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This was my third year attending Dreamforce and as always it didn’t disappoint. For the first time there was a whole track dedicated to gender diversity - The Women’s Leadership Summit -  with inspiring speakers discussing the tough issues. For me the stand-out session was early in the day when Kara Swisher of Re/code Magazine interviewed our co-founders Marc Benioff and Parker Harris. Listening to them speak about the importance of gender equality and what they were doing confirmed for me that I couldn’t be in a better place. I feel very proud to be working for Salesforce, grateful that our senior leaders are taking these issues so seriously and excited about the leadership role I can play to drive change.  

Very entertaining at times, the #LeanInTogether session with Marc and Parker (which you can watch here ) provides CEOs with a three step model for leading change within their organisations. For start-ups, the message was clear: do it from the beginning!

"We didn't set any goals or principles around this 16 years ago - and that was wrong." Marc Benioff

Marc was so humble to admit that when he set up the company he failed to do this . He wished he had done what he did with the 1:1:1 Philanthropy model and baked it in at the start   He encouraged entrepreneurs to do that - it is so much easier than changing further down the track.

"I think in decade increments, and it’s important that in the next decade we be catalyst for this change at Salesforce." Marc Benioff

The 3 Step model for Driving Gender Equality in Your Organisation

1. Prioritise

Change on this issue cannot simply be an aspiration,. It must be a priority. With so much going on at any one time within large companies, it is hard to focus sometimes. Parker Harris gets that: "we have a saying: 'If everything's important, then nothing's important'".

"That's the burden of leadership - what you prioritize is what you'll create."  

2. Transform

"Women's leadership and equal pay are in our 'transformation zone'" said Marc, leveling the gender playing field across the company meant the same discipline, rigour and ruthlessness that applies to any significant change program. Marc and Parker realised they had to be front and centre

"Anything that requires transformation - including gender diversity - requires the CEO to be in the middle of it. That’s all it takes to fix it, the CEO has to prioritise it as an issue...and set a clear intention that it is important." Marc Benioff

3. Measure

Marc attacked the gender pay gap issue this year,leading an effort to systematically analyse the pay of all employees globally  to ensure male and females employee are paid equally. “When I’m done, there will be no gap,” he said.1

Clear targets and objectives - as well as accountability - have to be there to ensure change happens.

It was very exciting to hear Marc and Parker talk about the progress that has been made over the past 12 months but they also recognised there is much more to do.

Having worked at Salesforce for just over two years now I continue to be inspired and amazed at what can be achieved when people come together to stand up for what’s right. Gender Diversity is so right and I am thrilled to be a part of what our company is doing to make Salesforce an inclusive and diverse organisation.

Please watch our lates Femmeforce Video: Why Diversity Matters at Salesforce

Reference:

1 SMH