The Happy Leader (Not!)
My heart breaks when I’m speaking to a Financial Planning Leader who does this.
They’re frustrated… daunted… exhausted.
They don’t feel that their performance meets the grade.
And they’ve been in business TWO whole years!
They’re on their knees with To Do Lists.
And TIME. They never have enough TIME!
Then I look at what they’re accomplishing.
And whisper: “Wow! That’s quite something!”
So, I continue to LISTEN. Until it comes out.
They’ve seen another financial planner who’s doing stonkingly well.
They’ve viewed this Linkedin Paragon who’s been in business for 30 months. This Paragon’s hitting £500k in recurrent revenue. Meanwhile recruiting her 6th employee.
Our caring, skilled, courageous Leader bought into the Social Media nonsense. The nonsense where the Paragon shows you the 1 degree of their 360-degree life.
“THIS is how your life could be. SHOULD be!”
We swallow it. And then our EXPECTATIONS go through the roof! So, we push ourselves to rise to what doesn’t really exist.
Meanwhile, here’s the Content Creator’s 359 degrees:
Their husband is questioning why he’s always 3rd in her priorities. (The smartphone is 2nd)
Their 13-year-old daughter accidentally threw her dinner on the floor, while letting Mum know – “You’re a waste of space!”
And the first member of their team has just stormed out… leaving an ugly Google rating on the firm.
I’m reminded of a brilliant equation:
HAPPINESS = REALITY MINUS EXPECTATIONS.
(Read that again. Slowly)
When our expectations are above the reality we’re experiencing… what is assured is disappointment and envy. We spend more time thinking about what we DON’T have.
Goals… milestones… KPIs. They’re all great tools.
But not if the striving gives birth to dissatisfaction and self-criticising in our life.
Then stress, burnout and fractured homes in our team’s lives.
My smart mother taught me the answer to this First World ‘Expectations Pandemic’.
She would stare out of her bedroom window in Palm Bay, Florida. Then she’d turn with Peace on her countenance.
“I’m so grateful for each new dawn I’m given.” She’d say to me.
I’m glad I LISTENED to her voice.
Now I keep a journal by my bedside. There I record the struggles… and the gratitude. Guess which helps me sleep better?
The NEUROSCIENCE is convincing.
When GRATITUDE and less comparison are woven into our life… our body releases extra levels of Oxytocin… one of our body’s most powerful survival chemicals.
Your team picks up on your chemistry.
So, be careful which beguiling voices you’re listening to!
Help them celebrate what really matters… the quality of the relationships that help them gel… and then perform. To bless the lives of their clients!
Why not join me for the first in our 6 monthly PFS Power Webinar series.
All about Coaching Skills for Financial Planners.
How to Listen So Clients Think Clearly
This first Webinar is about LISTENING.
How well you listen… and to whom… could reshape your life.
