Ashley Alebiosu, Manager CxO Experiences at Salesforce

Transcript

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): I'm Tracy Lovejoy.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And I'm Shannon, Lucas. We are the co-ceos of catalyst constellations which is dedicated to empowering catalysts to create bold, powerful change in the world.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): This is our podcast move, move, fast, break, burnout, where we speak with catalyst executives about ways to successfully lead transformation in large organizations. Today I am very excited to hear from and learn from the genius experience builder herself.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Currently the manager of Cxo experiences at Salesforce, Ashley, Avios. It is a delight to have you with us.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm so excited to for a conversation today.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Me too, so would love to kick off with you, having the chance to introduce yourself and love to hear about your catalytic journey. Sharing some of those highlights along the way.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Awesome. So, as mentioned, my name is Ashley Oliveosu. I am a 1st generation Nigerian, American. I'm a dog, mom. I'm a Brussel sprout connoisseur self dubbed. I'm a volleyball player and an avid zoom, but dancer I'm based in New York, but I live in Connecticut. So I am a Burbs girl who loves the city as well and loves to travel.

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think I've mentioned all those things to just tell you the different parts of my world that still connect. And I really identify as a connector. You know, I like to connect people. I connect people to information, to projects, to community. And I really like to see how there's impact and change that comes from those connections.

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Ashley Alebiosu: My career journey is a little bit different. I've spent most of my time in marketing within the realm of sponsorship and branding and events. And all of that can translate into experiential marketing. If you want or integrated marketing. I started off 1st at Thompson, Reuters for the majority of my career, working in our global sponsorship group. Working on things like aspen ideas festival, white House correspondents, the world economic Forum relationship in all capacities, trying to figure out.

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Ashley Alebiosu: do we have those right executives in the right place? Are we talking about the right messaging right? What is happening around us that we could be bringing forward with our executives on these platforms. But my role wasn't just what was happening in the business sense, but also as an employee at Thompson Reuters. And I think my role, even as a erg leader at the time was critical. I can think back to a moment around 2,015. I think it was during the Dylan roof shooting that occurred where I sent an email to my leadership team from the Black employee network saying, What are we doing?

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Ashley Alebiosu: Why aren't we doing something? That email triggered a whole conversation that led to we had a Harvard professor come in and actually have a conversation with our executive leadership team and actually start thinking about, what are we doing with our employees, with that permafrost later? What? Where? Where? We re-looking at our Dei strategy? How are we having this conversation? So I think about like that. Email was a catalyst.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): And start it up.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Trail. So there's so many, I think, moments of my career where that's happened. After Thompson Rotas, or had the opportunity to work for Fortune media and manage their most powerful women's membership and actually work on a really awesome product called Fortune connect, that was preparing purpose, driven leaders for that next step.

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Ashley Alebiosu: In that capacity, you know I have. I was challenged to shift our membership when we went virtual because of Covid. And how do you engage these executives? Right? I'm talking to our top 4 to 500 female execs across. That really took me to think, okay, I need to think we are in crisis.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But how are we still gonna get this forward? And how are we gonna engage our members, build community and actually make sure there's business impact at the end of the day. So, watching the transformation from an in person live limited membership to the evolution that was a virtual, robust membership through Covid was a very proud moment for me. And my time at fortune was amazing, and we we spoke and partnered so much with salesforce. And I was like.

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Ashley Alebiosu: what's going on in salesforce. And that's where I am today working on our Cxo experiences where we target CEO, Cmo, CIO and Cios in our programming. And you know, salesforce is such a large organization, right? Our ship is often being steered in different directions.

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Ashley Alebiosu: In my role and capacity I actually have taken on where we think about our micro innovations. That will impact that Macro.

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Ashley Alebiosu: right? I, you know, we have so many tools at our disposal. And so I've taken more of a tech lens of, let's fix these smaller operations so that can eliminate the need. So we can focus on what actually has to get done.

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think oftentimes I'm thinking, bigger picture. First, st I want to know the landscape. What is the priority? And then how does my role fit into that

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Ashley Alebiosu: and I've really, really.

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Ashley Alebiosu: really maintain that lens throughout my career.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): I'm hearing that as a theme. So I love that you. You end with that. And I'm curious, you know, as I ask you to talk about what the concept of catalyst means to you. I'm curious if that lensing is is an element. So that's here with me. So tell us in your own words, Ashley, what does the concept of catalyst mean to you?

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think the concept of catalyst is you. I'm like you wanna get shit done. I'm sorry I don't read the curse, but get shit done so, and honestly, I had on my screens around my laptop for a period of time. It said, Get shit done because I wanted to be reminded, what are we doing? I come in and I'm like, what does the team want to get done? Let's cross that finish line. That's like my 1st goal. But I'm like, before we can do that.

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Ashley Alebiosu: What are the larger factors that play before we can actually figure that out. So that's why keep kind of zooming out any organization that I've joined or been a part of. I often come in. And I'm like, Okay, we're in this part of the order. Where is everyone else around us? Okay, what does that team do? I will go and join other team meetings. I will go and listen to what other departments are working on right. I might subscribe to newsletters that they're putting out just to see, like.

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Ashley Alebiosu: what is the language landscape and actually happening and insights around our organization that's going to come back and change our lane, whether it's now or later. Or is there going to be impact later? So I try to

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Ashley Alebiosu: listen outside of my role, if that makes sense and bring that in and then also take time to build relationships outside of my role, to bring.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Hmm.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And so with that right with the information that I can gather with the relationships that I can build, then I can create a concept or focus on? What can we break? What can we fix.

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Ashley Alebiosu: You do so change and

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Ashley Alebiosu: make a path to get the to that team goal.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Does does that.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): you know, desire to look at the larger factors and then think about, you know what we can, what we can break? Does that ever conflict with getting shit done?

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Ashley Alebiosu: Absolutely, absolutely, because, as we know, at a large organization, alignment is critical. So as much as that big picture to me, like when I focus down like, I'm like, okay, let's think about how we can fix this. That may not be the business priority, right? That may not be the business priority for my, my unit.

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Ashley Alebiosu: the larger unit. What's happening for the quarter? What's happening.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): For.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Half of the year. And so it becomes a juggle of okay, let me make sure I'm not losing sight of what my role actually is, and what needs to get done. But if I can work on this, this is going to make everything else better.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): It's it's.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Kind of like you juggle like. All right.

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Ashley Alebiosu: I can't really do this all the time, but I'm going to spend time after work

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Ashley Alebiosu: figuring this out, testing a use case, going on a listening tour, piloting this on a smaller project.

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Ashley Alebiosu: getting feedback and see if it'll change behavior before we can scale it. So I think

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Ashley Alebiosu: you know the fact that there is a large, there's a larger Eco business system at play is a factor, and we, you know we can't. That's not lost on me at all.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But eventually that will come into play. So it's kind of like knowing.

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think I've said to myself, knowing what to put the pen down, and I think you know your mind can be going so much. But if I can figure this out, and you see the chain of reaction. Because if I can do this, then this team can do that, and then we don't. You know, we can achieve X. Maybe we don't have to waste time processing all this stuff. We already have our insights, and we can start actually having a straight conversation of what do our customer needs feel like, what do our customers want to experience? Okay, they were with us on in on site.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Now, what can we prepare for their next experience that actually, you know, makes them

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Ashley Alebiosu: built, build a stronger connection to our brand. So.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: I'm wondering it's such a tension, you know. I want to sort of move into like I mean, like listening to your story. You're incredibly successful. The things that you've done are just so inspiring, and we know that there are challenges being a catalyst. Second, you, you just outlined a very big one for us of that tension of this is what I have to deliver. This is what I really want to deliver, and the tension of like, does anyone even see or value this thing? So I deeply relate to that.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: What are if you had to pick like one or 2 of the biggest challenges as a catalyst leader. What would they be.

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think it's knowing when

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Ashley Alebiosu: knowing when it's time to influence, I think, and that is a skill that you need to strengthen, because

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Ashley Alebiosu: at any moment

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Ashley Alebiosu: anything else could take over what you're hoping to do. But I think it's knowing the right timing and knowing your audience

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Ashley Alebiosu: and knowing how that's going to align with their vision to show your impact. So if I have.

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Ashley Alebiosu: you know, even I take something as small as like a work flow in a working platform. Right? So can I create an automation to intake a form so that someone could review information. And it's approved right? That's sound. And when we're saying it out loud. It's like, that's not a big lift. But if you just think about

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Ashley Alebiosu: what does it need to say? What are the actions we're asking for. Where is the output? Who's going to get it? Where did we do with that information? What's the next step with? Once we collect that information. All of that

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Ashley Alebiosu: needs to be considered and then drawn out. And I was like, I could probably think about that pretty quickly and be like, oh, my God, yeah, we could just do all this. I wrote it out for you, and blah! Blah blah blah! Some people will be overwhelmed right? It's like this isn't the right time for that. So I think one of the things is knowing when it is your time to share

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Ashley Alebiosu: what you want to break, or what solution. Usually I have a solution when I'm recommending anything through it.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Right.

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Ashley Alebiosu: When you're ready to share the solution of what you want to break, or when you're highlighting, I think this is an opportunity for us to grow and expand and reimagine. So I think, knowing when to influence.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And then I also think it's sometimes it's knowing when you have to let something go, and I I try not to. I I am one that I think when I write it's almost like if I think it and I write it down. I'm going to do it. I have like a running list and my phone of notes of like my goals for the year. And it's kind of like broken out by sections of life. And it's like, All right, teed up what's next? And so sometimes it's.

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Ashley Alebiosu: and what I like to do is, keep the notes up, and I go back quarterly, and I might cross it out if it's done, or I might update it. So sometimes it's like

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Ashley Alebiosu: you might have to shift.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yes, you could think and see a path forward, but sometimes you may have to say you know what

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Ashley Alebiosu: this won't actually be worth all of this in the end, and knowing that you might have to re-pivot and reimagine or refocus what you want it to actually change as well.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Those 2 things are so hard for catalysts.

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Ashley Alebiosu: To let go.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: To let go of your idea, baby, and also like it's and they're for me. They're deeply connected, which is, you know, knowing when it's time to influence. And if it's not the right time, is it the letting go? Or what I hear you say is, maybe it's on the not right now list.

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Ashley Alebiosu: 3.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Right.

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Ashley Alebiosu: It's in the parking lot, right? Maybe.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Parking lot.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Not, but.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And I love your discipline of going back to it. You mentioned a bunch of things under the knowing when it's time to influence, and you threw in one that you went through really quickly. But it's really important, which is also like, when could they take over when you're talking about the form. And you're even getting people on board. It's like, Okay, I'm a catalyst. I've gotten it to this stage, and there's a different letting go because you've brought people along. And now you're like, it's operationalized. I'm not really interested in doing that right.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: But all of the other things, knowing your audience helping them understand the vision, us understanding how it'll impact them.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Oh, that sounds like a lot of work, Ashley. How do you do that?

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Ashley Alebiosu: It is a lot of work, and I think I've always done this. I think you know, even throughout school, growing up, I was always

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Ashley Alebiosu: probably signing up for too many things at once. And I but I loved that because I loved seeing

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Ashley Alebiosu: one of the different things going on in the different perspectives. Right? Because I, what? And I, going back to even high school, right? I played a lot of sports. I was in a lot of clubs. And I was like, Okay, if this person doing this here, then we can do that there and then they talked about this, and then I heard this over here, so I've always, I think, ha loved

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Ashley Alebiosu: being in a little bit of everything because of that. And that's why that big picture is so important to me. So that's been a trait in and outside of work. I think some people are like you always do too much, and I'm like, is it? Am I doing enough? So, even outside of work, I volunteer for about 3 other organizations and mentor a lot in that capacity and trying to help younger populations of color find access to education or different programs, or even just spending time with people. I think time is so important.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But I I make the time for it. Those are the things that fill me. I love being a part of teams like I love, you know, like when I think I played for a lot of teams. I managed football in college, and I just love watching how people

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Ashley Alebiosu: get together and figure it out so anytime that I can be a part of that. I I get excited. So that's why I keep doing it.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: It's fascinating. Because, you know, as I was thinking about, it's like as you started answering, I was like, Yeah, that feels like a lot of work and maybe an energy drain. But you ended with, I get so much energy from this.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And I'm just wondering if you can talk about. Are there other forms of energy that you need along the way? And then there's a follow-up question, which is, what would you? It sounds like? It's a little bit effortless, maybe intuitive or something. But when you're connecting the dots, you're seeing how the team or the system is coming together. So it's not hard work for you like this is the thing for people that that's not

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: as easy or they're superpowered. Do you have advice for them on that? Because it is key to being able to drive, change, that knowing when to influence peace.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, I mean, and you're right. It does energize me. I sometimes need like, if I enter sometimes when I'm at work events, and we're doing so many things running around. I was like, I need to take a break because I'm like my energy level is I wanna talk to everyone and talk about everything. So so I do try to schedule myself out. I actually do make a list, I think, lists and routine, or actually, my list routine is really important. Every morning I have these like lined.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Actually, I think I have one right here. I have these lined colored post. It notes and I actually depending on the day. I'll pick the color based on my mood. And I just make my list. And I'm like this is gonna guide my day. So then, I, this is what we're doing today, and we cross it off. I also have a list on my phone of my personal reminders for the day. So yes, that's so much. But I will focus on okay. Today, we're gonna go get X done this organization after work. I'll work on this today. Tomorrow's this and that organization I'll work on tomorrow. So I do really lean on scheduling.

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Ashley Alebiosu: having it on a calendar. I know I overbook myself, and I tried to do my best to mitigate that and manage expectations. But I definitely think calendaring list looking at your time and really being intentional about your time is important. I also will actually take Mo. And yes, I'm very out with a lot of people out of things all the time. But I will take moments for myself oftentimes, before

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Ashley Alebiosu: a project, and preparing for things. I write a script, I rehearse my script, I will walk and talk to myself out loud, and record it, and play it back to myself. So I think, for those who may not be as comfortable. Write your talk, track, practice your talk track. But be very smart about that talk track right? You don't want to be too verbose. You want to hit those critical bullets first.st What are you trying to get across, and what is going to be important for your audience here? So.

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Ashley Alebiosu: knowing your audience, if I'm going to be presented to a senior level leader. They don't need to know the nitty gritty of logistics, how it's going to get done. They need to know what is the end result. And then what is the impact here? Is it monetary? Is it a resource needed?

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Ashley Alebiosu: Right? So, tailor your conversation to your audience. But practice.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Write it down.

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Ashley Alebiosu: What points do you wanna hit? And then let's say, if it is something that's technology based, make sure you're testing it. I have a ton of slack test channels that I test a lot of things in before they go live. I have other people test them. So

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Ashley Alebiosu: prepare right that talk track

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Ashley Alebiosu: practice. And you know we drive through what you're actually hoping to

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Ashley Alebiosu: propose. If there's something tangible there. I will like to, you know, Bounce an idea off of a colleague to just get validation as well. Right. You don't wanna necessarily go in fully

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Ashley Alebiosu: without a check, sometimes with someone else. If you are going to another leader. So gauging that before you approach someone, if you have the opportunity, I would also highly recommend.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: I love the intentionality, and I think that, like up and coming, not even just catalyst people in the world are like, oh, by the time you get to a certain level, you can just it's natural and you can phone it in. It's like, No, the C-e-o's have to sit down and prepare for the board, and we have to sit down and prepare for the C-e-o's every single time, or whoever it is. So, going back, their natural skill isn't to understand how and when to influence people. Do you have any more pieces of advice of things that have worked there.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, I mean, I think I've leaned into. That's when my listening tours and when I'm paying attention to the lot, the larger conversations have come into play. So when you if you wanna try and influence, maybe your department level down right? Are you paying attention on those town halls and those conversations up. What's happening this next month, this next quarter? Right? And I think.

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Ashley Alebiosu: work working along that timeline of what is the business priority for our team right now within the next couple of weeks months, and using that to time, your influence. Because, again, if you have, if you have an idea, you want to raise. And it's just like we are. This is our busy season. This is coming up. We have recorderization happening. We have end of fiscal. If you're not aligned with the timing of what's happening. Your organization

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Ashley Alebiosu: you could lose, you know. Lose that.

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Ashley Alebiosu: lose that support immediately. So I just think it's it's incumbent on you to also do your due diligence to know what's the climate that I'm proposing this in cause some of it's just out of our control. And so just just preparing for that when you wanna

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Ashley Alebiosu: in there.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: It's really strong advice, and people are so busy and so zoomed teamed, whatever out. And my younger self, even, you know, I just I wouldn't make the time I was like, why do I need to listen to the Town Hall as a catalyst? It felt like such a waste of time it felt like the Charlie Brown teacher. Wah! Right?

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: But the more senior you get, the more you realize, like paying deep attention to when the Svps and the C-suite are getting up there and giving the guidance. Like, if you're not responding to what's going on there, you're going to be out of lockstep with the organization. I love that

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: going back to the so that's super concrete advice. Thank you. Going back to the knowing when it's time to let go. Oh, how do you know

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: I mean, cause the the attachment can be so deep and like, especially if it's connected to like personal purpose or our values.

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Ashley Alebiosu: So deep, so deep. But I do think there's a lot of moments where I've leaned on mentors. To have a more objective conversation with me around. Do you think this is a smart concept to keep driving towards like, what do you think I'm I'm getting some pushback. I'm feeling a little bit of

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Ashley Alebiosu: tension here, and you know I think I've had some really strong former mentors, Jackie Keratin's 1 Eileen Lynch, when I worked at Thompson, Reuters is another and actually still kind of mentors me now. And Sneha, critical mentor to me, too, who would be honest about? I think this is something you need to move on from so, or this isn't the right time, you know. Let's parking lot it so I think, having you know, some people say a board of directors, or having an advisor, I do think.

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Ashley Alebiosu: leaning on an objective external person can be helpful. Just to help you think through and validate it, cause you can obviously get very caught up in your own thought process. And just think that of course I'm right. This has to be right like, how can I be wrong? So I think, allowing yourself to be vulnerable to that is

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Ashley Alebiosu: is is tough. But I I think you

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Ashley Alebiosu: I think a strong part is trying to still have a conversation with someone who can say, Let's think about this, and that goes back to like I'm saying, the timing went to influence. That's still a check, right? It's kind of still another checkpoint.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Totally.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But I think it's knowing who to go to for that, and so I would. I would lean on to lean into a mentor if you have one

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Ashley Alebiosu: and choose that path.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And get one if you don't. It sounds like. And also the critical piece you said is like, and listen to it with some vulnerability and openness. Right?

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: So it's not easy being a catalyst. And you outlined a couple of the challenges. If you had a magic wand and you could change anything to sort of make yourself more effective or overcome those challenges. What would it be.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Whoa! More effective or organized challenges. Oh, my goodness.

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Ashley Alebiosu: that's a great question. I would. I think I would probably say as much as I say I do a lot. I probably would slow down. I think I would. Probably. Sometimes I like to work on probably 5, 4 to 5 things at the same time, and as much as I'm saying, I love it. I love it, I love it. I do think

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Ashley Alebiosu: sometimes I think it can be a buffet right? It's like I wanna do, so much is everything gonna be great?

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Ashley Alebiosu: But if you do one to 2 things really hyper focused, it's gonna be amazing. So would say, even for myself, as knowing that I have the capacity to do a lot, it's not always necessary. You don't always have to go

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Ashley Alebiosu: full bird out full throttle all the time. And so that's, I think, a challenge that I'm still working through.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: We have a good friend in the network, Shakya, and she brought this gift to us, which is like no, is a full sentence.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Sis.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And also there's an interesting connection, because I hear you mentor people like also. Sometimes you can pass those opportunities on to others which becomes a gift to them.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: which was a really profound learning. All right. One more question along this line, which is, we're seeing this tension in business today about needing to keep the lights on the foundations going back to core principles for the business

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: while there's a demand on the business to deal with the ever accelerating change of speed and developing more resilient and agile culture. I mean, I know Salesforce has excelled at a lot of that for a long time, but I'm wondering if you have advice for other catalyst leaders about how to walk that knife edge

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: of not being too disruptive, like keeping the revenue like you're super focused on what the needs of the business are while doing the change like. But if I could just fix this thing over here, it'll make it all better.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, yeah, I mean, I would still go back to getting well, doing my role first.st That is primary doing my role 1st is primary, and then, like, I said then, making the time for that when I can. So I think that tension has been around for a while. I don't know when it'll subside.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But the primary is getting my job done, because that's my goal in terms of me wanting to remain at my organization. But it is making that extra time. And where do you find it? And I think there's a lot of rhetoric around like, you know, how much work do you do outside of your role. And it's like, I think, to be

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Ashley Alebiosu: to be

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Ashley Alebiosu: to be a catalyst. You're doing work outside of your role like that is a reality, in my opinion, is, you are kind of up looking things up and doing research and ha and questioning things like, I think that is so important. Towing the line, though I think it's still you need to be aligned to your business priorities, and I think still in that when you look at your. Maybe it's

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Ashley Alebiosu: the earnings for the quarter. What? The outlook is right looking through those details. Okay, we are projecting and forecasting. This is what we're working towards. That's when you can get back into the excitement again. It's like, okay.

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Ashley Alebiosu: let's focus on what we have to do. But when the company outlook

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Ashley Alebiosu: is turning. That's when I think you can start shifting again. And I so I again, I think it's being aligned to your organization and listening to

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Ashley Alebiosu: what they're saying, and reading the roadmap and then really timing yourself against that, while when you can.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Sounds like one of your superpowers is sensing, which I think is really key.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah.

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Ashley Alebiosu: thank you. I would say, I, that's funny. You said that because I

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Ashley Alebiosu: I that's that's another lens to think about it, because I was actually saying, like, I think one of them is making people feel comfortable. But I think part of the reason I can is because, like, can sense going into a situation in an environment. So.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): I'd love to. There's so much you've shared that is wisdom for others. But I'd love us to kind of hit this head on.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): There are places that we see catalysts get stuck.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): That kind of. There are behaviors we can exhibit that keep us from moving toward more senior leadership positions.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): I hear so much wisdom in what you have learned through time, and so I'd love to, you know. Hear from you. What is it that you have found is really important for us

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): to consider. As we want to move into executive positions. You know what can hinder us in those levels? Given our catalytic.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, I mean, I think

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Ashley Alebiosu: the hindrance again can kind of be

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Ashley Alebiosu: sometimes getting in your own way, because you really want you might again might get so tied to an idea that you want to see

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Ashley Alebiosu: come to fruition, and it's and no like going back to knowing to want to let knowing to one knowing what to let it go. And I do.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Yeah. Back.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Actually impact you over time. I've learned that like I've

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Ashley Alebiosu: as I've said, I've worked on that and learned that

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Ashley Alebiosu: I do think I'm gonna the Sunday Duck at the CEO of Tia was recently quoted by fortune saying something to the effect of

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Ashley Alebiosu: You know, Job, titles come and go. But the story that's told about you is what remains. And so I think about in any of the work that you're doing. What impact are you leaving on the team and the organization and thinking about that. Right? So

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Ashley Alebiosu: is the brand. Yes, she had a fantastic idea.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And she got some of her ideas through, but when she couldn't

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Ashley Alebiosu: she was out of the game. She couldn't focus. She couldn't, you know, she wasn't a team player anymore. So what is the brand and the role you're playing on your team that you want to travel with you across and up an organization and keep that in mind when you are working and when you are breaking things, cause you do want to be mindful of that. If you want to be in a position in an organization.

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Ashley Alebiosu: So I do think that's really important, too.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): I have a curiosity.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): You've shared, you know, across this. Call the like. I like to get you done. That's, you know, a core catalytic trait

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): that people look at you and say she does too much.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): too many ideas at the same time at work. You know. 3 organizations you're volunteering with are more

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): typically

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): folks that we see that are kind of in the, you know, like, get shit done, go, go!

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Don't take a lot of time for reflection.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): And yet across this conversation to Shannon's Point. One of the key things you're teaching us is you have to pause. You have to think about the bigger picture you have to sit and think about what's important to you. And what do you want to develop? You have to sit and think about what's important to your audience and the person in front of you.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): How does that happen? Because I haven't heard that. How yet? Right like, if you're just like get you done.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): But you're telling us again and again. Reflect tactically. What does that look like in your life, Ashley?

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Great question.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, it looks like a calendar hold that I have once a month where I say, I'm gonna sit down and look at my month.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And in that moment I sit down and I think about okay at work.

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Ashley Alebiosu: These are all the things I'm focused on is this project still happening? And I sit and I reflect, and Salesforce has a really fantastic gratitude. Culture. And so I like, try and exercise

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Ashley Alebiosu: moments of gratitude and thinking like, Okay, like this was accomplished, and this was great. And so, because I do think there's moments.

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Ashley Alebiosu: and I think my past where I something's done, and I don't appreciate it. And I'm just so on to the next moment

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Ashley Alebiosu: to learn how to just stop. And so part of that is having that calendar hold to stop and think. Okay, what was done? Let me literally, and I write physically a lot. Still, I have notebooks that I am actively

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Ashley Alebiosu: writing in, and then I go back and look, okay. What did I say about this before? Is that something I still want to do is that someone I still want to speak to. In addition to that.

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Ashley Alebiosu: you know, I I do like to hear from a lot of different people. I put on time on people's calendars, spend a lot of time talking to other people

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Ashley Alebiosu: and making the time to talk to other people and not just about work. Right? It's just a 15 min. How are you? What is happening in your world and then work. So I think.

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Ashley Alebiosu: mastering my schedule and making time to sit down and download things, whether it's

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Ashley Alebiosu: what happened in the month. What's going to happen next? What is the outlook? Who do I need to still talk to? What did this leader really think about.

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Ashley Alebiosu: What was that leader thinking about? I think you physically need to like, sit

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Ashley Alebiosu: and think, and actually like actively.

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Ashley Alebiosu: In my opinion, consider those things. But these are all skills that I was

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Ashley Alebiosu: taught. This is where these weren't natural skills. Right? I think I had. I can say sneeh, who would be like ash like she gave me temples before like. Let's write out

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Ashley Alebiosu: what are the things you want to work on towards that next point, and then my career coach reemphasized that.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And then, you know, within salesforce we have other kind of documentation that reemphasizes that. So it really is a way to hold yourself accountable to take that time.

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Ashley Alebiosu: And it's a lot of like, let's iterate. Okay, that didn't work last quarter.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Let's iterate. What does that look like, but sitting down and actually looking at it, reflecting on it, reviewing it, crossing it out, writing again. Let's revisit this, so I will take the time for that activity, and a lot of people don't like to use bedded paper still. But I do, I mean, and I am a tech heavy human also. But I still want bed.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Tracy, and I do too, totally, and I love the invitation because it's not a superpower for most catalysts to like carve out the time, and and I mean it deeply resonates with me because I have blocks of time like every Wednesday. I'm sorry. Every afternoon from 3 to 3 30 on my calendar is my break, like I have to. I'll have been largely back to back to back. It's like it's not my lunch break. I'm just doing something out, going outside reading a book, whatever it is right. But you have to treat it. I mean, you know, we talk about treating it like like a meeting with your boss.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: You can't just be like, Oh, and I can throw that one away, otherwise it loses its potency. I just wanted to UN highlight. One thing that you talked about in there, the scheduling super important. But you were also talking about like the thoughtfulness of the time with people

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: and that it's maybe maybe not agenda less cause they wouldn't take the meeting necessarily with you. But your agenda item 1st is the connection and the trust building.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And another superpower that you clearly have is community building at the highest echelons in the world, literally. And so I'm wondering if you can just take a minute to speak to that, because that can feel to catalyst the not getting shit done. Part. All right, let's have a call. I just need to get XY and Z done, and I mean, I personally love the catching up and having the conversations. What's your advice for catalyst about how to think about that?

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah, I think it builds your network, and it ultimately will build your influence. Like, I love to meet people from different parts of the org. Because I you never know when your path is gonna cross. So I can even say like, when I

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Ashley Alebiosu: probably in the 1st couple weeks of joining Salesforce. I there was an executive who was on one of my onboarding calls.

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Ashley Alebiosu: and I message her right after, and I was like, Can I just chat with you. I loved what you said, and now that's 1 of my mentors. We meet quarterly. Now I get information about what's happening before some things might be going.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And on.

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Ashley Alebiosu: But I use that that tactic across a lot of other things, you know, that's happened with projects and experiences that we're planning. And we're like, Well, we need sign off. And I'm like, Oh, actually just had a catch up with this person. I'll just ping them quickly. So I think

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Ashley Alebiosu: building the connections makes it strengthens. I think your ability to influence

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Ashley Alebiosu: and to try and get some of your work and impact along the way. So I would say, I'm not saying do it all the time, but I do think trying to dedicate time to

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Ashley Alebiosu: getting to know people meeting new people, or even just, you know, building into the people you already know and strengthen those relationships to me is critical as well.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And does that tie back? I wrote it down. We're going to put this on social. The comment from the CEO of Tia, who's amazing the job title might come and go. But the story they tell about you is going to stay. Do you bring that into the conversations that you're having with people sort of as an intentionality.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yes, yes, I try to. I mean I will tell. I like to tell people about the things I do, and I say that because I don't know who wants to do it as well

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Ashley Alebiosu: volunteer for the resolution organization, right? Like talking to a student who's trying to create a hydrogen stove to challenge one of the Sdgs. And I'm like, who knows? Who could be interested? Who knows? Who may know something? So even in that? That is an information exchange so as much as I want to hear about the person I want them to know. This is what I'm working on, too. Is there something that could apply for you is something that you want to be a part of.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Is this something that can, that sparks something catalytic in your mind. And so I think just connecting an idea. Exchange is is great. I love a good little brainstorm, or even like a working session. You could be on with a friend. And you're like, I'm working on this. Are you working on this? And then you guys start talking out loud, and you're like Whoa.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Whoa! Wait. You just solved what I needed. So I love those moments, but I know not. Everyone may want to connect and talk all the time, but I do think

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Ashley Alebiosu: there is value in that. If you are able to.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Ashley. You are super inspirational, and it sounds like with intention. You're working also to inspire people who are doing amazing shit in the world who are a couple of the inspirational catalysts in your life, maybe past or present.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Yeah. So I mentioned a few earlier. But I'll say them again. So Eileen is a major major. Callous to my life. Jackie Keratin, Sneha Shaw

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Ashley Alebiosu: sawyed, and Ash Carter. So these were all.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Whoa!

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Ashley Alebiosu: Execs that I used to work with, that I that I admired and really really were inspirational along a lot of my earlier career, I honestly would say right now a lot of my peers, who are, I think, now taking the plunge to create their own opportunities. I have 2 friends, Alyssa and Perry, who just launched

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Ashley Alebiosu: a company called like Brown. I think it's a brown skin bride. I'm I'm I might. I'm gonna tag it tag it below. You guys can tag it below, but creating a a company that has engagement and bachelorette like goods for brown skin people which doesn't exist so.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: Thanks.

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Ashley Alebiosu: When I look at how my peers are starting to challenge the world and what we're so used to. That inspires me. And so I'm like, you can have so many parts of your career. Yeah, I work in corporate. And that's right now. But I could do so many other things. So I think, seeing how

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Ashley Alebiosu: people are utilizing their time always inspires me. People who like take the plunge to do with do something on their own. I'm like, Whoa! You are fearless like I'm like, I love. A team. Teams are safe. So I'm often inspired. I mean, Tracy, hearing your story alone and reading your book as well, and the people you've spoken to are all always inspiring. So I like to

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Ashley Alebiosu: draw inspiration from people I hear and listen to

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Ashley Alebiosu: but a lot of my peers right now. Who are doing a lot of cool things, are really driving me so.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: You're inspiring to me. We also get inspired by Jackie and Sneha and Sayeda so big shout out to them. So it sounds like, was it, Eileen, the 1st one that was on that list? If she's on that list, I think we need to talk with her. Thank you so much for sharing your energy, your heart your wisdom. This has been a lovely conversation.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Thank you so much. So great to join you guys.

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Shannon Lucas - Catalyst Constellations: And to our listeners. Thanks for listening. If you'd like to learn more about how to create bold, powerful change in the world, be sure to check out our book that she was referencing. Move fast, break, burnout. And of course you can always go to our website at catalystconstallations.com dot.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): If you enjoyed this episode as much as Shannon and I have, please take 10 seconds to rate it on itunes. Spotify stitcher wherever you listen to your podcasts, and if you have other catalysts in your life, hit the share button and send a link their way.

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Tracey Lovejoy (she, her): Thank you again, Ashley.

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Ashley Alebiosu: Thanks, ladies.

Ashley Alebiosu, Manager CxO Experiences at Salesforce - How to Balance Doing "Too Much"

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Ashley Alebiosu, Manager CxO Experiences at Salesforce - How to Balance Doing "Too Much"

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