The importance of emotional intelligence

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Research out of North America illustrates the importance of emotional intelligence and areas advisers can improve in.

Thursday, June 13th 2024, 6:02AM 1 Comment

by Philip Macalister

The research, conducted by Million Dollar Round Table, in the United States and Canada found that 91.4% and 74.7% of respondents in Canada and the US respectively felt that advisers’ ability to demonstrate emotional intelligence strengthened the advice relationship.

MDRT noted three things that advisers can do to help build trust into their relationship:

• Listening to and acknowledging client needs
• Following through on their word
• Communicating in a way that is easy to understand.

Interestingly only 17% of Americans and 18% of Canadians say an adviser remembering personal milestones or passions make them more likely to trust their adviser.

MDRT public relations specialist Jack Miller says remembering milestones is more meaningful once the adviser has a relationship.

Before that is more like getting a message from a stranger, he says.

“You don’t need to directly discuss emotional intelligence with clients, but there are questions you can ask that demonstrate how you value it,” Miller says.

He suggested some questions advisers could use to help build emotional intelligence including;

• How can I make the topics we discuss easier to understand?
• Are there any goals of yours that you would like for us to discuss more often?
• Have there been any times I have dropped the ball?
• Is our appointment structure working for you?

Miller says these are just four questions advisers could consider asking clients.

The research suggested areas where there was room for growth.

Interestingly conflict resolution skills was named as one of them with only about 40% of respondents in both countries suggesting advisers can resolve conflicts well.

Just over a third of respondents (34% US; 38% Canadian) think their advisers are disciplined at managing their emotional reactions during conversations.
Miller said this was about the body language and reactions advisers made during conversations and suggested it was area advisers needed to be more conscious of.

For more about MDRT NZ click here

Philip Macalister travelled to the MDRT annual meeting in Vancouver with the support of Fidelity Life.

Tags: MDRT

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