#BuildHer: Meet Jane Beck, Salesforce Country Lead, Slalom Australia
What does it take to be a leader in tech? Meet one of our inspiring leaders at Slalom Australia:
Last month, we introduced #BuildHer, an initiative where we profile inspiring women and men at Slalom to help drive important conversations on diversity in our industry, while providing support to women in tech or those interested in pursuing a career in this field.
Today we meet Jane Beck, Salesforce Country Lead at Slalom Australia. Over the past two decades, Jane has worked in various roles in the tech industry, across digital transformation and professional services. She followed in her father’s footsteps early on in her career taking part in a management consulting graduate program at PwC — which is where she was introduced to the world of customer relationship management (CRM).
After several years working across both industry and consulting, Jane shifted her focus to Salesforce. As a senior leader at Slalom Australia, she oversees and leads this practice area, including people and capability growth within the Salesforce ecosystem.
Jane is known for her ability to problem-solve, lead teams and bring the right people together to get the job done. She describes her role as the conduit between the technology and the business. Ultimately, her view is that you don’t have to be trained in STEM to work or be a leader in the technology space.
A non-technology technologist
Jane may have spent the last 20-plus years working in the technology industry, but she likes to call herself a ‘non-technology technologist’. Jane does not have a STEM background, but she encourages people of all skill sets to embrace the tech industry. After all, she says strong communicators and problem solvers are invaluable to any industry.
Jane encourages women to study STEM, but believes it is only part of the equation. The IT industry is growing at lightning speed, and there are more opportunities than ever before for non-techie folk. She notes that the industry requires people who can apply critical thinking to understand and solve business problems and technology is only one part of the solution. It’s about asking the right questions, clearly communicating the solution in the customer’s language and building the right team to execute, which includes teaming up with people who complement your skill set.
Like many women in the industry, Jane occasionally experiences imposter syndrome. She draws confidence from having the ability to understand what a customer needs and build highly effective teams with skills that complement each other.
A risk-taker
Jane points out that as women, we are conditioned to be careful, studious, cautious. When we go out a night, we are constantly assessing the risks. In our careers, we need to be braver. More fearless. Easy to say, of course. Harder to do.
How do we encourage women to take that leap of faith? Jane says we need to build a strong support system — for times of success and failure — because it won’t always work out the way we want it to. But if women are confident in their leaders, in the people around them and in themselves, they will take those risks, because they feel supported.
For real change to happen, the onus should not solely be on women. Jane strongly believes that men need to “drive connection and teamwork” for women. Men have an opportunity to “celebrate the authenticity” of women. All genders need to support each other for mutual success. For example, Jane has been criticised for being confident and assertive. Whereas these same qualities are praised in men. However, she says that if men and women stop and assess unconscious biases, together we can promote a truly inclusive and diverse workplace.
An advocate for women-first policies
Outside of her day-to-day role, leading the Salesforce practice, Jane is co-executive sponsor for Slalom Women, a Slalom Employee Resource Group (ERG). In this role she advocates for initiatives such as Slalom’s Return to Work policy for mothers and fathers returning to the company following maternity or paternity leave.
Jane strongly believes that women and men who have children should be set up for success when returning to work.
As a mother of two young children, Jane says that the hybrid working model should be embraced post-pandemic. She says we should support parents wanting the flexibility to be closer to home when they have kids (or pets or elderly parents). Jane has enjoyed dropping off and picking up her children from school with a regularity that wasn’t possible pre-remote working.
Jane’s three tips for women in the tech industry:
1. Don’t shy away from the technology industry — A career in tech can be more than STEM — it can be business analysis, change management, project management, process and experience design — there are so many options.
2. Take Risks — Back yourself and go for that role you might not think you have the experience for. Ever heard the saying, “you can’t be what you can’t see”? Jane does not adhere to this belief. After all, Leonardo da Vinci envisaged the aeroplane centuries before it became a reality.
3. Be your own advocate — It’s so important that you don’t wait for someone else to give you your career or that promotion. If you speak up and believe in yourself, you will go far!
Through our #BuildHer program we will introduce you to some of our extraordinary team members, who share their perspectives and viewpoints on what it takes to build a successful career as a woman in technology. Together, we will continue to take a stand for gender equality and ultimately, break through the glass ceiling.
