At Salesforce, equality is a core value for our company; we firmly believe that a diverse and equitable workplace is critical to our business. And we do more than give it lip service.

This past year, we committed to Equal Pay for Women, took a stance against the discriminatory legislation in Indianapolis and Georgia, and hosted the biggest Women & Equality Summit yet at Dreamforce, bringing four days of eye-opening and inspiring keynotes, panels, and discussion to the largest software event in the world.

Why? Because it takes a village not just to raise a child, but also to raise awareness, encourage action, and make change when it comes to equal opportunity, advancement, pay, and rights in the workplace — and beyond.

Here are just a few of the highlights.

The most important thing you will put on today is your body language

Body language expert Janine Driver, who has worked in law enforcement helping officials interpret body language for decades (and regularly appears on the TODAY show), gave us killer advice on how to communicate more effectively without saying a word.

• When you go in for a handshake, don’t turn your shoulders away. Use your “navel intelligence.” We instinctively face our belly buttons towards people that we like, admire, or trust, so if that’s the feeling you want to convey, remember to turn your torso accordingly. Another neat fact: if you initiate the handshake, you’re more likely to be remembered.
• Where you sit in a meeting matters. Always try to sit or stand in the middle. It makes it look like you’re engaged and in the thick of it. Plus, it’s been shown that when you place yourself in the middle of a group, you’re perceived as being more powerful and successful.
• Pop your elbows and assume your power stance. Don’t be a shrinking violet. Make a more powerful impression by making your body big. Popping your elbows and standing with your feet a foot apart proclaims presence, confidence, and solidity.
• Steeple your fingers. Sometimes you need to radiate calm power — enough to grab attention and intimidate, but not come off as aggressive. Like when you keep getting interrupted in a meeting. That’s when you slowly lean back from the table and pull out the finger steeple (hint: the higher you hold it, the more dominant you will appear).

Oprah, Queen of the Steeple

More females on your sales team = more closed deals 

During the “Payoff for More Women in Sales” session, panelists talked about the numerous studies showing that sales teams close more deals and make more money if there is gender diversity on the team. And then they dove into how we can help make that happen.

• Find a sponsor. A sponsor is someone (usually in upper management) who knows your capabilities and can advocate for you in closed-door conversations. Start by identifying someone you respect in your organization and ask them if they would be willing to support you in a specific initiative or goal.
• Create and/or participate in networking groups. Start or join a ‘women in sales’ networking group to foster productive conversations and provide a forum for those who might be hesitant to reach out individually to ask for help or support.
• Speak up and call out mistakes. You should feel empowered to tell your company if they’re not doing a great job promoting equality and gender diversity. And leadership should proactively and constructively address mistakes when they occur, whether it’s a matter of individual behavior or organizational practice. This is a movement and a journey — the more people step up and speak out, the faster change will occur.  

PTBA – what’s your plan to be amazing?

Executive coach Carol Isozaki and Joanna Bloor, CEO of The Amplify Lab, both hosted sessions where they focused on the need to take control of the story you tell to the world. Because like it or not, how others perceive you and talk about you can profoundly shape your professional opportunities. As Isozaki put it, every interaction counts. Which is why consciously visioning how you want to behave and make others feel and honing how you describe yourself and what you can bring to the table can make or break your career.

One method is to craft your own PBTA – plan to be amazing.

• Consider the following questions:
• When are you at your amazing best? How do you feel and behave?
• How does your most favorite person make you feel?
• What are the top three emotional reactions you want to elicit in others?
• Write down four words you want others to use to describe you as a leader. Then ask a group of co-workers to write out the first four words that come to mind when they describe you. Compare the results for a true reality check. 
• Commit to devoting the time, energy, and effort to be your PBTA self each day and build new behavioral habits that will help ensure you own the story you project.  

Want more? Check out these 7 Inspiring Dreamforce 2016 Equality Highlights.