When I was launching The TrustedAdvisorToolkit.com™ turn-key business management operating system for financial advisors, one advisor, who described himself as “Marcus” posted this comment to my blog,

“From my 25 years of experience trying to find "best in class" experts to handle the client deliverables takes some doing. Also if you succeed in doing so you are no longer a "trusted advisor" but become a "trusted coordinator" of services.  Also the emphasis on the word trusted is a bit overdone; especially in today's environment.”

Beautiful! In one simple blog-post, this financial advisor has successfully captured most of the major limiting beliefs I encounter.

1.    Finding Deliverables Team Members who are Best-in-Class will take “some doing,” yes! But it can be done, it’s unnecessary to re-invent the wheel; just follow the Deliverables Team Recruitment Process we teach. (Also, if it were easy, do you think clients would value it much, or pay you much?)

2.    Thinking that a client perception of you as a “trusted coordinator” is a negative, is really a huge “don’t get it.”  Most clients we have researched didn’t believe that a Trusted Advisor existed out there who was skilled at orchestrating a Best-in-Class Deliverables Team of Subject Matter Experts to follow an organized process keeping their financial affairs in “perfect shape.” Discovering that such a “trusted coordinator” does, indeed, exist is a delightful paradigm shift for an Ideal Client who would much rather spend their precious time doing things that matter more than money to them.

3.    This advisor thinking that the emphasis on trust is a bit overdone these days, may be the biggest “don’t get it” of all.  Without trust, what basis is there for a business relationship, or any relationship for that matter?

By actually delivering on your promise to keep your clients’ financial houses in perfect order forever, can you make the mental shift that your Ideal Clients have likely already made?  Your value is not in your selecting exceptional products, your planning expertise or your skill as a Subject Matter Expert.

Your value delivering comprehensive financial services is measured by:

1. Your competence; the quality of your “process” and your skill at leading your team of experts, and;

2. Being “worthy of trust;” actually delivering, as promised.  Like the world class maître d’, you now know the two most valuable measures a client has foremost in mind as they look at you. 

Can you shift?