mission to encourage others to do the right thing in life-changing situations
- The importance of resilience and adaptability for entrepreneurs
- Dave’s personal challenges as an entrepreneur and the importance of finding people who excel in areas where you may struggle
- The tendency for entrepreneurs to try to do everything themselves and the importance of delegating tasks
- Understanding the six human needs and how they influence decision-making
- The importance of leading oneself before leading others
- Dave’s three-step game plan for handling challenging or traumatic events: aviate, navigate, and communicate
- The significance of mindset and having a resilient mindset as an entrepreneur
- The importance of staying focused, leading oneself and one’s team, and staying out of chaos in business
- The significance of celebrating wins and acknowledging personal growth as an entrepreneur
- Dave’s story of surviving a plane crash and the value of having another shot at life
The key moments in this episode are:
- [00:00:02] – The Miracle on the Hudson
- [00:02:29] – Overcoming Challenges
- [00:03:31] – Entrepreneurial Resilience
- [00:10:00] – The importance of understanding human needs
- [00:12:03] – Leading oneself in challenging situations
- [00:15:14] – The role of mindset in resilience
- [00:20:00] – The importance of core principles in business
- [00:20:53] – Personal growth and accomplishment as an entrepreneur
- [00:22:13] – Living in the game and measuring backwards
“There’s one thing you learn when you go through a traumatic event. The first thing you have to do is to lead yourself. You have to lead yourself first before you can lead anything or anyone else in your life.” Dave Sanderson
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Overcoming challenges and being resilient are vital to success, especially in today’s uncertain world. As entrepreneurs, Dave and I understand the need for a mindset of resilience and adaptability. Dave shared his personal experiences as an entrepreneur, discussing the challenges he faced with cash flow and accounts receivables. He emphasized the importance of recognizing your strengths and seeking help in areas where you may struggle.
The Pitfalls of Doing Everything Yourself
We also touched on a common tendency among entrepreneurs – trying to do everything themselves. This approach can lead to overwhelm and hinder profitability. Recognizing your area of genius and delegating tasks to others who excel in them is crucial. Dave is a firm believer in this, stating that he loves paying people who excel in their respective fields.
Understanding What’s Important
Dave stressed the importance of understanding what is most important to someone and what needs to happen for them to achieve it. He explained how this understanding helps him determine their purpose and how they evaluate situations based on the six human needs: certainty, variety, connection, significance, growth, and contribution. People in certain professions, like accounting and engineering, prioritize certainty and control.
Leading Oneself Before Leading Others
One of the key lessons Dave shared was the importance of leading oneself before leading others. He shared a valuable lesson about stopping chaos and not digging a deeper hole in challenging situations. Leaders and entrepreneurs should provide hope to others, just like in the “miracle on the Hudson” story, where everyone had hope and a mission during a tragic event.
A Three-Step Game Plan
Dave outlined a three-step game plan for handling challenging or traumatic events: aviate (keep moving forward), navigate (create a game plan), and communicate effectively with oneself and others. He shared how he applied this game plan during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep his business afloat and transition to virtual speaking.
The Cornerstone: Mindset
Mindset is the cornerstone and the north star. Dave highlighted the significance of having a resilient mindset and staying in the game, no matter what.
Staying Focused and Leading
It’s important to stay focused, leading oneself and one’s team, and staying out of chaos in business. Reflecting on why many small businesses fail, we emphasized the need to learn these core principles. Dave shared his personal experience of facing a major cash flow issue in the first year and a half of his business, but taking personal responsibility and making necessary changes helped him overcome it.
Celebrating Wins and Personal Growth
We also discussed the significance of celebrating wins and acknowledging personal growth as an entrepreneur. Dave mentioned a book called “The Gap in the Game” that taught him to measure backwards and appreciate the progress made instead of constantly living in the future and feeling inadequate. Maintaining a winning attitude and mindset are vital to continue achieving success.
About Dave Sanderson:
Dave is an inspirational survivor, author, philanthropist, and nationally sought-out leadership speaker.
When US Airways Flight 1549, or ‘The Miracle on the Hudson,’ ditched into the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, Dave Sanderson knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be.
As the last passenger off the plane on that fateful day, he was able to use the skills and resources he learned throughout his life to not only survive but assist the well-being and safety of others. He risked his own life in the frigid water to help other passengers off the plane, and despite the hazards to himself, Dave thought only of helping others. He emerged from the wreckage that day with a new mission: to encourage others to do the right thing when faced with a life-changing decision.
This profound experience changed his life. Today, he travels the globe sharing his inspirational and motivational leadership messages to help people make a difference in how they do business and live their lives.
Named one of Inc.com’s Top 100 Leadership speakers, Dave travels the world to share his inspirational leadership lessons, raising over $14.8M for the American Red Cross.
Dave lives with Terri, his wife of 35 years, and has four children- Chelsey, Colleen, Courtney and Chance. They reside in Charlotte, NC.
Connect with Dave:
Websites https://davesandersonspeaks.com
Social Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiredavesanderson/
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