From demystifying AI to redefining leadership, women leaders are reshaping what it means to be an agent of change, not just for themselves but for generations to come.
In a world where technology advances at speed and inclusion has become essential, women are redefining leadership through courage, innovation, and community. To be an agent of change is not rhetoric; it is the framework by which the future will be built.
The reflections of Salesforce leaders, shared during conversations at last week’s Trailblazing Women Summit in Bangalore, capture the practical ways leaders are navigating the shift to the Agentic Era. Together, they offer a playbook, a strategic guide for navigating the new world of work.
Embedding AI into workflows and ensuring change is inclusive at every step, Molly Ford, Sugi Venkatesh, Parul Jain and Sonali Kalyanikar share how courage, opportunity, and leadership take shape in practice and offer perspectives that point towards a more inclusive and agentic future beyond a simple event recap.
The personal act of agency
Change often begins with something deceptively small, a decision to speak, to support, to step forward. For Molly Q. Ford, VP, Culture and Engagement, agency is the belief that everyday actions accumulate into culture.
Being an agent of change begins with believing your story matters.
Molly Q. Ford, VP, Culture and Engagement
“Being an agent of change begins with believing your story matters. Every time you raise your hand, mentor a colleague, or speak for someone not in the room, you are shifting culture in ways that ripple outward.”
This personal courage is amplified by the systemic responsibility to open doors. For Sugi Venkatesh, SVP, Employee Success, agency is inseparable from equality.
“True progress happens when opportunity is not reserved for a few. The Agentic Era must be built on access, to skills, to roles, to leadership, so every individual feels they belong in the future of work.”
The Agentic Era must be built on access, to skills, to roles, to leadership, so every individual feels they belong in the future of work.
Sugi Venkatesh, SVP, Employee Success
Together, their reflections echo a larger reality of leadership today: that resilience in the AI era will come from empathetic guidance, strong communication, and the courage to reskill and redeploy teams for what lies ahead.
Breaking barriers, creates pathways for others
Breaking barriers is rarely about a single dramatic act. It is a process of persistence. Parul Jain, VP, Software Engineering, sees technology itself as a landscape of barriers constantly being redefined.
“AI is transforming how we build, learn and connect. But the bigger impact comes when diverse voices shape its direction. When women step into this arena, we do not just innovate, we humanise technology.”
Technology may shift the mechanics of progress, yet it is leadership that ensures its impact reaches further. For Sonali Kalyanikar, RVP, India Sales and Distribution, “Every barrier broken becomes a path for someone else. Success in today’s world is measured not only by what you achieve, but by how many others you bring along with you.”
Here, innovation and leadership meet at a critical intersection. Humanising technology is not simply about building smarter tools; it is about ensuring that those tools are applied with empathy, curiosity, and purpose, turning AI from curiosity into meaningful impact.
Architects of a new future
The future will be shaped not merely by what is built, but by who builds it. Across their reflections, a common theme emerges: women leaders are positioning themselves not as beneficiaries of change, but as its architects.
Leadership is not about standing apart but lifting others with you.
Sonali Kalyanikar, RVP, India Sales and Distribution
For Molly, it begins with culture: “Every act of courage adds to the architecture of change.”
For Sugi, it lies in access: “The future of work is equitable only if everyone has a stake in it.”
When women design technology, they design it for humanity.
Parul Jain, VP, Software Engineering
For Parul, it rests in innovation: “When women design technology, they design it for humanity.”
And for Sonali, it culminates in legacy: “Leadership is not about standing apart but lifting others with you.”
These are not abstract ideals but lessons forged in practice. From mentorship to leadership journeys, from navigating shifting industries to inspiring teams, women are shaping pathways that will define not only their own success but also the inclusive, humane and sustainable future of organisations in the Agentic Era.
The living playbook
These perspectives remind us that agency is not an abstract concept. It is lived, in mentoring moments, in opening doors, in designing ethical technology and in redefining leadership. To be an agent of change is to take responsibility not just for one’s own path, but for shaping the paths of others.
The agentic enterprise has arrived. It will be shaped by those who dare to lead it, leaders who combine courage with community, strategy with empathy and curiosity with innovation, powered by platforms that unite people, data and AI agents to turn vision into impact at scale.
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