Lessons on the Climb to CEO with Brock Faulkner

Mark McGraw chats with Brock Faulkner, the CEO of Dornier MedTech Americas.

Tune in to hear actionable tips on building the right team for your company’s future, how Brock transitioned from employee to CEO, and the critical traits every great sales manager must possess.

To find our handout for this episode, click here.

Whether you're a leader, aspiring CEO, or simply passionate about professional growth, this episode is packed with wisdom you can immediately apply!

• Brock shares his journey of growth, showing how he transitioned from employee to CEO in the same organization. His story is proof that with the right mindset, you can climb any ladder.
• Brock highlights how forward-thinking separates thriving companies from those that fail.
• Most people get stuck in the daily grind, avoiding the bigger picture. Brock reveals how creating a collaborative culture helps everyone focus on long-term goals.
• Brock shares an incredible achievement: for over a decade, they’ve never missed a quarterly meeting.
• Mark explains how building a clear vision is the foundation of every successful business. Brock adds that sometimes, you need to pivot when what you're doing isn't working.
• By shifting from capital equipment to consumables, Brock grew his company by 30% annually in a 3% market. He shares the bold decisions that made this transformation possible.
• Brock emphasizes the importance of hiring based on where you’re going, not where you are. He shares how firing half the sales team within 90 days transformed the company’s trajectory.
• A plan only works if your daily behavior aligns with it. Learn what it takes to focus on the right priorities and build a discipline of execution.
• Brock makes it a habit to carve out time for strategic thinking, ensuring the company stays on the right path. It’s a discipline that drives meaningful progress.
• Good sales managers connect with every level of their organization, mentoring and coaching effectively. They know how to communicate adjustments and inspire their team.
• Sales leaders must understand which data matters and how to use it to manage people.
• Mark explains why being a VP of sales is the most challenging role in business. It demands relentless focus on results and people.
• Brock’s team invests heavily in hiring, using behavioral tests to ensure candidates are the right fit. They set clear expectations so new hires know exactly what they’re signing up for.
• For Mark, sales is not easy, but it’s simple. The core selling principles are not necessarily difficult to do, they just take some work to go make it happen.
• The best salespeople never stop learning and growing. Before hiring, Brock demands candidates must commit to three hours of training monthly to improve their skills.
• Mark reminds us of a simple truth: you can’t hold people accountable for something you never clarified.
• The value of being the best at your current role--and how continuous improvement and a love for learning can fuel a faster career trajectory.
• Even with years of leadership experience, Brock reveals he was overwhelmed by the magnitude of becoming CEO.
• Brock shares how focusing only on features and benefits was holding the sales team back. The real game-changer was teaching them to ask better questions and connect with clients.
• According to Brock, if the numbers are off, it’s usually a behavior, attitude, or technique issue. Every sales leader needs to learn how to troubleshoot and solve these problems.
• Sales is tough. The last thing most sales reps need when they're having a tough quarter is their sales manager being all over their back.
• Brock explains how encouragement and motivation can help turn things around for a struggling sales rep.

Mentioned in This Episode:

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/follow

Sandler.com

BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/sandler

Brock Faulkner on LinkedIn

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