Summary
Every enterprise relies on improved key metrics, operational excellence, and better efficiency at scale. And many people love being part of it. But companies need to re-humanize the machines that led them to success. John Taschek, Salesforce’s VP of Strategy, will share his views on how to bring people back to the forefront of competitive intelligence, customer insights, analyst relations, and even pricing and packaging. Doing so means pointing the people who are really good at softer skills to the world outside your own companies. At the same time, it also means developing the internal executive support to make it possible. The outcomes can be frustrating or fun, but in the long game, everyone wins.
Key Insights
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Humanizing technology should be prioritized in enterprise software.
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Emphasizing the voice of customers, both internal and external, is crucial.
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The concept of ‘misfits’ should be embraced for diverse perspectives.
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Communication should create inclusion, not exclusion.
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Hierarchy can hinder communication; flattening structures can foster innovation.
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Transparency is key to building trust within a company.
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Efficiency should not come at the expense of humanity.
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Innovation requires elevating intuition alongside traditional metrics.
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Listening to all voices, including those who are not articulate, is vital for comprehensive understanding.
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Creating a culture of empathy can redefine success in tech organizations.
Notable Quotes
"I want to make the company a little more human."
"I don’t know what I do day to day to make anything happen."
"When the mouse was first introduced, people pointed it at their screen like a remote control."
"How do you train that?"
"We need to protect against dehumanization at all costs."
"You start with a person first, whether an internal or external customer."
"I rather spoon with a flatulent hippo than go to a meeting."
"If we just kept going and looking at feature checklists, everything will be copied."
"We have to give people space to be themselves."
"Humanization is ironic because as you scale, your company will become dehumanized."
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