by Marc Benioff
A few days after we moved into Salesforce Tower, I felt the urge to abandon all my unpacked boxes to take a walk outside. I had a feeling where I might end up, and two minutes later I arrived at the Embarcadero BART station, the one that many Salesforce employees pass through every morning on their way to work.
But I wasn’t catching a train. I’d come to visit a little-noticed granite plaque affixed to the wall. It’s dedicated to my grandpa.
Every time I walk by this station, I stop to read the inscription, which calls Marvin Lewis a “mass transit pioneer” whose “crusading spirit,” and “unflagging perseverance” presented the city with a gift of “unmatched value.”
I’ll admit it’s over the top. But remember, these words were composed in a less complicated moment in time when people were far more inclined to believe in heroes, even flawed ones. My grandfather was a wonderful man, but he certainly wasn’t perfect. Nobody is.
The truth is that this bustling station started as a murky vision in one man’s imagination. And there’s no question that it came with its share of untold costs and complications. But two other things are also true. First is that BART has become an essential portal and economic engine of San Francisco. And second, the incalculable value it has created grew from the values that inspired it.
In my mind, this tower is a monument to the trailblazing spirit I aspire to live by: to the idea that in the future, the highest form of business value will be the kind guided by the highest human values.
* * *
The first time I heard Klaus Schwab use the term “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” a cartoon lightbulb popped on in my head.
I’d long suspected that the rapid pace of technological change I had seen in my lifetime was unique in human history. Of course, I understood the concepts of recency and magnitude, which suggest that it’s always tempting to look at what’s happening around you and conclude that it must be extraordinary. But Klaus convinced all of us that it really was.
Throughout history, scores of intrepid and optimistic individuals and movements have blazed trails for later generations to follow. Over the last seventy years, we have seen dark times, but also incredible leaps of human progress: the steady erosion of global poverty, the rise of literacy with broader access to education, the spread of democracy and free market economies, and the absence of apocalyptic wars, to name a few. People born today are likely to live longer with fewer immediate threats to their well-being.
That said, we’ve got a lot of work to do. The rising temperatures threatening our ecosystems, the plastics polluting our oceans, and the global deforestation occurring at a rate of an acre per second certainly come to mind.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has given technology the leading role in this unfolding story. And how that story ends will depend entirely on what we choose to do with the advances this era has wrought. On the one hand, advances in AI, quantum computing, robotics, connectivity, and genetic engineering can be applied in ways that will make us healthier, safer, and more prosperous. At the same time, if we’re not careful, these innovations could be used to further exacerbate inequality, speed up the destruction of the planet, and inflict catastrophic harm.
In a way, the term “industrial revolution” is misleading. Technology might be accelerating the pace of change and upheaval, but the next revolution will be characterized by something less tangible. It’s not about embracing new machines, or new technologies, or even new ideas—it’s about adopting a new mindset.
In the past, we relied on advancements in technology, business, science, and medicine to improve the well-being of humankind. But the Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought us to a new inflection point. From here, the marginal benefits of the technology itself will begin to decline, while the complexity of its unintended consequences will grow. If we don’t act now, those two forces will eventually intersect and the costs of rapid change will begin to outweigh the benefits. Put simply, we’re at a crossroads, and the actions we take from this moment forward will have a defining impact on what kind of world we leave behind for future generations.
I’m going to make a bold statement: Future historians may not agree with me, and you certainly don’t have to, but I think it’s time to consider whether the Fourth Industrial Revolution is coming to an end, and to make way for a new era.
We have lived through a period of exuberant innovation and creativity. The Fifth Industrial Revolution is about finding ways to harness all of this “progress” for the common good. In the future, success will depend on whether the fruits of that innovation and creativity are used in ways that put the well-being of our people and planet first.
In this footrace between progress and destruction, we can’t waste time trying to pick winners and losers. Our fates are tied. We need to start driving a different kind of global agenda oriented around making the world a more just and equal place, while also undoing the damage we have caused to our skies, oceans, and forests.
In the spring of 2019, as I write this, I’ve been thinking about the generations that will dominate the workforce in the coming years. The 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey found that millennials and members of Generation Z want their business leaders to be proactive in making a positive impact on the world, as well as in preparing their organizations and employees for the changes wrought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
If that’s correct, the implications for business are staggering. Now and in the future, the character of the work people do, and the nature of their workplace environment, will mean more than the superficial trappings of “success” businesses have focused on in the past.
This is not about shiny modern office towers, of course. This Deloitte study, together with many others, has shown that today’s workers, especially younger ones, are increasingly devoted to serving a higher purpose at work. And businesses that fail to satisfy this basic human need will find that their days are numbered.
For businesses that want to thrive in this coming era, the question is no longer: Are we doing well?
The question is: Are we doing good?
In these pages, I’ve tried to show you how these questions have become inextricably linked. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution continues to reshape our lives, it’s no longer an option to do well without doing good. In the face of the inevitable disruption ahead, we need to get to a place of what I call radical trust, where employees and other stakeholders no longer need to demand that companies apply their values for good. Empowered by radical trust, every business can nurture a values-based culture and become a powerful platform for change.
* * *
The actions we take from here will determine how this story ends, and I don’t expect them to be easy. But I have many reasons to be optimistic.
I’m optimistic that we can build companies, governments, and organizations that are trusted, dedicated to the success of all stakeholders, and drive innovation that changes the world for the better. I’m inspired by the idealism and actions of thousands of young people I’ve met, not just in business but in every setting. They’re not sitting on the sidelines. They’re speaking up at work and supporting their beliefs by volunteering time, donating money, engaging on social issues, participating in rallies and protests, and making decisions, as consumers that reduce their impact on the environment and reward companies that do the same.
I’m also convinced that we can make workplaces more inclusive, and by doing so, make better business decisions. Only once everyone—of all genders, races, ethnicities, and orientations—is represented at the table will we be able to fully tap the invaluable wisdom people have gleaned from their own different backgrounds and experiences.
I decided to call this book Trailblazer because at its core, this book is about leading the kind of change that will define the successful companies and individuals of the future. Usually, however, when business leaders talk about the chang
e and innovation of the future, they are looking at a horizon of five years or three years or one year (if not next quarter). But being a true trailblazer requires we take a longer view; by that I mean twenty, fifty, or a hundred years—maybe even longer. If this seems extreme, just imagine yourself sitting in a rocking chair in the twilight of life wondering whether you should have done more to help save the planet or end homelessness or ensure equal education to all. Imagine what you might tell your grandchildren, or your great-grandchildren, if they asked you whether you should have done more.
Being a trailblazer isn’t just about caring for today’s stakeholders—it’s about creating a better world for future generations of stakeholders as well.
I humbly, and urgently, invite you to join me.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In this book, I’ve written about our four core values at Salesforce, and how values create value. Embedded in every one of those values is gratitude. After all, we are all connected, and none of us can accomplish anything meaningful alone. It’s important to stay humble and value the contributions of all the people who have inspired you and lifted you up. And gratitude is an essential part of trust, because by acknowledging our appreciation for those who have trusted us, we are paying that trust forward.
Without the support, encouragement, and trust of our stakeholders, Salesforce would be just another company. That’s why every presentation any Salesforce executive does around the world—whether it’s my keynote or a customer presentation or an internal meeting—starts with two words: Thank you.
We are thankful because we recognize that everyone has a choice. Our customers can choose one of our competitors. Employees can choose to work somewhere else. Partners can choose not to support our products. Shareholders can choose to invest in other companies. Our communities can choose to reject us. We are grateful for the opportunity to earn their loyalty rather than have it handed to us.
With gratitude in mind and the book at a close, I thank first and foremost the employees, customers, and partners of Salesforce, who inspire me every day. I want to thank all those in our communities who also inspire me every day to be a better person.
Usually a business leader sits down and writes the book in a cocoon, as if he or she has all the answers. Well, as you know by now, that’s not me—and that’s not Salesforce. After all, this book isn’t just about my journey as a CEO. It’s about our journey as a company, and as an Ohana, our extended family of stakeholders.
One of the things I talk about in the book is how, in a world where everything and everyone is connected like never before, you can’t wall yourself off. That’s why I shared drafts with my colleagues at Salesforce—hundreds of them—as well as friends and advisers. Their feedback was invaluable.
I don’t know if a CEO has ever written a book this way—but that’s what I mean by looking for innovation everywhere, from anywhere.
I’m grateful to my co-author, Monica Langley. Without her amazing effort, this book would not have been possible. In addition to being a Salesforce executive vice president, Monica managed every aspect of the Trailblazer journey. We spent endless hours together eliciting stories from my childhood to the present that would illuminate how I came to believe that business can be the greatest platform for change.
I also thank Dan Farber, a Salesforce communications executive with deep knowledge of the company and the tech world, whose writing, editing, and counsel were essential to the book. Sam Walker, author of The Captain Class: A New Theory of Leadership and a columnist and former colleague of Monica’s at The Wall Street Journal, enriched these pages with his adept and insightful edits. And I’m grateful for Talia Krohn, our incredibly thoughtful and gifted editor at Random House, who immersed herself in Salesforce culture, even spending an entire week at Dreamforce!
Monica and I also want to express our gratitude to and love for our families.
Finally, with the book at a close, I am truly grateful to everyone who took the time to read my story.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
MARC BENIOFF is chairman, co-CEO, and founder of Salesforce and a pioneer of cloud computing. Benioff was named the Decade’s Top Innovator by Forbes, one of the World’s Greatest Leaders by Fortune, and one of the 10 Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review. He has won numerous awards for his leadership on equality.
A Fortune 500 company with more than 45,000 employees, SALESFORCE has been recognized as the Most Innovative Company by Forbes and the Best Place to Work and 15th Most Admired Company in the World by Fortune. Upon founding Salesforce, Benioff created the 1-1-1 model of philanthropy, giving one percent of the company’s equity, product, and employees’ time back to communities around the world. Today, more than 8,500 companies have adopted the 1-1-1 model through the Pledge 1% movement.
MONICA LANGLEY joined Salesforce as executive vice president of global strategic affairs in 2017. For twenty-seven years, she was an award-winning senior writer at The Wall Street Journal, specializing in front-page profiles and news-breaking narrative stories. Langley has also been a TV news commentator for CNN, a corporate attorney, and a bestselling author.
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