Mentorship Central with James Goerke

Heading into 2017, it’s very important that we start connecting our community together.

Today on the ButtonClick Admin podcast, we’re speaking to James Goerke about his experience in mentorship. James has been working with Salesforce since 2008 and has tons of knowledge spanning various industries, customers of different sizes, and ways to build on the platform. Recently, James built and launched Mentorship Central on the Success Community.

More about James’ session: Join us as James shares his valuable insights on mentorship and the impetus behind creating Mentorship Central. We’ll learn about the benefits of mentoring and what admins can do maximize the mentor/mentee relationship.

You should subscribe for the full episode, but here are a few takeaways from our conversation with James Goerke.

Do your market research first.

“There are a lot of people who aren’t near a user group. So, where do they go? They’re on their own if they have a deep question or are seeking a mentor/mentee relationship,” says James. Mentorship Central was spawned from a desire to create a space that matches the right mentor to the right mentee.

But as James likes to point out, “Before you start doing anything, do some market research and see if anyone actually cares. Does your audience want this?”

The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. “This was a gap in the Salesforce community where we realized we could give back,” says James.

Mentorship is the next step.

At a certain point in your Salesforce journey, you’re going to hit a roadblock. Sometimes a one-off post in the right community can help you overcome these roadblocks. Other times, you need more. “At a certain point in your journey you’re going to need some coaching, a plan, and someone to keep you accountable,” says James.

This is where mentorship comes in. “You’ll need someone who’s been there or is willing to spend the extra time to build a relationship with you,” says James.

Trust your intuition.

At what point should an admin seek a mentor in their career? “It’s like love. You won’t know it until you’re there. You’ll know when you need a mentor,” says James.

Whether you’re trying to figure out your path or you need to fill a particular learning gap, a mentor can help you figure out where to go next.

Speak up.

“In actuality, it’s not a top-down mentor to mentee approach; it’s actually the other way. The mentee drives the relationship and what they need,” says James.

Want to get the most out of the relationship with your mentor? Speak up.

“If you don’t ask for something, you’re never going to get it. You need to communicate what you absolutely need and don’t be shy in doing that,” says John.

For more insights, make sure to follow James on Twitter (@jamesgoerke).

Links:

• Mentorship Central Chatter Group
• James’s Blog – Salesforce Quest

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