In his long career at Stanford University, world renowned psychologist Albert Bandura made a tremendous contribution to our understanding of human behavior and motivation. One of his main areas of focus was the concept of self-efficacy—an individual’s belief in their own ability to succeed in accomplishing a specific goal or task. In fact, Bandura’s research […]
Client Relationships
What is the Intention of Your Discovery Process?
One of the most challenging tasks for a financial planner is designing an effective discovery process that truly engages their clients’ hearts and minds, while also providing valuable insights about each person’s frame of reference. At Money Quotient, we believe the place to start is by recognizing that each client operates with two minds: the […]
Comfort with Emotion
More than a decade ago, I had the opportunity to work on a fascinating research project that was co-sponsored by the FPA and partially funded by the CFP Board. The study examined a large number of communication variables and surveyed both planners and clients. The goal was to identify specific elements of communication that […]
Know Thy Client
In our work with financial planners, we frequently make the point that a successful practice is built on knowing and understanding their clients. We also emphasize that this objective can only be met through adopting the intention of getting in touch with each client’s unique frame of reference. The reason this is so important is that […]
Reframe Your Goal Setting Process for Client Success & Satisfaction in 2019
Goals are targets—something to aim for. They give life direction and a sense of purpose. In addition, a structured goal setting process provides a framework for anticipating, planning, and preparing for the future. Despite these important benefits, many individuals are reluctant to set goals. Often this is because goal setting has been ineffective for them […]
Money Messages & Money Mentors
Your clients’ attitudes and beliefs about money have their roots in value-laden messages they have picked up along life’s journey. These money messages were not only clothed in the words of others, but in the behaviors they observed as well. To discover the roots of current financial feelings and behaviors, it is important for them […]
Helping Clients to Move from “Change” to “Transition”
Life is a continuum—an accumulation of experiences that makes us who we are and influences how we view ourselves and the world around us. As we review these experiences, we realize that our lives have been permeated with change, and the same is also true for our financial planning clients! In fact, as ironic as it may seem, […]
Values-Based Financial and Life Planning
The strongest foundation for the financial plans you create will always be your clients’ heightened awareness of the nature, influence, and importance of their values. Therefore, in your discovery and data gathering activities, it is essential that you engage your clients in a process of thoughtful reflection to help them identify and clarify what is truly […]
The Power of Appreciation in Money & Life
In the world of personal finance, “appreciation” has two important components: In the quantitative realm, appreciation refers to the increasing value of financial assets. In the qualitative realm, appreciation refers to feelings of gratitude for one’s financial resources and circumstances. Of course, both elements are extremely important, but it is actually the more qualitative “appreciative […]