Philip Delves Broughton was a news journalist before going to business school. And he ended up continuing his career as a writer since leaving. Now, there are not many journalists that have been to business school, giving Philip a unique perspective on this branch of academia. 

Philip is a journalist and author, now known for his business journalism. His books include “Ahead of the Curve” and “The Art of the Sale.” 

He chats with Greg about why he went to business school after being a journalist, where the ethics lie within that intersection, why people are squeamish when they hear the word, “sales,” and the importance of developing cognitive complexity.

Learning to deal with rejections

You have to deal with being rejected, turned around, told to go, do that again. You have to deal with quarterly pressures. You have to learn not to take things personally. You have to think about what's going on in the other person's mind. You have to understand what's going on in their day, not just focus on yourself and all those things. I think you can learn in the field. You cannot learn them in a classroom, which perhaps is one of the reasons sales aren't taught to business school, because this is one area where you can learn models, you can learn processes, you can learn scripts, you can learn, you know, persuasion, but you cannot learn: 5:00 PM, 10 rejections, you're sitting in Des Moines 2000 miles from home, wishing you were back. Ah, that experience can only be experienced.

What sales should represent

Sales done properly with a proper mission, with some kind of integrity, is nothing more than a recognition of how to communicate to people. And how to understand their desires, their fears, to speak to them. And toggle them with your own. And that's not a vicious activity.

Why we see some people in careers we don't think are business oriented (like priests), getting MBAs

I think it goes to the idea that living well organized lives is not necessarily apart from leading a spiritual life. Leading a life that's successful in business is not necessarily divorced from leading a religious life.

Guest Profile:

• Professional Profile at Brunswick Group
• Speakers Profile at Chartwell Speakers
• Philip Delves Broughton Website
• Philip Delves Broughton on LinkedIn

His Work:

• Articles on Financial Times
• Charlie Whistler's Omnium Gatherum: Campfire Stories and Adirondack Adventures
• Management Matters: From the Humdrum to the Big Decisions
• The Art of the Sale: Learning from the Masters About the Business of Life 
• Life's a Pitch: What the World's Best Sales People Can Teach Us All
• Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School