Scaling from regional VP to global CRO is not a promotion. It is a shift from managing execution to defining meaning at scale. In this replay conversation, Cedric Pech reflects on leading a 2,000-person global sales organization at MongoDB, integrating complex routes to market, and building culture that withstands market volatility. He breaks down the difference between compensation-driven leadership and purpose-driven leadership, why execution alone creates burnout, and how resilient organizations are built long before downturns arrive. For CROs and revenue leaders navigating scale, volatility, or retention pressure, this episode offers a grounded perspective on building durable teams without burning them out.

Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.

This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Force Management

In today’s minisode, Football coach and author Brian White shares essential leadership lessons on building winning cultures that apply far beyond the field. Brian breaks down why trust must flow both ways, from the individual entering a new organization and from the team itself, and reveals why assimilating into an existing culture before trying to change it is the key to lasting impact. Whether you're a sales leader establishing yourself in a new company, a manager building team cohesion, or a CRO creating a culture where people compete selfishly but give selflessly, this episode delivers actionable insights on peer leadership, the power of direct human engagement, and why the huddle is always more important than the position.

Brian White is a veteran Division I football coach, Assistant Coach of the Year, and author of The Locker Room Is Not for Sale. Over 55 years in and around elite programs including Notre Dame, he has coached national champions, developed NFL talent including Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, and built cultures grounded in respect, accountability, and the human touch.

Resources mentioned:

• The Locker Room Is Not for Sale by Brian White
• The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon

Want to know how top-performing organizations create a culture of consistent success? Check out Force Management’s guide to the Predictable Revenue Framework:

https://hubs.li/Q03-T6NH0

Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.

This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Force Management

There’s no shortcuts to a winning sales culture. When leaders compromise standards for convenience, talent, or short-term wins, they erode the very foundation that sustains performance over time. Brian White joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to unpack why elite teams are built on respect first, why trust is collective (not individual), and why commitment without conditions is the only kind that lasts. Drawing from decades inside championship locker rooms, Brian outlines what it takes to build peer-led accountability, accelerate young talent, demand excellence without demeaning people, and create environments where pride replaces entitlement. This conversation is for revenue leaders who want to build a long-lasting high-performance culture that goes beyond incentives.

Brian White is a veteran Division I football coach, Assistant Coach of the Year, and author of The Locker Room Is Not for Sale. Over 55 years in and around elite programs including Notre Dame, he has coached national champions, developed NFL talent including Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne, and built cultures grounded in respect, accountability, and the human touch.

Resources mentioned:

• The Locker Room Is Not for Sale by Brian White
• The Qualified Sales Leader by John McMahon

Want to know how top-performing organizations create a culture of consistent success? Check out Force Management’s guide to the Predictable Revenue Framework: https://hubs.li/Q03-T6NH0

Key takeaways from this episode:

• 16:53 – Why respect, not trust, is the true starting point of elite team culture
• 25:55 – The human touch as a competitive advantage, not a soft leadership tactic
• 35:27 – Caring is competence, and why pride is earned through preparation and standards
• 40:54 – Why three clear values outperform forty two vague ones
• 47:48 – How peer leaders, not titles, protect the integrity of the locker room
• 55:06 – You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to your level of preparation
• 01:02:06 – Why great leaders get talent in front of experience and refuse to hide behind youth
• 01:06:22 – Why direct engagement eliminates fear and prevents cultural drift

Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results.

This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale.

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Force Management