When Sales Thinks Like Engineering

Understanding the how and why behind our products – not just the pitch – is why you can often find me in the trim department at our Magna Seating facility in Novi, Michigan.

During my visits with the Novi trim team, I like to understand what exactly is changing in the trim cover for example is it the stitching changing in on our seating systems or are we studying how to change a piece of trim from leather to vinyl at the customer’s request. From my first program in 2011 with the Ford Flex to today’s work across many vehicle programs, that product-level understanding has been core to how I build relationships and trust with our stakeholders.

My wife laughs when I point out the decorative stitching on a seatback or admire how the patterns come together. I tell her, “That little detail was a big deal to our customer!”

Whether it’s a seat or a part off the shop floor, it helps if you can take them apart and understand them yourself. That habit builds confidence and strengthens how you tell the story – whether you’re in sales or engineering. The two disciplines have a lot in common: both are about creative solutions and problem solving.

That same way of thinking is reflected in how we work together here. This is a place for doers with an entrepreneurial mindset, where people have the runway to make decisions, collaborate and own the outcomes. When sales think like engineering, our culture behaves like a system – more connected and resilient. That’s what makes us a team that delivers and why I’ll always be a regular visitor in the trim department.