Episode Overview

Podcast: Getting Things Done
Host: David Allen (GTD®)
Episode: Ep. 345: David Allen talks with Roy Whitten and Scott Roy
Date: January 14, 2026

Main Theme:
This episode features a conversation between productivity expert David Allen and the co-authors of Decision Intelligence Selling, Roy Whitten and Scott Roy. The discussion centers on redefining the concept of selling—moving beyond the stereotypes and manipulative tactics of the past toward a decision intelligence (DQ) approach that both increases effectiveness and prioritizes ethical, client-centered relationships. The episode also explores how these principles translate across commercial and socially conscious organizations worldwide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Roy Whitten & Scott Roy's Backgrounds

• Roy Whitten recounts his unconventional journey from door-to-door sales with Fuller Brush to parish priesthood, then international human development, and finally, consulting and co-founding the sales consultancy with Scott.
  • "[Fuller Brush] taught me how to lie for fun and profit, spin stories and talk people into stuff...the old approach that I had first learned just didn't actually work, or if it did work, I just didn't feel that great about it." [02:00]
• Scott Roy adds his experience in ethical direct sales (Southwestern Company) and leading large sales teams. His exposure to Roy's attitude management training in his early career became a "holy grail" for his own sales management evolution.
  • "I felt like I had the holy grail of sales management given to me." [05:02]
• Together, they share how they built a consultancy (since 2009) executing over 350 projects in 45+ countries with 50 consultants, focusing on both commercial and development-sector clients. [06:50]

2. The Stereotype and Stigma of 'Sales'

• David Allen notes listeners range from sales veterans to those wary of traditional sales tactics, reflecting on the negative cultural view (e.g., "used car salesmen").
  • "You guys make fun of it in the book. Everybody does...that's the guys in the white buck shoes and the, you know, the used car salespeople and the Fuller Brush guy..." [07:30]
• Both guests agree that many people, deep down, associate selling with manipulation, pitching, and pressure, making them uncomfortable or even ashamed to identify as salespeople.
  • "Everybody thinks selling, when you really scratch them deep enough, selling is about pitching, persuading, and pressuring to get people to buy...anybody who really has a heart or a conscience or actually cares for other people just never feels comfortable doing it." (Roy, [10:15])

3. Decision Intelligence Selling: A Transformative Model

• Definition:
  The core principle is elevating the decision intelligence (DQ) of the buyer, so the salesperson’s job is not to close a deal, but to support the client to make the very best decision for themselves—even if it means not buying.
  • "Your commitment becomes: how can I improve their decision intelligence...even if today it means they don't buy what I'm selling?" (Roy, [11:37])
• Mindset Shift:
  This approach transforms the sales process into something both buyer and seller can be proud of, removes pressure, and increases satisfaction and effectiveness for both parties.
  • "For me, it's learning how to sell in a way where I don't feel that pressure that I have to sell a certain number of products or a certain person on a product." (Scott, [14:17])
• Connection to Coaching:
  Parallels are drawn to coaching and consulting: asking in-depth questions, listening, and resisting the urge to prematurely pitch solutions.
  • "Great selling is actually like great coaching..." (Roy, [14:50])

4. Framework for Decision Intelligence Selling

• Four-Part Structure:
  1. Diagnose the Client’s Problems: Probe and clarify, helping them articulate all their challenges—even those they’re not fully aware of.
     • "You just need to discipline yourself to back off your pitching and spend the first part of your time helping them articulate what are the actual problems they're trying to solve." (Roy, [18:18])
  2. Calculate the Cost: Encourage clients to assess the price they’re paying for leaving problems unsolved.
     • "What is the price you're paying for leaving those problems unsolved? That's the question...hardly any salespeople ever ask." (Roy, [19:30])
  3. Propose a Solution (If Appropriate): Only if the solution fits, offer it.
  4. Estimate the Value: Help the client estimate the benefit of the solution—allowing true, informed decision-making.
• Discipline & Patience:
  The system, like GTD, requires discipline and a willingness to listen deeply.
  • "It's not hard, it's just the challenge is to stay disciplined...using the various tools you've got." (Scott, [21:44])

5. Applying DQ Selling to Socially Conscious Organizations

• Mission-Driven Sales:
  Scott shares how he contributed to development projects in Cambodia and elsewhere, applying sales frameworks to create sustainable, dignity-driven models (e.g., Farm Business Advisor program).
  • "Instead of giving things away to poor people, they wanted to set up products and services that the poor could actually afford and pay for...if they pay for it, then they'll use it." (Scott, [23:36])
• Ethical Selling:
  Deep listening and value-driven sales are vital for real behavioral change in social impact contexts—ensuring solutions are embraced and sustained.
  • "The type of selling that we taught in the commercial world...just happens to be the kind that actually changes behavior and causes people not just to buy quickly, but to buy in deeply and actually use it." (Scott, [26:47])

6. Commercial vs. Social Sectors & the Future of Sales

• Business Roundtable & Social Entrepreneurship:
  Roy highlights a pivotal shift—major CEOs now prioritize stakeholders above short-term shareholder profits, aligning with DQ principles.
  • "Short term profitability is no longer going to be the driving force in our companies..." (Roy, quoting the Business Roundtable, [28:08])
• Sales as a Mirror of Company DNA:
  David and guests agree that the sales process reveals a company’s true values and priorities.
  • "If you really want to see what your priorities are as a company, you look at how you're selling, what you're offering. That's where the rubber meets the road." (Roy, [29:10])
• Real-World Impact:
  The guests cite clients and organizations that have adopted DQ selling, demonstrating improved outcomes (faster, larger, and more frequent sales), dispelling the myth that ethics reduce profitability.
  • "What our experience has been is nothing is further from the truth. Actually, we find that companies begin selling better...close them in shorter periods of time." (Scott, [31:15])

7. Building Trusted Relationships

• Trust as the Foundation:
  David articulates that trusted relationships—not short-term pitches—build enduring business success.
  • "You're not gonna ultimately buy from somebody you don't trust. And ultimately you find somebody that you trust and have a relationship with them. You'll buy everything they're selling." (David, [33:02])
• Sales Compensation & Management:
  Briefly addressed at the end—compensation models must fit the organization's values and objectives. [34:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I felt like I had the holy grail of sales management given to me." (Scott Roy, [05:02])
• "Everybody thinks selling...is about pitching, persuading, and pressuring to get people to buy." (Roy Whitten, [10:15])
• "Your commitment becomes: how can I improve their decision intelligence...even if today it means they don't buy what I'm selling?" (Roy Whitten, [11:37])
• "Great selling is actually like great coaching..." (Roy Whitten, [14:50])
• "If you really want to see what your priorities are as a company, you look at how you're selling, what you're offering. That's where the rubber meets the road." (Roy Whitten, [29:10])
• "You're not gonna ultimately buy from somebody you don't trust...You'll buy everything they're selling." (David Allen, [33:02])

Important Timestamps

• 00:11-04:35 – Intros and personal journey into sales and human development
• 07:26-10:15 – The societal stigma of 'sales' and internal beliefs about selling
• 10:15-12:39 – The evolution to Decision Intelligence Selling (DQ)
• 14:17-15:46 – Psychological impact and relief of pressure in DQ selling
• 16:31-18:11 – The discipline of inquiry and the structure of DQ selling
• 21:44-22:18 – Discipline and systems: Parallels to GTD methodology
• 22:51-27:09 – Application and stories from the developing world and social entrepreneurship
• 28:08-31:15 – Sales as a reflection of organizational values; disproving the myth that ethics hurt profitability
• 33:01-33:28 – The centrality of trust to long-term business relationships

Tone & Style

The conversation is friendly, reflective, and deeply practical, combining personal storytelling with actionable insights. The guests and host share a passion for redefining what sales means, infusing the discussion with both warmth and ambition for a more ethical, effective future.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a rich exploration of how sales can—and should—be reimagined as an ethical, consultative, and deeply human endeavor. Roy Whitten and Scott Roy present a persuasive case for focusing on decision intelligence (DQ): helping buyers make great decisions for themselves, rather than being manipulated into purchases. Their framework applies across sectors and cultures, from global business to rural social entrepreneurship, and is grounded in the science and discipline parallel to GTD. For anyone wary of "sales," or aiming to lead with conscience in their business, this episode is an inspiring and highly actionable listen.