You have worked hard to become a qualified financial professional. You are making a difference in the lives of your clients and your business is steady.
This is a big, well-deserved success and there is much to celebrate.
Yet at this stage you might also pause, reflect, and ask yourself, “What’s next?”
Maybe there is nothing. You are happy and satisfied with where you are and see no reason to change. And that’s great. Read no further!
Or maybe you would like to make more money? You have a purpose in mind like paying off your mortgage early, your child’s education, or achieving financial independence.
Or maybe, as many advisers discover, you want to take the impact of your work to whole new level. You enjoy making a difference in people’s lives and can see much greater potential.
You feel ready to pay attention to the inner voice that nudges you to grow and ask yourself, “What can I do?”
The 12 Client-centred mind shifts
A mind shift happens through an insight (or even a series of them). As a result, you see and experience your world in a new, more enlightened way. It brings with it a greater sense of ease and flow to your life.
One of the most important aspects of a mind shift is that new behaviours are in-built. In other words, a new and improved way of operating naturally follows, without effort. And the change lasts.
Who doesn’t want change to be easy?
The 12 client-centred mind shifts are the mind shifts I have been helping advisers with for over fifteen years. They are the mind shifts I had to go through myself before I was able to coach people about them.
In this article I am sharing the first three. The rest are to follow soon.
Mind shift 1 – Your personal transformation
Marshall Goldsmith wrote a book called ‘What got you here won’t get you there: How successful people become even more successful.’
I love that title because it seems so true to me. Whatever got you to your current level of success – your belief system, understanding of the world, habits, etc. – will hinder your progress to your next level.
A thriving client-centred practice is a natural extension of your own continuing personal transformation. As you transform, your business transforms with you. Your client relationships stay fresh and inspiring because you are not the same person that you were six months or a year ago.
Mind shift 2 – Transactional to transformational
Transactional financial advisers primarily focus on the money. Their client conversations are centred around fees, markets, and products. So, there is a disconnect from the bigger “Why?”.
As a client-centred adviser, you understand that money is a means to an end. You know that without you and your client having clarity about those ends it is impossible to make smart decisions about money.
So, the shift is in knowing that whilst setting up your client’s financial arrangements has value, the most value is in the conversations you have with your clients.
Mind shift 3 – Creator of value
Imagine there are three levels of value creation:
Level 1 – you provide financial products.
Level 2 – you solve financial problems.
Levels 3 – you facilitate transformational change.
The new economy for financial professionals is your client’s well-being, quality of life, and peace of mind. Keep delivering on these and you’ll have a client for life (and more quality introductions).
Of course, you can continue to create value at levels 1 and 2 as well, but you are also future-proofing your business by focusing on what truly matters to your clients.
The Client-centred Academy
The Client-centred Academy is for financial planners and advisers who want to get to their next level of success. And the mind shifts are an integral part of the Academy.
As I am sure you know there is lots of information on offer. You have probably attended events, taken lots of notes and then… nothing changes!
Dr Nathaniel Branden who wrote books on self-esteem said, “No one is coming.”
No one is coming to save you or your business.
The truth is that no one is going to do it for you – you have to be an active participant in your own success.
Yet you can be amongst an inspiring group of people learning from a superb faculty of world class practitioners and coaches. In an environment designed for transformation, not information.
Your life needs you to be at your best. Your clients need you to be at your best. And your profession needs you to be at your best.
We only have a few weeks to go – The Client-centred Academy begins 13th January.
Join me and the amazing faculty. Click here and book your place.
PS If you have a question don’t hold back. Send it to me at john@clientcentredadvisers.com and I will do my best to answer it for you.
