How To Be The Next Leader: Mentoring 101

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Shownotes

Andres Ceballos is a trusted district advisor and manages initiators and programs that focus on Salesforce’s portfolio growth and adoption. In this episode, Andres shares his experience in leadership roles from the past 20 years. He defines the difference between a mentor and a leader, highlights the significance of inner work, details how to change our thought process effectively.

About the Guest

Andres and his team manage initiatives and programs that focus on the Salesforce portfolio’s growth and adoption. As a Trusted Digital Advisor and Customer Experience Evangelist, his main goal is to amplify product adoption, enablement, and overall customer success. Before this role, Andres and his team managed initiatives and programs that enabled Salesforce Appexchange ISV partners to build profitable businesses and deliver results that empower customers to digitally transform their companies through The AppExchange, the world’s largest Enterprise Cloud marketplace and ecosystem.

Connect with Andres Ceballos

Key Takeaways

Being a good leader starts by leading from within. If you can’t find inspiration from within, you won’t be able to find leadership that will reflect upon your team.
Improving as a leader is much like improving as an athlete; you have to keep training to become great, and even then, the work is never over.
Feedback is a gift, and you should be open to giving that gift and receiving that gift.

Quote

“There’s a big difference between being a manager and being a leader. Being a leader is somebody who is helping set a mission for the team.” – Andres Ceballos.

Highlights from the Episode

Could you explain your journey with the corporate world in the US?

During my time at Oracle, I began understanding the North American market and realized that I needed to tap into my skill set and provide something groundbreaking. Helping my team succeed was my number one goal, and it really is where my leadership career began.

What is leadership about, according to you? What is the difference between mentoring and leading?

A leader is a person who leads by example, they are not afraid to do the work, and are a team player. They most notably understand their limitations and look towards a mentor for those unexpected obstacles. A mentor has a holistic view towards leading, and their role is to guide and listen.

Who are the leaders or mentors that inspired you the most? What traits did you like in them the most?

Ron Huddleston; Oracle and Salesforce. His vision and energy served as an inspiration and gave him the confidence to pursue any ideas, no matter how outrageous they sounded.
Bob Mahoney; Oracle veteran. His approach to connecting was by doing it on a personal level. He understood people’s challenges and goals and used that to help lead the team.

Can you take us through your journey of coaching and mentoring?

The biggest challenge is our own mental roadblock. Our ability to discover those roadblocks rather than looking for a direct solution is what sets us apart. Looking through a mentorship perspective there is a common misconception that mentors are there to create a roadmap to success. Mentors are meant to be used less like a map and more as a guide.

How can we effectively change our thought process to become good leaders?

Changing our thought process begins with finding the motivation that pushes us to attain our goals. Getting to that point can be achieved by working through a series of self-actualizing questions; can I lead myself? Can I listen to my inner self? Can I inspire myself? Can I prioritize my own worth?