Ever had an awkward conversation as a paraplanner? For most, the answer to that question will be a firm yes and it’s not something we should shy away from talking about. In her latest, brilliantly witty article, Jo Campbell – Chief Operating Officer at Verve, says that people skills are the other half of the job as a paraplanner, and such skills are worth the effort.
Hey, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think anybody goes into paraplanning because they love conflict (or ‘chew’ as we call it in the northeast) and awkward conversations.
We went into it because we love the technical stuff, the research, the satisfaction of a beautifully constructed suitability report.
And yet, here we are, regularly finding ourselves needing to have conversations that make us want to suddenly become very interested in our screensavers, the ceiling and what Neil (the pepper guy) has brought for lunch again (clue; it’s peppers. It’s always peppers).
The good news? Handling difficult conversations well is a skill, and like all skills, it can be learned.
Within your team
Let’s start close to home. Whether you manage a team or are part of one, there will be moments where something needs to be said.
A colleague is consistently missing deadlines. A fellow paraplanner is cutting corners on research. Someone keeps lobbing work your way at 4:45pm on a Friday (we all know one).
The temptation is to say nothing and just quietly seethe, which works brilliantly for approximately no one.
The key here is to address things early, before resentment builds and a small issue becomes a big one. Keep it factual, keep it kind, and focus on the impact rather than the behaviour itself.
“When reports go out late, it puts pressure on the whole team, how can we achieve more consistency in this area?” lands very differently to “You’re always late with your reports.” One is a conversation, the other is a confrontation.
And if you are on the receiving end of feedback? Take it in the manner in which it is intended. It’s information, and we love data. Anything that can help you grow as a person or a paraplanner is only helpful.
With financial advisers / planners
Ah, now we’re in interesting territory.
The paraplanner-and -adviser relationship works best when it is genuinely collaborative, but that requires both parties to be honest with each other. Sometimes an adviser will bring you a case that is, to put it politely, a bloomin’ nightmare.
The fact find is incomplete, the objectives are vague, or the recommended solution does not quite sit right with you on a suitability level.
This is where a lot of paraplanners go quiet when they really should be speaking up. You are not just a report-writing machine. Your job is to interpret, interrogate and, when needed, push back.
That is not insubordination, that is doing your job properly. Really we work for the end client, not the adviser or firm. That’s who we should be answerable to.
A useful approach is to frame your concerns as questions rather than challenges. “I want to make sure I have correctly understood the client’s attitude to risk, can we talk through this?” is far easier to receive than “I do not think this recommendation is suitable.” Same destination, smoother road.
Build the relationship in the quieter moments too, not just when there is a problem to solve. Advisers who know and trust you will take your concerns seriously. Advisers who only hear from you when something is wrong are far more likely to get defensive.
With compliance
Right, deep breath. Compliance teams are not the enemy. I know it can feel that way when a report comes back with seventeen comments and a very long email attached, but they are on your side.
Ultimately, you all want the same thing: a good outcome for the client and a firm that is not on the wrong end of a regulatory review.
That said, there will be times when you genuinely disagree with a compliance decision or feel a process is creating more friction than it is preventing risk. In those moments, the worst thing you can do is ignore the feedback or, worse, work around it.
Instead, ask for the reasoning. “Can you help me understand what you need to see here?” is not a challenge to their authority, it is a request for clarity.
More often than not, a quick conversation will resolve what three rounds of email tennis could not.
And if you think a process genuinely needs revisiting, make the case. Bring examples, bring data, and frame it in terms of Consumer Duty and client outcomes.
Compliance teams respond well to evidence and improving a process for the future means you don’t need to keep having these conversations over and over.
The one that ties it all together
Whether it is a team member, an adviser or a compliance officer, difficult conversations go better when the other person feels heard before they feel challenged. Listen first, respond second.
You have spent years developing the technical skill to do this job brilliantly. The people skills are just the other half of it, and honestly, they are worth the effort.
Nobody enjoys the awkward chat. But getting good at it will make every part of your working life easier, and that is very much worth talking about.
Main image: communication, kelly-sikkema-sWRPYgjpygQ-unsplash
