Does a Sales Pro Need an MBA?

BNET just published my three-section critique of MBA programs. (You can find it HERE.) Those articles are important for sales pros because they identify what MBA degrees aren't: a way transform novices into managers. Even so, its important for sales pros to realize that the real subject matter of an MBA -- the general theory and practice of business and accounting -- is useful information for a B2B sales professional.

Without hammering what everyone already knows is true, B2B selling today is highly consultative. To be effective, sales pros must be able to convince customers that they clarify business problems and devise solutions that customized for an individual company and industry. The kind of general business knowledge taught in an MBA program provides a background for that problem-seeking and solution-building process. An MBA also raises the profile of the sales professional to the prospect, so that it's easier to meet with executives on a peer-to-peer basis.

Several leaders in the sales training field, most notably Linda Richardson (founder of Richardson) and Howard Stevens (CEO of The Chally Group) are heavily involved with MBA programs at leading universities and with adding sales training to the curriculum. Based upon what they've told me, they both think that sales pros benefit from having an MBA. However, they are also both critical of MBA programs in general, the vast majority of which included no courses on selling. That's a weird and enormous omission, considering that Sales is the most important function inside every company in the world.

Now that I've cleared that up, I have a request. The three article package on MBAs was originally a four article package. The fourth article was a critique on the world's most famous Harvard MBA degree: the one held by President George W. Bush. Unfortunately, that article didn't fit with the rest of package. However, here's my request.

If you want read the article commenting on Bush's reputation as the holder of an MBA, click the "thumbs up" button at the top of the page.
If the number of clicks gets high enough, I'll post the article on this blog, even though it's off-topic.

Photo courtesy of the White House.