Rainmakers
Six Advisor Mindsets That Change Everything
By Dr . Clifford Ferguson
Most corporate training focuses on imparting knowledge , improving skills , and changing behaviours . But the most fundamental impact on your performance and success comes , arguably , from changing your mindset . Mindsets drive your outlook . They can bottle you up and restrict your freedom , or , they can free you to accomplish great things .
I know some professionals , for example , who feel at home in the c-suite . They approach a meeting with the CEO with excitement and energy . They feel they belong in the room .
Others have told me they experience feelings of fear and inadequacy when confronted with the opportunity to present in the executive suite . They ’ re concerned that they don ’ t have enough important or interesting things to say , and that the CEO won ’ t view them as a peer who is worthy of his or her time .
The difference is mindset - how you see your role and feel about yourself . In a sense , it ’ s the “ story ” you have about something . For example , I was very fortunate in that I grew up in a family that had an education mindset . My grandfather , whose parents emigrated from Eastern Europe in the 19th century , became a successful urologist . His attitude - his mindset - was that you must get the highest level of education possible . He passed this down to my father , even setting aside money to help pay for my and my siblings ’ college educations .
My mother had the same mindset , but it came from a different circumstance - poverty . She believed that only by getting the
Is your tendency to see possibilities or limitations ? Do you focus on abundance or scarcity ? All of us would prefer a positive , visionary individual to someone who is always pointing out what ’ s wrong or may go wrong ! highest level of education possible could you ensure that you wouldn ’ t be in financial need . As a result of that mindset - and with help from my grandfather - all four of the children in my family went to college and then got advanced graduate degrees . ( Note : academic degrees aren ’ t the measure of anyone , they don ’ t guarantee success , and not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford them - I ’ m simply using this as an example of how a mindset - a story about how things work - can drive behavior !).
I see mindsets at work every day with my clients . Here are six of them that characterize successful trusted advisors :
The Independent Mindset
Great advisors are devoted to their clients , but they are also independent . In my first book , Clients for Life , I called this “ Selfless Independence .” There are three types of independence you need to cultivate . First , intellectual independence , where you ’ re able to say “ No ” and disagree with your client when you feel they aren ’ t doing the right thing for themselves . Second , emotional independence , which means you don ’ t allow your insecurities and neediness to interfere with your objective advice . The third type is financial independence , where you don ’ t allow money - e . g ., the prospect of earning a lot off a sale - to influence your recommendations .
Do you exercise intellectual , emotional , and financial independence in your client relationships ?
The Possibility Mindset
The most successful trusted advisors see possibilities for their clients , not limitations . They always look for opportunities , growth , and expansion ; are positive and upbeat in their demeanor ; feel that there are rewards enough to go around for everyone - they know that a “ rising tide ” lifts all boats ; try to see the positive side of their client ’ s ideas and plans ( while recognizing what may go wrong , of course ); and are willing to invest time and money in the short term in order to earn more later .
Professionals with a scarcity mentality , in contrast , have very different attitudes . They are primarily concerned with
90 MAL59 / 24 ISSUE