beBetter 

Do you think having a point of view is important? Clients are looking for advisors with a point of view, and we will need to challenge theirs when they are not being realistic about the challenges they are facing or the opportunities they are missing. 

This blog is the fourth part of a series that outlines the Four Building Blocks to Move to Advisory Services.

We’ve already discussed the first two blocks: MINDSET SHIFT and CONFIDENCE. ANTICIPATORY SKILLS is the third building block to move our organizations towards advisory services and seize our future by being relevant — starting now.

Building Block Two in this series [meant to outline the Four Building Blocks to Move to Advisory Services] is Confidence. 

How do we move our organizations towards advisory services? How do we seize our future by being relevant starting now? I think there are four foundational building blocks. Last week, we discussed the first block: MINDSET SHIFT.

A recent beBetter blog, Price is Rarely the Issue, generated some interesting comments and thoughts. One that really caught my attention was from a HORNE team member in Tennessee, David Friedt. David shared a humorous story about how a car salesman was attempting to make a car distinctive with some of the features.  

What a beautiful day on Eagle Lake with my fishing buddy Bruce. The sun has peeped out and we have a slight southwest breeze blowing about 6 mph. I’m smiling as I’m looking into the live well where we have put 19 slab crappie over the last few hours. I’m adjusting the depth on my Live Scope as we are moving around to locate another spot holding baitfish. Today, our pattern has been finding big crappie just beneath the schools of baitfish in about ten feet of water.  

A few weeks ago, we discussed the importance of getting off-road more to see and find our clients new and changing needs. In essence, doing many things that we haven’t done before. It requires us to get muddy, get a scratch or two and even assess what we are driving as a firm. Are we getting off-road enough?

I’ve just finished lunch with my partner and good friend before he leaves for a week-long Disney trip with his family. He shared some of the activities they had planned and how some things had changed due to COVID. It sounded exciting for someone who loves Disney. (Not me, but my grandkids are anxiously waiting). I know I’m going again, but I’m holding out for fewer restrictions and for the younger ones to get a little taller. Hey, if you have to go, go when you can knock it all out — rides and kids!

About once a quarter, I hire Tony to completely detail my SUV. He always comments on how dirty it is. Today will be no different as he drives up to pick it up. I know it is muddy as I have been over at camp and had it off on a trail looking to fish our oxbow lake.

As I push the spout down on my giant bottle of Aveda Rosemary Mint shampoo, a big generous blob of shampoo runs into my hand. Now I know this is more shampoo than I need for this thinning hair of mine, but something always prevents me from stopping with just a half push. I love this shampoo — its smell is incredible and I believe it gives my hair a little more body. 

What a painful blog to write and CeCe will be all over this after she reads it. I had just launched my boat into some rough water as three guys watched from the boat ramp. “You going out in this rough water?” they asked. “Yes, I’m going to the north end to wade so I won’t have to deal with the wind and the boat.” Turning the boat into the wind, hitting those first two big waves, my ego got the best of me. I grabbed my Ole Miss cap and swung it around like a cowboy riding a bucking bull, clearly showing out for the guys on the bank.

Can you imagine if your surgeon was billing you by the hour? How good would we feel about those contrasting incentives? The longer the surgery, the more the surgeon makes. We might pay a lesser skilled surgeon more than an innovative surgeon who has perfected a less invasive and highly successful surgery.  

CeCe enters the kitchen as I am brewing a large fresh pot of coffee. “My, the coffee smells wonderful. Did you use your new coffee bean grinder for this pot?” 

CeCe and I are headed up to Oxford, MS, for a weekend of visiting family and watching the Ole Miss Rebels play football. CeCe is on the phone with Delta Faucets trying to replace four defective faucets we have in our house. The first one resulted in over $2,000 in repairs from the leak. The second, I was lucky enough to discover it as the seal first burst and started leaking into the bathroom.