Welcome back Admins!
In our last Spotlight 
series episode, we talked with our long-time Gainsight Admin, Matthew Lind (matthew_lind) about his experience getting started as an admin and some advise he has to share with the community. In this follow up, we ask a little more advise and learn the secret behind the bowtie that has become a bit of a trademark.
What's an influential piece of wisdom you've received from the community during your time as an admin? And what wisdom would you in turn share back to the community?
The truest thing any fellow Gainsight expert has said to me along this journey: "Gainsight is a group project." No one knows it all.....no one! So do not beat yourself up if you don't know it all either.
Be authentic, and ask for help when you need it. The great news for folks in CS Ops is that we're a pretty great group of people. We want to help each other succeed, and we're willing to invest in each other. Some of my own CS Ops heroes and OG's (that's Original Gamechangers) live in the Gainsight Community and the Global Gainsight Admins group, and I consult with them ALL THE TIME. Make friends, ask questions, be silly. Bring your whole self; we're excited to help. We really are #bettertogether, which is my favorite hashtag. (Let's make it trend!)
One concept I've recommended to colleagues, especially when entering a new CS Ops role or a new company, is to find two mentors:
- A traditional mentor, who can talk you through the challenges of learning a new company, navigating politics, improving your communication and elevating yourself. We're all pretty familiar with the idea of a mentor
- A technical mentor, who can help you unravel the knot that is the tech stack you've inherited. This person likely is your technical mentor for just a quarter or two, until you get your bearings. Their purpose is to help you study the tech stack, and give you an outlet for your questions, and reduce the overwhelming feeling of being alone. This person probably does not work at your company, but instead is an expert in the tech stack, and can help solidify your understanding of what you're inheriting.
You always have a fun bowtie on and I'm curious what is behind this fashion trend.
Bowties are fun, and they consistently elicit a response. (And I self-tie all but one of the bow ties in my collection.) Plus, they are memorable. During an informational interview I was conducting, my counterpart and I established we had both been at the previous Pulse conference, and we were figuring out if we had crossed paths. Finally I shared, "I was wearing a bow tie" and she excitedly responded with, "YES! That's it! Now I know I did attend your session, and we did talk briefly afterwards." Connection made!
What many people don't know is the bowtie has a Gainsight origin. I was working with Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight, on a short project, and during the project I shared that I am a triathlete. As thanks, Nick surprised me with a triathlon bowtie. That's the blue bowtie in my LinkedIn headshot. I knew next time I was at a Gainsight event, I had to wear that bowtie, which also meant I had to figure out how to tie it. After several challenging hours with YouTube and a mirror, I finally figured it out, and surprised Nick by wearing it at Gainsight's next event.
As I now reflect on it, tying bow ties is a lot like Gainsight. We have a challenge, we ask for help, we figure it out, and we're better for it.
Those words about mentorship and group project are invaluable. So, if you have not already joined the Global Gainsight Admin Slack channel, join here. If you’re looking for mentor programs, check out Mentorloop.
In closing, I just want to thank our friend Matthew Lind for taking the time to share his thoughts and touching story behind those bowties. And now, if you spot him at an event wearing his famous bowtie, you can take a moment to connect with him in person!
Take care and remember we are #bettertogether!
