Transitions - The Toolbox for Financial Planning
...t¡¦s not supposed to happen! When reading about Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe and their point system for relative impact of events on peoples¡¦ health, it was an epiphany that changed the way I thought about myself and my anxiety around change; the anxiety is to be expected. This became even more poignant for me when reading ¡§Clients for Life¡¨, ¡§Hidden Cues Becoming Empathetic¡¨(p. 65). Sheth and Sobel define empathy as enabling us to: „« Understand the character, perspectives, motivations, and values of the people we work with „« Form deep, meaningful, personal and professional relationships „« Respond to others in appropriate and effective ways My personal experiences with the agony of change and transitions, throughout my life, both personally and professionally, provide me a unique perspective from which to guide my clients through each transitional ¡§Ending¡¨, ¡§Neutral Zone¡¨ and into a ¡§New Beginning¡¨. III. One Specific Example: Getting Clients to ¡§Take Action!¡¨ Understanding the process of ¡§Transitions¡¨, in conjunction with the milieu of my personal and professional life, leads me to expect that my clients will have difficulties ¡§beginning¡¨ the Financial Planning process, and once that hurdle is overcome, ¡§implementing¡¨ each step of the plan. The trigger to remind me about the ¡§Transition¡¨ process will be my own anxiety about approaching a new client. That ¡§approach¡¨, to my client, will be a transition in itself, for me. I will recognize my fears and unease and that will cause me to reflect upon the ¡§toolbox¡¨ of the transition process, to assist me in facilitating my clients to take action. IV. How This Would be Helpful: Understanding Transitions Helping my client understand the transition process and helping them recognize that their feelings are a very common and normal reaction to change, will assist me in guiding them through the process and successfully beginning and implementing their plans. I am confident that I can use terminology that is comfortable for me and my clients, to guide them through Endings: „« Disengagement ¡V Breaking with familiar circumstances „« Dismantling ¡V Destroying (figuratively) the old world. There will be a time when it isn¡¦t the old way any more, but not yet the new way, either. (¡§Transitions¡¨, p. 115) „« Disidentification ¡V What are we doing? Who are we? Are we changing? We used to be people that didn¡¦t need a Financial Planner? „« Disenchantment ¡V This really is not going to work. It is not what we thought it was? We¡¦ll just go back to doing things the way we used to. „« Disorientation ¡V Not enjoyable, but meaningful; a time of confusion when situations assume an unreal quality. ¡K and into the Neutral Zone. One concept that Bridges uses in his characterization of the Neutral Zone, seemed especially fitting; the ¡§street-crossing¡¨ procedure. (p. 134). ¡§One would be a fool to stay out there in the middle of the street any longer than was necessary; so once you step off the curb, you move on to the other side as fast as you can. And whatever you do, don¡¦t sit down on the centerline to think things over!¡¨ My goal would be to get my clients to step off the curb, and move across this scary, uncomfortable street and onto the New Beginning of Financial Health. Crossing the street as fast as they can, does not mean that my clients should proceed blindly; just don¡¦t stay out there longer than ¡§necessary¡¨. The rapid crossing must be balanced with ...