Knowledge and Insight > Manage Your Practice

Advisors: How to Handle Emotional Conversations

Dave Grant | Financial Planning, May 2014

Summary: Let’s say you’ve recruited, hired and trained a couple of Gen Y advisors, and now you’re ready to let your younger hires take meetings by themselves. They have the training and technical knowledge, and can explain complex theories with ease. But a client’s big financial needs often come alongside major life shifts — marriage and new children and grandchildren, but also death, divorce and medical needs. Are your advisors prepared to handle tough, emotional conversations? Have you trained them to do so?

Where advisors fall short, training can help. Use an outside consultant or one of your own staff to set up role-playing exercises with a client in need. Either video-record the session for later discussions, or sit in on the session to provide support and help your advisors improve."