Interview with Federico Sendra, CEO of SpaceDev, by EL PAIS
February 10, 2023
Montevideo, Uruguay
Interview with Federico Sendra, CEO of SpaceDev, by EL PAIS
The following interview with our CEO, titled "What Book Does Federico Sendra, CEO of SpaceDev, Recommend Reading?", was conducted by journalist Antonio Larronda from EL PAIS. In it, Federico talks about one of the books he considers a must-read for entrepreneurs and business leaders.
What Book Does Federico Sendra, CEO of SpaceDev, Recommend Reading?
For Federico Sendra, CEO of SpaceDev, "the value of networking is undeniable." As an entrepreneur, he always understood this, but reading How to Be a Power Connector by Judy Robinett, an authority in the business world, reinforced it.
He was searching for a book "about networking and social psychology," and some colleagues recommended this title, which ended up teaching him several professional lessons. Sendra highlights the following phrase: "If you want to achieve any goal, you need other people to help you achieve it; and your chances of success are greater if you can help others achieve their own successes."
As CEO of SpaceDev, one of his main tasks is building strategic alliances, and for that, he applies one of the principles detailed by Robinett:
"The main lesson I took from the book is to understand your network of contacts as 'your net personal worth.' Just as one increases the value of their company by building financial, intellectual, and human capital, among others, you also enhance your personal and professional value by building relationships and social capital. Something reiterated in many places, not just in the book, is the importance of helping others selflessly," he added.
"I apply the 5+50+100 rule. This is based on a fundamental principle that argues a person cannot maintain more than 150 relationships at any given time. The first step is to identify and categorize relationships. First, the five closest people, with whom you maintain daily contact, mainly family and loved ones. Then, the 'key 50,' important relationships that add significant value to your personal and professional life. Finally, the 'vital 100,' people with whom you maintain contact at least once a month," explained the entrepreneur.
Sendra tries to read at least one book a month and confesses that he has "a rather extensive reading list."
AJE Leadership and the One Minute Manager
The interview is translated into English, but if you prefer to read it in Spanish, you can find it at this link.
