Do you want to contribute more to your team or to paraplanning as a whole but feel you don’t have the confidence to do so? Welcome to the club, says Dan Atkinson, head of Technical, Paradigm Norton Financial Planning Ltd
We have an important part to play in the businesses we work in. Clients benefit from the collaboration that takes place within our teams. Each member of the team (adviser, paraplanner, administrator) has a different perspective on things. If we speak up and contribute, our clients will benefit. The result is something far better than if we just work on our piece of the picture in isolation.
But the lies we tell ourselves often stop us from being active collaborators. Let’s see what some of these lies are and how we might overcome them.
The lies we tell ourselves
Assuming that we are competent at our core role, the main limiting factor is ourselves. It is good to have people that you respect and look up to. They inspire, guide, mentor and protect you. Having people further along in their careers can provide a path to follow and a source of wisdom. However sometimes our minds flip this opportunity to grow in a safe space into a place of inadequacy. We tell ourselves that our contribution can’t possibly matter, or that others will certainly have thought of it already. We fear sharing the obvious or most straightforward view/solution. These self-limiting beliefs are often untrue and can prevent us from participating. They tell us that we don’t have the potential to make a difference.
As we progress in our career (especially if we have people looking up to us) our minds might play a further dirty trick. Despite being competent, qualified, and experienced we tell ourselves the opposite: ‘Who are you to be saying this? You’re just a…’ We tell ourselves that we don’t have permission.
Dealing with the lies
The first step to overcoming these traits is to spot the signs. Recognise the feelings as a warning flag. Having locked your eyes on the cause, pause. Examine it and slowly, rationally, systematically; determine whether the feeling is valid or not. If it’s not valid then call it out as false and cast it aside. In our workplaces we should remember that we have been appointed into our role – we are not here by accident but rather by endeavour.
I am no stranger to these feelings. Each time I write these articles I question what I can possibly have to share with the community that is of value? When I visit our various offices, or attend, participate in or host conferences/events – I get them too.
But I identify them, pause, and remind myself of two things. Firstly, I have been invited to write/speak as ‘me’. Secondly, I have shown my competency through a combination of exams and practice/experience. So, if I have been chosen in my own right, and know what I’m talking about then I jolly well better step up and do it!
Changing this mindset transforms the fear of the situation into a responsibility to contribute. Indeed, this fear starts to be a sign of an exciting opportunity to come.
So, what will you do about it?
We are part of an incredible profession that has the potential to impact clients’ lives for better. Start by stepping up and collaborating with your colleagues. Be active in the paraplanning community to learn from others and encourage them to step up.
Those of you who strongly feel the responsibility to contribute to the growth of the profession might seek out other opportunities. Why not be an active participant on The Big Tent forum (https://thebigtent.paraplannersassembly.co.uk/). From time to time there are also opportunities to be part of paraplanning committees or panels at both the CISI (https://www.cisi.org/cisiweb2/cisi-website/networking-events/professional-forums/paraplanner-interest-group) and PFS (https://www.facebook.com/PFSParaplannerHQ/). Or ask Professional Paraplanner if you can write or contribute to an article: [email protected]
I look forward to hearing how you have stepped up in 2022.
This article was first published in the February 2022 issue of Professional Paraplanner.
