Impeachment


The impeachment hearings have dominated our news feeds. How will you feel if the decision doesn’t go your way?  Our blog this week will examine how we feel after we make a big decision like resigning our job or hiring a new wealth manager. Our experience and observations can help but unfortunately they leave us wanting more.
Ephemeral


Making a change feels good until it doesn’t. Unfortunately our new job has many of the same problems that existed at our old job. I tell my colleagues when they resign that “the grass is brown everywhere”. The same buyers remorse is true for clients when they choose a new wealth advisory firm. Once the new firm smell has disappated. The way we can address this issue is to remind the person why they made the change.  Don’t assume everything is fine. Check-in and assure the person why they made the change and that you and your firm are happy they joined. Experience has shown that if we don’t support their decision their joy will be ephemeral.

Introspection

 Many advisors describe themselves as therapists. While this won’t require a couch in their office it does provide a good roadmap for meaningful conversations. Interesting that the best subject is not the performance of the portfolio, it is the open ended question of how are you doing?  Trust Departments had it right years ago when they called financial advisors relationship managers. Who is the dummy now?  One of my favorite movies on relationships is Albert Brook’s movie Lost In America. Stream it on Netflix.



Next

Kierkegaard got it right in the 1800s. His insight that life can only be understood backwards but must be lived forward is a mantra I try to follow. Unfortunately we build our firms and careers based on yesterday’s successes which even the SEC has deemed is a poor approach. What future items should we monitor?  I’m researching how AI can help me and my firm. I’m also embracing social media. Creating a list of people to follow on Twitter, not named Trump, is a good educational morning routine. Both however don’t hold a candle to actual human interaction. Sorry Facebook.

Impeaching the president or resigning from your job momentarily feels good. Cultivating a real friendship feels better.

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