Over the last couple of days I have heard and have read a lot of negative feedback about the vExpert PRO program. I don’t really want to go in on this because people are entitled to voice their opinion and we don’t always have to agree on everything. Instead, let me tell you why I think this program is important and why I think it is an added value.
Four years ago, blogging and public speaking were the last things on my mind. I was too shy and too afraid of running the risk of making a fool of myself in public to even dare anything publicly. But along came Ariel Sanchez. (Yes, that guy again! He is like a vVirus going around in the vCommunity!) who convinced me to start blogging. It only took him six months to convince me to start a blog and another six months to convince me to apply for vExpert recognition. In a sense you can say that Ariel was my vExpert mentor. Should you take a look at twitter and existing blog posts, you would probably conclude that Ariel is ‘the original vExpert mentor’.
Why I think this program brings added value
- Some people have excellent ideas but need encouragement before they will try anything publicly. Not allowing good ideas to spread like wildfire would be a loss to the community.
- For some people the English language is an obstacle. The mentoring part of this program can help these people.
- Locally, we can bring aspiring vExperts and current vExperts together. Yes, virtually and physically.
- I think that a local contact for aspiring vExperts will make the gap from ‘thinking about vExpert’ to ‘applying for vExpert’ smaller.
- Local feedback from current vExperts is a plus for aspiring vExperts.
Last but not least: I honestly believe that the message from the people who really want to give back to the vCommunity will grow. However, people need opportunities to get to that point and all people are entitled to an opportunity. I believe that the vExpert PRO initiative can help people reach that point. I too have heard that this program might enable people who are only after perks of being a vExpert to become a vExpert easily. However the people who are interested in the quick gains as a vExpert will drop out of the vExpert program as soon as they realize that staying in the program will take an effort (!!!). We will help get you there, but getting there when you have no honest intentions, is not a guarantee you will stay there.
Let’s keep the vExpert program something positive!
Kim
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