Financial Services, Speaker and Coach

As children, these words marked the beginning of a big event, such as a circus or some other performance of colossal dimensions! With these words we knew we were in for a treat, with excitement and amazement attached to every moment.

We want our clients to react with excitement and amazement whenever we meet with them, whether it is a professional or personal meeting. Excitement and amazement result from many factors, but they start with something very simple; our ability to be professional, and to act as ladies and gentlemen.

As always, we must know our clients and know our audiences. Times exist when we can and should be more casual, but there is never an excuse for being unprofessional in any way. When we share a meal with clients, we must know how to entertain. You will never make a bad impression by knowing which plate to use for bread (on the left) or which glasses are ours (on the right). Knowing what silverware to use does NOT mean we are professionally competent, but it shows we pay attention to the little things.

A large money management firm was interviewing a person for a role as a portfolio manager, and they chose not to hire him because of a faux pas, which occurred over dinner on the day of the interview. What was the egregious error made by the applicant? The applicant salted a steak without first tasting it. The money management firm deduced (rightly or wrongly) that a person who would salt food without taking the time to taste it first would not do the necessary research to make investment decisions.

Professional conduct shows through in everything we do. How we meet a person, make introductions, entertain, correspond with clients, dress, and any aspect of interaction should be a reflection of our willingness to be a true professional. We won’t always be right, but we can always conduct ourselves in a professional manner.