Using Data to Secure Your Voice at the Table with Databricks' Nate Vogel

The Enablement Edge

In the debut episode of The Enablement Edge, hosts Steve and Heather chat with Nate Vogel, VP of Global Sales & Partner Enablement at Databricks, the world's first data intelligence platform powered by generative AI.

Nate shares insights into his career journey, highlighting what sparked his passion for data, the skills and experiences that have propelled his success, and the innovative initiatives he’s implementing at Databricks.

Throughout the interview, Nate emphasizes the importance of data in securing a "voice at the table" within an organization. He offers practical advice for viewers looking to enhance their own enablement strategies and underscores the importance of “being the truth-tellers” on your team. By leveraging data in decision-making processes, Nate explains how businesses can pinpoint opportunities, predict trends, and mitigate risks more effectively. This approach not only fosters innovation but also equips teams with the insights they need to drive strategic initiatives. You’ll hear real-life examples from Nate’s experience with Databricks to further drive his point home.

Additionally, Steve and Heather ask about Nate’s other passion – mentorship. Nate shares personal anecdotes about the mentors who guided him throughout his career, and discussed how mentoring relationships can help mentees navigate challenges, avoid common pitfalls, and seize new opportunities. They underscored the dual benefit of mentorship, noting that while mentees gain knowledge and support, mentors also refine their leadership skills and broaden their perspectives.

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Guest Bio

Meet Nate Vogel, an accomplished professional with an impressive track record in the field of sales enablement with 30+ years’ experience leading teams at Southwestern Advantage, Tableau, Salesforce, Gong, and now Databricks as the Global Vice President of Sales Enablement.

Before joining Databricks, Nate held the position of Global Vice President, GTM Enablement at Gong where he excelled in fostering growth and sales development within the organization, along with being a thought leader in the enablement community.

Prior to that, Nate's expertise in enablement flourished during his nine-year tenure as Global Vice President of Sales & Partner Enablement at Tableau and Salesforce, where he spearheaded sales training, partner, and leadership development programs. Under his leadership, Nate expanded his team at Tableau from three enablement professionals to over 80+, empowering them to efficiently train thousands of sellers, leaders, and partners worldwide.

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Guest Quote

“In enablement, something that is important is to be truth tellers, to lead with data. Sometimes that data is ineffectiveness, and ineffectiveness of adoption. So this idea that you can go out and see adoption metrics and see what your customers are saying is super important.”

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Timestamps

*(00:00) Episode Start

*(01:10) Today’s Topic

*(02:50) Introducing Nate Vogel

*(04:36) When Nate first realized the power of data

*(07:40) The right enablement for the right people

*(11:10) Why enablement starts with managers

*(15:00) Measuring and doubling down on behavior changes

*(19:10) Becoming truthtellers with data

*(23:30) The strength of mentorship

*(29:29) How to effectively scale mentorship programs within your organization

*(32:25) What it means to have "no sharp elbows"

*(35:35) Rapid fire questions

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Links

• Connect with Nate Vogel on LinkedIn
• Check out Databricks
• Connect with Steve Watt on LinkedIn
• Connect with Heather Cole on LinkedIn
• Check out Seismic
• Seismic’s Enablement Maturity Assessment