He said that there was a “deep commitment to intellectual excellence in a bubble”.

We went back through the words:

Deep, don’t underestimate how deep and in the depth lies the apparent arrogance and underlying confidence of investment bankers.

Commitment, they are committed sure to making money and also to bringing something they value to the chaotic world.

Intellectual, they were educated to value this above everything, intellect is what got them there ( I remember someone from another investment bank telling me that they employed people with brains the size of planets) and it’s what is missing in the world. The rest matters but this is the core central pilar.

Excellence, this goes with the commitment, they thrive to excellence in a really inspiring way, they never sit back and get lazy.

Bubble, they do become disconnected from the world that surrounds them and that fails constantly on excellence and intellect.

I found this very helpful. We need them. But not in a bubble.

People tell me that they can overcome it if they believe in what they are selling. I don’t understand this. Why would you sell something you did not believe in? You would be guaranteed never to get the opportunity to sell it again.

I think the breakthrough comes when you realise that selling is about solving people’s problems. They have a need – sometimes they know it, sometimes they don’t – but you sell them something that will meet that need, solve their problem for them.

When you realise that you are not selling but solving people’s problems – and genuinely solving them – then sales becomes huge fun.