Matt Pearsall

Matt Pearsall Ph.D., Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior
Center for Decision Research |Full-Time MBA

 

What courses do you currently teach, and what do you love most about them?

MBA 822 Negotiations. I love seeing students immerse themselves in their in-class negotiation roles and try to either collaborate with, or outsmart, their counterparts.

 

How do you bring real-world business challenges or trends into the classroom?

We talk a lot about how to apply course cases and principles to students’ outside lives and relationships, and how changes in the workplace and job market affect how to best approach negotiating their job offers.

 

What’s one lesson or insight you hope every MBA student takes with them after your course?

Our course motto is “You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate,” and the biggest lesson I hope everyone takes to heart is that they have to be assertive about their goals in any negotiation, and they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for what they want.

 

Can you share a moment or student success story that’s stuck with you?

I see it every year, where a nervous student talks with me about how to negotiate their job offer, and then I hear back from them afterward about how happy they were that they were able to stay assertive through the process and got something that they wanted that made the offer even better.

In what ways do you see our students standing out in the workplace or making an impact?

The best negotiators are open to finding integrative solutions and seek to understand the other party’s interests instead of just trying to steamroll them. Our students already have that focus on collaboration and communication that makes them great team members and effective negotiators.

What excites you most about the future of business education or your field?

The growing focus on experiential education. The exercises you do and problems you solve in school stay with you the longest and transfer best to work and life after school is over. It’s been 27 years since my MBA and I still remember the lessons of many of the cases and simulations that made an impact.

What advice would you give to incoming MBA students?

Take courses that push you in new directions, even if they don’t seem to directly apply to your next job. Leadership, communication, and sales skills will be valuable no matter what career path you choose, especially as you advance into leadership roles. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to talk with faculty outside of class about your interests and careers.

Is there a student, colleague, or industry partner you’d like to recognize?

I’m fortunate to work with so many fantastic instructors in Organizational Behavior who have shared materials and set a high standard for teaching at Kenan-Flagler.