You’ve heard us talk before about various conferences we attend, it’s because we firmly believe the events Salesforce hosts as well as other tech or industry conferences are so important to our team’s ability to excel.
And while it may seem like we attend multitudes of conferences, we’re actually fairly picky about where we send our teams. You see, we want to be sure that each event a Penrod employee goes to, will be one where they will deepen their knowledge about their skill or industry expertise, connect with people who can help them on their journey, and develop into role models who can mentor others.
WITness Success Conference
Just last week, we sent six of our female team members to the Salesforce Women In Tech conference in Denver, CO where they were able to connect with other strong women to learn from one another and build each other up in the tech space. While every event we attend is important, this one we are especially excited about. You’ll often hear of the gender gap in the tech industry and STEM careers, so we want to make sure that the women on our team feel supported, empowered, and have the tools they need to succeed.
What We Learned
reframing how we communicate
How we communicate effects how we work together as a team. One of our biggest takeaways was learning how to reframe our language to communicate clearly but compassionately.
My favorite thing I learned was around reframing the language you use to communicate effectively but still have compassion, such as, instead of saying someone is being impatient, use high energy, or has high standard.
-Lacey, VP of Delivery
how to craft an elevator pitch
An elevator pitch is about so much more than a quick and easy way to introduce yourself. It’s about communicating who you are and is a powerful tool to negotiate a promotion, land a new job, or even just to get your email opened by someone you want to connect with.
There was a lot of good content and great sessions but my favorite thing I learned was the ABT method (and, but, therefore). This method helps you structure a powerful and effective personal elevator pitch. It can go beyond just your personal evaluator pitch. You can use the ABT method to negotiate your next promotion, make yourself stand out in a job interview or just even when crafting an email.
-Caitlin, Marketing Enablement Specialist
the importance of practicing gratitude
The theme of the conference was “Grit & Grace” and the Saturday morning keynote by Leah McGowen-Hare (Salesforce – Director, Trailhead T&P) on that topic was my favorite takeaway (and favorite moment by far – she is an amazing speaker)! She talked about her definitions of grit and grace and the concept of moving from grit to grace through gratitude. I came away from her speech feeling motivated to practice gratefulness more intentionally in my daily life
-Katrina, Chief People Officer
meet people where they are, but treat them where they should be
One of the key themes we brought home with us has a lot to do with communication. We work with many different kinds of people, some whom we may not see eye to eye with. Instead of highlighting their weaknesses, we need to find a way to meet them where they are while still giving them the respect and understanding they would have if they met our expectations.
There were several takeaways, but one of my favorites was focusing on the ability to meet people where they are at, but treat them where they should be. A speaker called this out for when you are interacting with someone who may not be open-minded about diversity… it’s important to meet them where they are to have an open conversation, but treat them with respect and patience they would earn if they were where they ‘should’ be in your mind.
-Tara, Engagement Manager
know yourself
Taking time to mindfully understand yourself and your strengths will help you reach new levels in both professional and personal lives.
The biggest focus of the conversations was definitely to believe in yourself, to trust yourself, and to know yourself. The best way to be successful is to understand your strengths and “lean in” to those. Talent X Investment = Strength, spend on your talents and the things you love, and that will take you far.
-Renee, Salesforce Consultant
don’t be afraid of failure
Failure is actually a powerful tool on the pathway to success. Instead of shrinking away from it, we lean in, learn from it, and grow stronger.
There were several sessions that had really interesting topics including – negotiating like a boss, promoting yourself and managing your personal brand. All of them had a similar themes of showing up, sitting yourself at the table and not being afraid of failing, getting turned down or speaking up. Love this
-Stacy, Project Manager
Join our team of empowering women today!