Marc Benioff

Situational Background

Marc Benioff, Salesforce’s founder, chair, and CEO, is recognised for values-led leadership, big-tent partnerships, and clear narratives. He links purpose to performance and institutionalises giving back. Benioff aligns teams with simple frameworks and visible commitments. Distinctive for combining optimism, social impact, and commercial results, he demonstrates that values can be operational, not ornamental.

Practical Leadership Principles

1) Make values actionable.

‍
Let principles guide choices and incentives.
Behaviours to model:

• Write three values and their behaviours.
• Tie goals and rewards to them.
• Share decisions that values changed.

‍

2) Grow through partnership.

‍
Collaboration multiplies impact.
Behaviours to model:

• Hold a monthly partner council.
• Co-create goals and recognise shared wins.
• Keep promises with public follow-ups.

‍

3) Lead with a simple story.

‍
Clarity attracts energy.
Behaviours to model:

• Use “problem → promise → proof.”
• Limit slides; amplify evidence.
• Revisit the story quarterly.

‍

Call to action

State one value-driven decision you’ll make this week, one partnership to deepen, and one story to share—along with how you’ll prove it.

‍