GREAT

individual
Contributor
5 characteristics that make good
individual contributors GREAT
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 2

What’s inside?

3-4 About the model

5-6 GREAT Individual Contributor Characteristics

7-9 Self-Assessment

10-13 Development ideas

14-15 Interview questions

16 Take action
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 3

Leadership is art & science.

Leadership has always been a competitive advantage at Salesforce; it is a core part of what
has made us successful since our founding. Leadership at all levels — Self leadership, Team
leadership, and Executive Leadership — is what will prepare us for success in our next chapter.
That is why we’ve updated our Salesforce GREAT Leader Model, to capture behaviors we all
need to collectively role model in our next phase. As our company continues to grow and
expand around the globe, it’s more important than ever for all of us to understand expectations
of our role and leverage the tools available to bring those behaviors to life.

About the GREAT Leader Model

The GREAT Model was originally developed in 2014 by the Talent Development Team for the
entire organization. Three models were developed. One for individual contributors, one for
managers, and one for executives. The GREAT Models outline the characteristics at each level
that define what it takes to be great at Salesforce. Five characteristics were identified in the
framework as well as the behaviors that are critical to live these characteristics at each level.
As we grow and change as a company, we are always looking at what it takes to be great in
our changing environment and to clarify these expectations. In 2018, the GREAT Model was
updated across the organization to reflect our expectations of great at Salesforce. Each set
of behaviors is the foundation for the next level up. As you progress in your career there are
additional expectations as you take on more complexity and responsibilities.

The GREAT Individual Contributor Model was developed for individual contributors up to
senior directors, non-people managers. It is endorsed by Salesforce leadership and illustrates
what great managers leaders do. Most importantly, this model gives you specific tools that
can help hone your management skills NOW and inspire those around you to think differently
about everything they do.

Developed for leaders — by leaders

Our team didn’t develop this model in a vacuum. Instead, we interviewed leaders, gathered
data and insights, and incorporated proven leadership best practices. The result is very
Salesforce-specific and helps differentiate good leaders from “Great leaders.”
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 4

Leadership is art & science.

Within this guide, you’ll find:

• The key characteristics leaders need to succeed at Salesforce

• Key behaviors associated with each of the core characteristics

• Self-assessment exercises to show your greatest strengths and areas

where you can improve

• Actionable development ideas to help you refine your skills

• Sample interview questions to help you evaluate whether candidates

have what it takes to be great leaders at Salesforce

Start today. Start now.

With hard work, dedication, and self-reflection, leadership can be one of the
most rewarding personal and professional experiences of your life.

Aloha!
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 5

great individual
contributor characteristics

With the help of many top salesforce leaders, we’ve distilled the top five characteristics of
great individual contributors at Salesforce. This section introduces you to each characteristic
and its associated key traits and behaviors. Pay special attention to the behaviors column —
you’ll be doing a brief self-assessment in the following section.

CHARACTERISTIC KEY TRAITS BEHAVIORS

• Knowledge • Knows the business, customer, and industry inside and out
• Innovation • Develops creative approaches that drive results
• Makes decisions that take into account the whole picture
• Integration
of Salesforce and broader industry
• Managing Ambiguity • Produces high-quality work even with incomplete information
• Compassion • Embraces and adapts to change

SALESFORCE • Change Management

SMART

• Drive Results • Drives results even under tough circumstances

• V2MOM • Aligns V2MOM with the direction of the department and team
while adding original content and personalization
• Process Improvement
• Actively seeks out ways to improve how work gets done
• Resilience
• Takes on tough challenges and is persistent despite obstacles
• Calculated Risk Taking
• Tries new things, isn’t afraid to fail, and moves forward
• Resourcefulness
GET IT DONE • Finds creative solutions to roadblocks

• Salesforce First • Puts the collective good of the company first

• Collaboration • Builds and leverages strong working relationships
across all of Salesforce
• Productive Conflict
• Steps up to challenge others respectfully when needed
• Self-Awareness
• Adjusts personal style based on how it impacts others
• Teamwork
• Asks questions and input from others to develop
• Compassion
WIN AS A TEAM the best solutions and ideas
• Works to understand others’ unique perspectives
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 6

great individual
contributor characteristics

CHARACTERISTIC KEY TRAITS BEHAVIORS

• Development • Invests in own development and looks for opportunities

to develop and coach others
• Ownership
• Takes accountability of a project regardless of the outcome
• Gratitude
• Displays gratitude and appreciation towards others
• Growth Mindset
for their help
• Authenticity
• Approaches obstacles as an opportunity to develop and learn
• Emotional Intelligence
MOTIVATE & • Shows consistency between words and actions
CHAMPION • Inspiration
• Able to understand the emotions, needs, and concerns
of other people
• Brings fresh, creative ideas to the table

• Impact • Tailors message and style to the audience while remaining

authentic, consistent, and transparent
• Boldness
• Shows courage to tell people the truth, even when
• Vulnerability
it’s uncomfortable
• Humility
• Seeks help from others without ego in the way
• Candid Conversations
COURAGEOUS • Strikes a balance between confidence and humility.
• Listening
COMMUNICATOR • Comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback,
and having difficult conversations
• Paraphrases colleagues input to check for understanding

KEY TRAITS BEHAVIORS

• Trust • Live it in a way that’s true for you

• Customer Success • Focusses on customer success to drive mutual growth
• Innovation • Reflect the values in your decisions
• Equality • Advocate value driven behaviors

VALUES

SECTION REFLECTION
Before moving onto the next section in this guide, ask yourself:

Was I surprised to see any of these characteristics in the top 5? Why?

Are there additional key traits I associate with each characteristic? Why?

Which characteristic do you feel is your top strength? Your area for improvement?
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 7

individual contributor
self-assessment

You probably have a good sense of what you’re good at and where you have opportunity to
improve. Now, it’s time to take it one step further with a self-assessment exercise. Check the
box that best describes how effective you are (today) related to each statement. As shown
in the model, the first behavior in each characteristic reflects a behavior expected of all
employees across levels. Take your time. Be honest. Then tally your scores.

CHARACTERISTIC #1: SALESFORCE SMART

5 = Very Effective; 4 = Effective; 3 = Somewhat Effective; 2 = Ineffective; 1 = Very Ineffective

5 4 3 2 1

Knows the business, customer, and industry inside and out

Develops creative approaches that drive results

Makes decisions that take into account the whole picture of Salesforce and broader industry

Produces high-quality work even with incomplete information

Embraces and adapts to change

TOTAL 5 =

CHARACTERISTIC #2: GET IT DONE

5 = Very Effective; 4 = Effective; 3 = Somewhat Effective; 2 = Ineffective; 1 = Very Ineffective

5 4 3 2 1

Drives results even under tough circumstances

Aligns V2MOM with the direction of the department and team while adding
original content and personalization

Actively seeks out ways to improve how work gets done

Takes on tough challenges and is persistent despite obstacles

Tries new things, isn‘t afraid to fail, and moves forward

Finds creative solutions to roadblocks

TOTAL 6 =
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 8

individual contributor
self-assessment

CHARACTERISTIC #3: WIN AS A TEAM

5 = Very Effective; 4 = Effective; 3 = Somewhat Effective; 2 = Ineffective; 1 = Very Ineffective

5 4 3 2 1

Puts the collective good of the company first

Builds and leverages strong working relationships across all of Salesforce

Steps up to challenge others respectfully when needed

Adjusts personal style based on how it impacts others

Asks questions and input from others to develop the best solutions and ideas

Works to understand others’ unique perspectives

TOTAL 6 =

CHARACTERISTIC #4: MOTIVATE & CHAMPION

5 = Very Effective; 4 = Effective; 3 = Somewhat Effective; 2 = Ineffective; 1 = Very Ineffective

5 4 3 2 1

Invests in own development and looks for opportunities to develop and coach others

Takes accountability of a project regardless of the outcome

Displays gratitude and appreciation towards others for their help

Approaches obstacles as an opportunity to develop and learn

Shows consistency between words and actions

Able to understand the emotions, needs, and concerns of other people

Brings fresh, creative ideas to the table

TOTAL 7 =
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 9

individual contributor
self-assessment

CHARACTERISTIC #5: COURAGEOUS COMMUNICATOR

5 = Very Effective; 4 = Effective; 3 = Somewhat Effective; 2 = Ineffective; 1 = Very Ineffective

5 4 3 2 1

Tailors message and style to the audience, uses storytelling to deliver effective
presentations and messages

Shows courage to tell people the truth, even when it‘s uncomfortable

Seeks help from others without ego in the way

Strikes a balance between confidence and humility

Comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback, and having difficult conversations

Paraphrases colleagues input to check for understanding

TOTAL 6 =

SECTION REFLECTION
Before moving onto the next section in this guide, ask yourself:

Which three statements caused you to stop and think the hardest?

Which characteristic had the highest score? The lowest?

Did any of your scores surprise you? Why?

Who can I share my assessment with to get an additional perspective?

Note: Use this form to initiate a GREAT Individual Contributor 360º assessment or contact
TalentDev@salesforce.com. The cost is $190/person, and the entire process takes about
3 weeks total from start to finish.
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 10

development ideas

Now that you have a better sense of what behaviors make individual contributors successful
at Salesforce, and how you’re measuring up in each category, it’s time to get to work.
This section provides actionable development ideas that will help you build, practice,
and internalize these traits you need to be a great individual contributor. If you have
questions about any of the ideas, or need help taking the first step, contact the
Talent Development team by emailing them at TalentDev@salesforce.com.

CHARACTERISTIC #1: SALESFORCE SMART

Key Traits Development Ideas

• Knowledge Do:
• Innovation • Join Connectr (Salesforce job shadow app) to job shadow people in departments
• Integration you’re interested in learning more about.
• Managing Ambiguity • Offer your expertise to solve a specific business problem, in or outside your function.
• Change Management • Create a book club in your organization about business or technical topics.
• Follow key leaders across the organization on Chatter.
• Talk to external peers in other industries/professions to gain perspective.
• Review org charts on Aloha to see how different departments are organized.

Read:
• Read Business Behind the Cloud and other key business literature to stay on top of trends
and developments (ask your peers what they read).
• Ask a colleague to provide input or feedback on your work to gain a different perspective.
• Get involved in an initiative that is changing a process or approach to learn about
how to best manage change.
• Read blogs related to our industry to stay on top of new trends. Follow our competitors
on LinkedIn, Twitter, or other forums to continue to stay on top of trends in the industry.
• Discover Peter Drucker’s take on management with this MBA-focused curriculum created
in partnership with the Drucker School of Management.

Attend:
• Attend external conferences or do research to understand the broader industry.
Apply this information to a decision you are responsible for making.
• Attend Business Behind the Cloud (with manager approval) to get a hands-on
understanding of our company’s complex business model and what it takes
to successfully run a high-growth enterprise.
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT
development ideas
CHARACTERISTIC #2: GET IT DONE
Key Traits
• Drive Results
• V2MOM
• Process Improvement
• Resilience
• Calculated Risk Taking
• Resourcefulness
CHARACTERISTIC #3: WIN AS A TEAM
Key Traits
• Salesforce First
• Collaboration
• Productive Conflict
• Self-Awareness
• Teamwork
• Compassion
For internal use only | 11
Development Ideas
Do:
• Use a time management system.
• Seek input on your working drafts (proposals, presentations, etc.) from a peer or mentor.
• If you aren’t sure about the reason for a given task, ask your manager.
• Lend a hand on a team task, whether or not it’s your responsibility.
• Clarify priorities with your manager any time you aren’t certain.
• When you catch yourself shooting an idea down or “going by the book”,
consider if that is a habitual response that may not serve every situation.
• Initiate a project to improve a process.
• Ask your manager to give you a task you’ve never done before or to work
on something that would be a new challenge for you.
• Take the Pathway Assessment and identify at least one way to incorporate
resilience-building activities into your daily routine.
Read:
• Crucial Accountability
• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Development Ideas
Do:
• Review V2MOMs of Marc and his directs, as well as key leaders in your organization,
to learn about business strategy and challenges.
• Discuss V2MOM alignment in team meetings or informal conversations.
• Look where you can partner on your V2MOM methods
• Meet with peers or managers in other departments or functions you impact
(or are impacted by) to increase work effectiveness.
• Ask your manager and peers for networking suggestions.
• Seek feedback from peers and clients about what you could do better.
• Take others across the organization out to lunch to build your network and
create new business relationships.
Training/Assessments:
• Take an assessment (like MBTI, DISC, or SCARF) to understand your work style.
Share your insights with your team and peers, and consider where you may
need to makeadjustments to meet another’s style.
•H
 it the trail to reflect on the value of diversity and inclusion at work and what you
can do to promote equality.
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 12

development ideas

CHARACTERISTIC #4: MOTIVATE & CHAMPION

Key Traits Development Ideas

• Development Do:
• Ownership • Give a peer a badge on Chatter to acknowledge their great work and say thanks.
• Gratitude • Get involved in a mentoring relationship. Here‘s a guide to getting involved.
• Growth Mindset • Volunteer to organize a team event to celebrate success on a project.
• Authenticity • Ask your manager for opportunities to lead projects, initiatives or events, regardless
• Emotional Intelligence of high profile the project may be.
• Inspiration • Schedule informal 1:1s with your peers to get to know them on a more personal level.
Meet with no agenda and chat about life, work or anything else that is top of mind.
• Ask your manager to schedule quarterly career-focused conversations. Prepare to lead
the conversation by using the Cultivate Your Career guide.

Training:
• Sign-up (with manager approval) for the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to explore
how to build a professional life characterized by fairness, integrity, honesty, and dignity.
• Take advantage of Trailhead resources and other internal training and online resources
to develop yourself.

Read:
• Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, which shows how success in school,
work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavour can be dramatically
influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.

CHARACTERISTIC #5: COURAGEOUS COMMUNICATOR

Key Traits Development Ideas

• Impact Do:
• Boldness • Seek coaching on your presentations from a peer who is skilled at it.
• Vulnerability • Ask for and give feedback in the Feedback App. Here‘s a step-by-step guide to using it.
• Humility • The next time you make a mistake, share what happened and what you learned
• Candid Conversations with your team.
• Listening
Training:
• Become an outstanding presenter in any situation and increase business productivity and
personal impact by asking your manager to attend Presentation Skills, an intensive, hands-on,
one-day presentation skills workshop.
• Sign-up for Thanks for the Feedback (in-person or virtual) to learn how to give
and receive high-impact feedback.

Read:
• Vital Smart’s: Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 13

development ideas

SALESFORCE VALUES

Key Traits Development Ideas

• Trust Do:
• Customer Success • Devote 5 minutes in each one-on-one meeting with your manager to give
• Innovation and receive feedback.
• Equality • Read articles and/or attend training on workplace equality and/or unconscious bias.
• Use and evangelize Salesforce products.
• Read articles and/or attend trainings on design thinking, creativity and/or innovation.
• Complete an individual and/or team styles or psychometric assessment.
• Adopt a Foundation cause and share your work with your team.
• Complete your 56 hours of VTO per year.
• Attend, and encourage others to participate, in a wellness or mindfulness course
and the wellness reimbursement benefit.
• Organize a team outing or other way to bring fun into the culture. Think outside
the box (beyond Happy Hours) to volunteering, outdoor activities, a potluck, etc.

Read:
• Articles and/or attend trainings on how to build trust and communicate transparently.
• Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

Training:
• Sign-up for Thanks for the Feedback (in-person or virtual) to learn how to give
and receive high-impact feedback.
• Complete Trailhead modules to learn more about our product as well as how
to give feedback and avoid unconscious bias.

SECTION REFLECTION
Before moving onto the next section in this guide, ask yourself:

How many of these development ideas have you already completed?

How many are you planning to complete?

Are you willing to carve out the time and effort required to put these ideas into action?

Pick two to three new development ideas to focus on first—including at least one from
your weakest characteristic (according to your self-assessment).

Think about what would be the easiest first step and start there.
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 14

inTERview questions

Developing great individual contributors is hard. Hiring them is even harder. This section
offers suggested interview questions that will help you evaluate whether a candidate has
what it takes to be a great individual contributor at Salesforce. Make sure you select at
least two questions from each category during your interview — it’ll help you form
a more complete picture of the candidate and his or her abilities and work style.

CHARACTERISTIC #1: SALESFORCE SMART

1. Tell me about a time you developed an innovative approach to solving a problem that had a direct
impact on the business.
2. D
 escribe a time when you had to make a decision that required taking into account the whole picture
of the company and/or industry.
3. Tell me about a time you had to complete a deliverable without complete information.
4. How do you approach a situation where you disagree with someone else’s opinion or perspective?
Tell me about the toughest change you’ve experienced in your role or on your team.
What did you do to manage that change?

CHARACTERISTIC #2: GET IT DONE

1. Describe a time when you took the initiative to improve a process.

2. Tell me about a situation where you faced an obstacle in your work and how you overcame it.
3. Describe a situation where you took a risk to do something differently and you failed.
What did you learn and how did you move forward?
4. Tell me about a time when you had a challenging task/project that you had to approach creatively.
5. What process do you use to develop your personalized individual goals when given your department and team goals?

CHARACTERISTIC #3: WIN AS A TEAM

1. Tell me how you approach building relationships outside of your own team or department.
2. Describe a time when you had a different point of view than someone and had to challenge their thinking
while preserving the relationship.
3. What is one characteristic of your work style that you have received feedback on that you have had to adjust?
4. Tell me about a team you have worked on where individuals had different styles and opinions.
How did you handle these differences?
5. Describe a time when you had to motivate others around you to approach solving a problem
and develop a high-quality solution.
great individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 15

inTERview questions

CHARACTERISTIC #4: MOTIVATE & CHAMPION

1. Tell me about a time when you were responsible for the success of a project that didn’t go well.
How did you describe your role in the project to others?
2. What do you do to recognize others’ contribution and support?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to learn something new to face a challenge, how did you go about it?
4. Describe a time when you had a conflict with another person. How did you resolve this conflict
to maintain your relationship?
5. Tell me about a time when you had to bring creative ideas to a project or task. How did you develop these ideas?
6. Describe a time when you didn’t follow through on a commitment you made to another team.
What did you learn from this?

CHARACTERISTIC #5: COURAGEOUS COMMUNICATOR

1. Describe a time when you had to tailor a message to meet the needs of an audience you weren’t familiar with.
2. Tell me about a time when you had to be courageous in communicating something difficult to another person.
How did you go about it?
3. Describe a time when you didn’t know how to complete a task and made a mistake. What did you do to move forward?
4. T
 ell me about a time when you had to give someone candid, constructive feedback - how did you approach the
conversation. What about a time when you received feedback that was difficult to hear- how did you handle it?
5. H
 ow do you approach a situation where you are being presented with complex information that you aren’t
sure you understand?

SALESFORCE VALUES

1. How do you build trust with others?

2. What about a situation where trust was lost in a relationship or between two work groups -
what would you do to rebuild it?
3. Tell me about a time when you made a difficult decision to maintain integrity and honesty.
4. How do you maintain a sense of wellness in your life? How do you foster wellness for your team?
5. How do you keep yourself up to date on what your current company’s customers want and need?
6. Tell me about what motivates you about your current work and what you take away from it personally.
7. Tell me about a process or product that you innovated or a problem you solved that had a positive
impact on the community.
8. Tell me the steps you have taken to create a work environment where the differences are valued,
encouraged, and supported.
9. Tell me about a time you were honest and candid with someone when you were uncomfortable doing so.

SECTION REFLECTION
Before moving onto the next section in this guide, ask yourself:

How do you typically prepare to interview a manager candidate?

Are you asking the right questions, or relying on “gut feel” for whether the candidate is a good fit?

Do you prepare a list of interview questions or try to “wing it” once you get in the room?
great Individual model | 5 characteristics that make good individuals GREAT For internal use only | 16

Ready to take action? we can help.

Overwhelmed by the work you need to do? Not sure where to begin? Or perhaps you feel
pretty good about how you stack up to the GREAT Individual Contributor Model, but you
want to polish up a few specific skills? The Talent Development team is here to help
and support you.

How to Continue the Journey

• Visit the Talent Development site on Aloha for guidance on continuing your career growth
and journey at Salesforce.

• Talk to your manager about investing in your development. Discuss the courses listed in this
guide: Business Behind the Cloud, Presentation Skills, Thanks for the Feedback, 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People, and Navigating Your Career and explore Trailhead.

• Ask your manager about resources you can tap into to further develop your capabilities,
including any function-specific training and development resources.

• Want even more feedback on your GREAT Individual Contributor characteristics? Contact
TalentDev@salesforce.com to take a GREAT Individual Contributor 360 assessment.
The cost is $190/person. When you receive your results, identify 1-2 areas of development
and use this guide to build your development plan. Seek feedback about your plan
from your manager.

• Seek a mentor. Be a mentor. Resources for how to do this can be found on the Career
Connections - Career Mentoring Chatter Group.

• Do a job shadow to learn more about other positions at Salesforce you are interested in,
or to share your knowledge with others. Download the Connectr App in Salesforce1
to get started.

still have questions?

Contact TalentDev@salesforce.com