Dave VanEpps, the Chief Operating Officer at Exceptional Difference, is a highly accomplished leader in his field and the epitome of strategic expertise and dedication. When asked to describe himself, he says “Motivated,” and we concur wholeheartedly. He expresses gratitude for his daily work and strives to be the best version of himself. His meticulous attention to detail and visionary approach are evident in every aspect of his work, from optimizing supply chains to driving the company’s growth.
He reminds us that despite the challenges of leading a prominent organization, “Success is all about making a difference and positively impacting your circles – your organization, your family, your community – for generations to come.” He further explains his point with examples. A stone creates a ring of ripples in a calm pond, which can transcend the entire pond if the water is calm enough. The ripples can amplify as they join forces and cascade across the pond. Dave believes we are the stone in life, setting ripples in motion through our words, actions, and behaviors. A positive action pattern can create a culture of excellence where everyone thrives. To him, exceptional leaders set good examples, and amplification occurs when others in one’s circle replicate one’s behavior, leading to a broad, lasting, positive ripple effect.
Dave’s concept applies to life, highlighting the importance of setting positive examples and promoting excellence. These words of wisdom reveal a depth of character and understanding that goes beyond professional achievements, solidifying his position as an inspirational leader and visionary strategist.
Forged by Challenges, Driven to Excel
Aligned with George S. Patton, Jr.’s belief, “True character is revealed in the choices a human being makes under pressure – the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation, the truer the choice to the character’s essential nature.” Dave recognizes the crucible of adversity as the ultimate test of leadership.
He adds that Exceptional Difference uses a “See Reality, Accept Reality, Deal with Reality” approach, fostering transparency, empathy, and an optimistic culture in the face of challenges. For this C-suite strategist, challenges are not obstacles but catalysts for innovation and growth.
“Optimism isn’t about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses,” Dave explains, “It’s about looking reality square in the eye and dealing with it in a way that leads to a better future.”
During a period of professional reflection, the COO of Exceptional Difference recalls a challenging situation where an external decision threatened the jobs of 18 team members. Choosing a direct approach, he opted for immediate and transparent communication to allow the team to see, accept, and deal with difficult realities. With empathy and openness, they informed the team about their impending job loss while also outlining a comprehensive plan to assist all 18 individuals in securing new employment within 90 days.
Dave highlights how they involved everyone in the plan, turning it into “our” plan, making it a collective effort. Despite negativity from others, their team rallied together, building trust and strengthening their bond. They collaborated with leaders across various companies, recruiters, and staffing firms, leaving no avenue unexplored to help their team members. Remarkably, within the set timeframe, all 18 individuals found new jobs.
Dave feels that although many companies say, “People are our greatest asset,” not all truly live by this statement. However, at Exceptional Difference, this claim is more than just words. Their leadership team’s dedication to prioritizing employees exemplifies this commitment.
This belief is echoed by Dave, who underlines that true character is revealed under pressure, using the analogy of a diamond formed from coal. He encourages facing reality head-on to learn and grow from challenges, which aligns with the saying, “Make no mistake: people may not always listen to what you say but will always pay attention to what you do.”
Exceptional Difference and Its Services
At Exceptional Difference, they believe that change in a team or organization begins with an individual. They are a boutique consulting firm dedicated to empowering elite engineers and leaders. The firm likens its approach to a carpenter’s toolbelt, equipping professionals with the necessary toolsets and mindsets to achieve excellence. Their primary focus is on enabling engineers and leaders to fulfill the fundamental Obligations of Engineering, which include delivering value, instilling quality, achieving speed to value, meeting or exceeding commitments, and using data and expert judgment with courage and conviction.
Their offerings range from talks and workshops to more intensive experiential programs like deep dives and personalized engagements. For engineers, these programs include the Crushing Rework Experience, which aims to eliminate rework and foster innovation; the Technical Debt Experience, focused on removing technical debt to improve speed to value; and the flagship Exceptional Engineer Experience, which stresses meeting commitments, improving quality, reducing rework, and cultivating an energizing culture.
For leaders, the firm provides programs such as Exceptional Starts, which focuses on launching teams or projects with clear goals and motivation; Exceptional Mentoring, which accelerates wisdom transfer to the next generation; and the Exceptional Leader Experience, which immerses participants in challenging scenarios to build leadership skills and confidence.
In addition to these specialized programs, Exceptional Difference also offers traditional consulting, coaching, and mentoring to enhance the skills and effectiveness of engineers and leaders continually.
How Dave’s Expertise Supercharged Exceptional Difference
This action-oriented COO attributes his success to a career forged under the mentorship of visionary leaders at prestigious companies. With a passion for fostering growth and a deep-seated belief in the power of human connection, Dave has honed his leadership expertise in the crucible of high-pressure, fast-paced environments.
Early on, Fred Damiano instilled in him the profound importance of recognizing the value inherent in every individual. This foundation, coupled with Alan Willett’s teachings on viewing the world through a lens of value and emotional intelligence, shaped Dave’s empathetic and insightful leadership style. Don Graumann further refined the young Dave’s approach, imparting the wisdom of effective business management, while Jim Bossert nurtured his innate ability to cultivate growth in both individuals and organizations.
Like a diamond forged under pressure, this adept professional thrived in numerous fast-paced, chaotic, high-stress environments that have honed his ability to learn fast, adapt fast, and ultimately emerge stronger from setbacks. Dave’s extensive experience has brought immediate value to Exceptional Difference. He firmly believes that any venture’s success hinges on the power of its people. Championing the transformative power of interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and strong leadership, Dave recognizes that these qualities are essential across all industries and roles. His relentless pursuit of people-centric progress, coupled with his vast experience and passion for growth, has made him an invaluable asset to Exceptional Difference. This dedication has culminated in his recognition as one of the “Top 10 Visionary Tech Leaders Shaping the Future in 2024.”
Cultivating a Culture of Integrity and Innovation at Exceptional Difference
“A person of excellence isn’t just a person of excellence when someone is watching,” this strategic COO eloquently states, “If you want to establish a culture of integrity, whether in your personal or professional life, start by establishing personal integrity.” This philosophy resonates with the sentiment behind Under Armour’s campaign, which announced, “It’s what you do in the dark that puts you in the light.” Dave is inspired by this notion, recognizing that true excellence and integrity stem from consistent actions, regardless of who is observing.
For him, much like integrity, innovation is both personal and cultural. The Obligations of Engineering, which encompass value, quality, speed to value, making and exceeding commitments, and leading with data, are cultural imperatives that foster innovation:
- A maniacal focus on value for customers and the organization is the mindset that inspires innovation. Value empowers engineers and leaders to look beyond the immediate task and discover better solutions.
- Quality is a critical enabler of innovation. Most organizations grapple with technical debt and rework, hindering speed, value, and innovation. A quality mindset enables engineers to be part of a winning team with the time and motivation to innovate and create value. Exceptional Difference’s Crushing Rework Experience and Technical Debt Experience specifically address these challenges.
- Making and exceeding commitments is crucial for innovation. Dave has seen too many people underestimate the effort required to complete tasks and overestimate available time. Being constantly overcommitted and missing deadlines obstructs innovation and shifts focus from strategic to tactical thinking. Effective time and commitment management are essential for fostering innovation.
Life Before Exceptional Difference
Thriving in the software trenches taught Dave valuable lessons about chaos and the cost of poor planning. Driven by a passion for engineering excellence, he sought to create a different story – one of empowered teams, on-time delivery, and a culture engineers crave. His journey into project management revealed the secret sauce: blending technical know-how with the art of inspiring people. Dave discovered that exceptional products come from teams who understand their ‘why,’ have the tools and data to thrive, and work in an environment that values speed and quality. This sparked a new passion for Dave – leading people to achieve the extraordinary.
Since then, he has held various leadership positions in technology, spanning program and product management, strategy, PMO, testing, operations, development, and executive roles like Director of Professional Services, VP of Engineering, and Chief Operating Officer. Each step refined his skills in people leadership, emotional intelligence, and executive strategy.
But the real secret mantra? His people-powered network! Throughout his career, Dave has cultivated a powerhouse network of colleagues spanning 10, 20, and even 30 years. This charismatic executive understands the true value of relationships, making him a force to be reckoned with.
Amplifying Tomorrow’s Tech Leaders: A Visionary’s Blueprint
Dave is a visionary leader who is passionate about empowering people. Nurturing the next generation of leaders is a cause close to his heart. For years, he dedicated himself to mentoring individuals but always yearned for a wider impact.
Then, during a rejuvenating run, inspiration struck like a bolt of lightning: a dynamic leadership program called ‘Amplifiers: Leaders Who Make a Difference!’ The entire program unfolded in his mind’s eye, a vision of collaborative growth and shared success. He brought this transformative program to life at two companies and now invites you to embrace its power. Here’s how it works:
- Gather a group of 8-12 individuals, from aspiring leaders to senior executives.
- Dedicate an hour per week for ten weeks.
- Design a 10-week agenda covering relevant leadership topics for your organization.
- Engage in a collaborative brainstorming session on a specific topic each week. All ideas are valued equally, regardless of the person’s level or experience. Everyone contributes, shares, listens, questions, and learns.
Dave and his team discovered that this program effectively nurtures future leaders in a scalable, enjoyable, and consistent manner. It instills company values at all leadership levels while ensuring the voices of emerging leaders are heard and appreciated.
Favorite Leadership Accolade
Graduations hold a special place in Dave’s heart. He sees attrition as a spectrum with two distinct categories: good and bad. According to him, bad attrition occurs when individuals are terminated, laid off, or left to escape a problem. Good attrition, on the other hand, is when individuals seize new opportunities, whether within the company or elsewhere.
Dave affectionately refers to this positive form of attrition as “graduations.” He finds deep satisfaction in seeing individuals graduate, which signifies their growth and readiness for more significant challenges. Each graduation is a testament to his leadership and is a moment he deeply cherishes.
COO’s Vision and Plan for Exceptional Difference’s Future Growth
This C-level visionary shares their vision to positively change the engineering world: ‘one engineer, one team, one leader at a time.’ He proudly notes that their customers often refer to them as “the best-kept secret.” He finds it fantastic because it highlights their ability to delight customers and consistently receive outstanding praise for their products and services. This recognition also presents an opportunity for Dave to amplify their marketing efforts, a key focus area, aiming to reveal “the best-kept secret” to the world.
Dave playfully points out that Exceptional Difference lives up to its name with a truly exceptional portfolio of products and services. They are committed to continuous evolution. While new offerings are on the horizon, the COO emphasizes that their current focus is on scaling existing products and services to benefit more engineers and leaders. Their credo is to enhance engineers, teams, and leaders, driven by opportunity rather than fear, enabling them always to seize new opportunities.
Dave states, “We believe in people and are wholeheartedly committed to providing deeply customized, valuable solutions that impact engineers, teams, and leaders for generations to come.”
The Multifaceted Role of the Chief Operating Officer (COO)
As Chief Operating Officer, Dave’s primary responsibility is to enhance and address challenges “Team XD faces.” He firmly believes that to increase one’s value, one must actively seek ways to improve the company and solve its problems.
Dave acknowledges that he was also prepared to do whatever was necessary. He emphasizes that everyone on the team wears multiple hats, and the phrase “that’s not my job” doesn’t exist in their environment. They all contribute as needed and support each other.
From an operational standpoint, Dave focuses on ensuring the company scales effectively, optimizes, and delivers value quickly. This involves finding ways to enhance their products and services, refine their go-to-market strategies, manage the product portfolio, roadmap, and priorities, effectively market their offerings, provide exceptional customer experiences, and operate their technology stack efficiently.
Approach to Work-Life Balance and Team Motivation
Dave prioritizes work-life balance by focusing on commitments and realistic expectations. He establishes a weekly work hour range, for instance, 45-55 hours. Commitments are based on the lower end, reserving the higher end for contingencies, while recognizing that on occasion, we all need to dig deep and put in the extra effort.
He diligently tracks his time, utilizes historical data, and accurately estimates the effort required for tasks. Before accepting requests, he assesses the time needed and if it fits his available hours. If unable to accommodate a task, he responds with “Yes, if…”, offering to assist but noting his limited bandwidth. He then negotiates with his leader to find alternative solutions that satisfy both their goals and his work-life balance.
Dave’s secret to inspiring his team? It’s all about leading “by example” and “by caring.” He sets the bar high with his actions, showing what’s possible. But it doesn’t stop there—Dave genuinely cares about his team, both on and off the clock. He believes a great leader dives deep into their people’s lives, crafting challenging yet achievable plans that respect work-life balance. When a team feels truly motivated, they can achieve results that surpass even one’s wildest dreams.
“If you want an engaged, winning team who is motivated and willing to go the extra mile, they need to know that you’re in it for them,” Dave shares, “That you’re vested in their success. That you care about them as an individual. When that happens, your people will go to the ends of the earth for you.”
Personal Goal
This assiduous professional vouches for “Putting your three Ts on your three Ps,” meaning applying one’s time, talent, and treasure to one’s purpose, priorities, and passions. Dave’s personal goals perfectly embody this philosophy. His purpose is to love God and others while positively impacting everyone he encounters. His priorities are centered around God, family, health, and work. His passions include serving and living his faith, spending quality time with family, participating in triathlons, boating, leadership, personal coaching, consulting, and writing. Each of these areas represents how Dave invests his time, talent, and treasure to fulfill his purpose and priorities while pursuing the things he is passionate about.
Message to Aspiring Professionals in The Industry
Dave’s life purpose is centered around love and impact. Inspired by Jesus’s words in John 13:34, he believes in loving everyone unconditionally, including those who are challenging to love. This means extending love to difficult colleagues, customers, and even competitors. Dave also underlines the importance of positively impacting everyone he encounters, treating others with respect and kindness, just as he would like to be treated.
This insightful leader gently reminds aspiring tech professionals that their success is deeply intertwined with valuing people and nurturing meaningful relationships. He endorses prioritizing emotional intelligence and aligning personal values with professional pursuits to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance. Dave highlights the importance of effective time management and commitment fulfillment as key personal and professional growth drivers. He encourages professionals to simplify complex concepts, communicate clearly, and build a positive personal brand. Delivering value efficiently and upholding high standards are critical takeaways from Dave’s message. Above all, he urges aspiring tech professionals to lead by example, inspiring others through their actions and creating a positive impact in every sphere of their lives. He concludes, “One person can change a team, and one team can change an organization. That’s the only way change happens. Be the change.”
