The salesforce.com Woman of the Month campaign turns the spotlight on the amazing women who help make salesforce.com the World’s Most Innovative Company and one of the best places to work. Honorees are nominated by fellow employees and selected by dedicated members of FemmeForce, the Salesforce Women's Network, to ensure a variety of roles and regions are honored. 

Want to know what it takes to be one of the best in your industry? Who doesn’t? Meet Lynne Zaledonis, Regional Vice President of Mid-Market Commercial Sales at salesforce.com. After spending nine years in a variety of sales leadership roles at the World’s Most Innovative Company, Lynn has had the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the very best and brightest in the business. And fortunately for us, salesforce.com’s March Woman of the Month is spilling the beans on what it takes to get to the top.

First thing’s first--what makes someone ‘the best’?

Well, the people I consider to be the best are the ones who do a little bit more than everyone else. Sure, they’re smart and work hard, but they also go above and beyond in many different areas. That makes them stand out, and pays them back with rich, rewarding life experiences.

Sounds pretty awesome, right? So how exactly do you become one of the best?

To be honest, I’m still learning! But here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way:

1. Get Feedback

Initiate discussions that make it easy for others to offer you feedback. Ask your team how processes can be improved. Ask your manager what traits top performers have--and when you hear the answer, make sure to keep a clear mind about yourself. Instead of justifying how those traits sound exactly like ones you have (what a coincidence!), assume that your manager’s response is advice being offered to help you improve. You should never be afraid of feedback, because it will help you learn and grow...hey, how else are you going to be the best? 

2. Keep Improving

Constantly assume that things can be done better or faster at the company, team, project, and individual levels. Assume the same about yourself--start regularly asking yourself, What can I be doing better? Try to remain in a state of constant improvement by listening to and accepting feedback from your managers, your mentors, your peers, and your team, and use it to keep pushing your performance to the next level.

3. Go the Extra Mile

The people who are the best are the ones who mentor others, volunteer in the community, help out teammates, work across multiple departments, and participate in initiatives outside their job responsibilities. The ones who take risks and welcome the chance to try something new. My opportunity to go the extra mile came when I volunteered to take on a large project outside of my usual responsibilities in exchange for the chance to take on a new role. I nailed the project, got the chance to interview, and the rest is history! Keep your eyes and ears open and step outside your comfort zone...you never know where you’ll find your next career opportunity!”

Want to hear more from Lynne? Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn. And stay tuned for more career tips and tools for success from our next salesforce.com Woman of the Month, coming your way in April.

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