6 minute read
Jumping Into the Deep End
By: Cassie Helmer, Alpha
What does it mean to be an empowered woman?When we were children, the leading ladies that we looked up to ranged from superheroes to princesses to family members. Maybe we saw ourselves in fictional characters who had to overcome a struggle to beat the odds; perhaps we acted out stories of our own imagination, battling evil until good won the day. Nowadays, we can also look to women who are excelling in the careers we someday hope to conquer.
Lynne Zaledonis is the current Senior Vice President of Product Marketing at Salesforce, a Fortune 500 cloud-based software company focused on customer relationship management. It is clear to see how Lynne—who is personable even from a conference call 2,000 miles away—commands a room. Whether delivering a presentation or leading her team, she speaks with conviction and a depth of knowledge gained through years of working hard and taking chances. There are many lessons to be learned from her success, including the fact that it takes determination and a willingness to listen to achieve your goals.
Lynne’s Alpha Sigma Tau story began when she found her home at the Psi Chapter at James Madison University (JMU). She jokingly refers to her college journey as a Goldilocks story: after spending her freshman year at Penn State, Lynne set out to find a school that was not quite as large and had more opportunities where she felt she could make her mark. She stopped for a night at JMU on her way to visit another even smaller school, and like Goldilocks, found it to be just right.
“I really fell in love,” Lynne asserts about her choice to transfer to JMU. She decided to participate in sorority recruitment because she recognized the opportunity to make connections as a sophomore student at a new school. “It was a good way to test the waters of different groups. I felt like everyone in my class had made those connections in the freshman year I had missed, and I wanted to see what was out there for me.” Lynne quickly found what she was looking for in Alpha Sigma Tau. “I needed a place where I could contribute to the school and to the community. I viewed college as a chance to do some good, grow personally, and make my mark.” Lynne remembers finding structure in Alpha Sigma Tau that guided her toward becoming the leader she is today. She held a position in her collegiate chapter and in JMU’s College Panhellenic Association. “That set me up for success because it is similar to my current job. Some days required juggling responsibilities and free time when I had to hold office hours or complete a task before our chapter meeting.” Lynne used these opportunities to develop her leadership style. She explained that a good leader is strategic, data-driven, and brave, and while she sees elements of those qualities in herself, she believes her greatest strength to be her emotional intelligence. She clarified that she perseveres through challenging times by trying to make sure that she is always adding value to her experience and that of others. When things get difficult, Lynne advises that she “focuses on how to solve the problem rather than react without careful consideration.”
In her collegiate chapter, Lynne recognized common traits within the diverse group of young women. She notes how invaluable an experience it was to be able to learn from Sisters who shared her values but were also wildly different from her. There is a warm fondness in how Lynne speaks about the relationships made during her time in college. She touched on what her Alpha Sigma Tau experience looks like now that she is in the professional world. Lynne has played host to her Alpha Sigma Tau Sisters in California where often Sisters come from all over the country to spend time together. Time and time again, being able to count on her Sisters as well as support them in times of need has solidified their lifelong connections. “Over time, the relationships we have and how we communicate has changed, but the important part about long friendships is being part of milestones,” she says.
When starting a new project, Lynne knows she is able to rely on her mentors, including her Sisters, for guidance and likens that experience to business. “A publicly traded company has a board of directors and so should every individual,” she explains. Lynne believes that it isn’t enough to have just one mentor, but rather that individuals need a board of directors to guide their career. She says that while it can be inspiring to have a strong female mentor who may have experienced the same things you have been through, you need a variety of mentors to offer different perspectives to guide your way. Lynne also makes the distinction between mentors and advocates. “I find that a mentor is someone you can talk with and listen to their perspective while making decisions. An advocate, however, is someone who will speak up for you even when you are not in the room.” Lynne notes that doing something as simple as raising your hand for a new project can take you forward. “Advocates recognize your willingness to contribute,” she says. “They will remember the good work you do, and if future projects are available, your name will come up.”
When the opportunity arose to give a keynote presentation on behalf of Salesforce, Lynne jumped at it. She remembers the weeks of preparation and nervousness she felt before her sevenminute speech, but it was all worth it. The event went smoothly, and she was called on again in the future. “A key part of success is having a willingness to try new things, to jump into the deep end,” according to Lynne. She noted that she has been called upon to take risks in her career and advises that regardless of the outcome, “you’ll have a better perspective for next time.” Lynne understands the nervousness college grads can feel when starting out. Experiencing uncertainty when choosing a direction to go in one’s career is natural, and it can be difficult to determine the steps to take to achieve your goals. She maintains that some lateral career moves she made are still a move forward because they build a comprehensive skill set and can open doors that you never expected. “You might not see the forward trajectory yet but learning, growing, and contributing will always serve you better than just counting the years until retirement.”
Lynne embraces this mindset daily and is extremely passionate about her career. “It’s not the actual thing I’m doing on any given day that is exciting...I find the bigger vision of my company overall drives my interest.” Salesforce places a strong emphasis on giving back, and Lynne, who is an avid traveler, took the chance to help build a computer lab in Guatemala through a nonprofit called Surf For Life, which focuses on community development projects worldwide. She enjoyed the experience so much that she returned the next year and helped build a garden! Much like serving the Harrisonburg, Virginia, community with her Psi Chapter Sisters during her college years, Lynne views volunteering not only as a way to do some good but also as a time to open herself up to new experiences and skills that she might not otherwise have exposure to in her daily job. “It can be very rewarding to get out of your comfort zone,” Lynne reports.
Salesforce is consistently ranked by Forbes as a highly innovative company, and Lynne says that energy is apparent in her daily job duties. Her team facilitates many social events that showcase new innovations in corporate sales, often needing to create content like magazine articles and new product campaigns to get the point across. Lynne finds it fascinating to work with fresh ideas and relies on her skills of relationship building to connect with various communities. “If I sit still in this job, opportunity will pass me by,” Lynne remarks. “I love to think about what’s next.”
The drive to try new things has served Lynne well in her career, and recognizing this, she aims to give back in ways that help others grow. Although her career with Salesforce has now spanned fourteen years, Lynne insists she still gets a healthy amount of nervous energy when working on a major project or preparing for a speaking event. “We are our own worst enemies,” she reassures with a smile. “You can prepare endlessly, and it is still possible you will trip and fall on your way. The important thing is to use what you have learned to get back up and try again.”
