Financial Planner: Change Agent Ted Klontz Ph.D. Co-Author - The Financial Wisdom of Ebenezer Scrooge: Transforming Your Relationship With Money Health Communications 2006 Co-founder of: - Onsite’s “Healing Money Issues” - Financial Integration Workshops - Financial Integration Residency Programs (for CFP’s & other professionals)

Financial Planner as Change Agent Perhaps the client’s only/best chance Perhaps the client’s only/best chance Personally can attest to the power Personally can attest to the power Share Change Technology Share Change Technology

Financial Planning and Baseball Your pitch, ideal client, your template? Your pitch, ideal client, your template? Why work with others? Why work with others? Facilitating change Facilitating change

Change Myths Crisis is a powerful impetus for change Crisis is a powerful impetus for change Change is motivated by fear Change is motivated by fear More information will facilitate change More information will facilitate change Small gradual changes are easier to make and sustain Small gradual changes are easier to make and sustain Change is difficult because our brains are ‘hardwired’ early in life. Change is difficult because our brains are ‘hardwired’ early in life. Confrontation is an effective change tool Confrontation is an effective change tool Fast Company May 2005 Fast Company May 2005

Change Principles Change in a generally positive direction is a normal human function Change in a generally positive direction is a normal human function Ambivalence, resistance, and getting stuck in the process of change is normal Ambivalence, resistance, and getting stuck in the process of change is normal As a change agent your behavior is not neutral, what you do will either facilitate or hinder the speed, duration, effort, and direction of change. As a change agent your behavior is not neutral, what you do will either facilitate or hinder the speed, duration, effort, and direction of change.

Change Principles Continued: Confrontation/pressure increases resistance Confrontation/pressure increases resistance Change is more likely to occur if the change agent says nothing than if they are directive. Change is more likely to occur if the change agent says nothing than if they are directive. Whether a client stays with the process of change, adheres to the plan, and has a successful outcome is as much determined by the way the change agent interacts with the client as it is by any particular approach or school of thought. Whether a client stays with the process of change, adheres to the plan, and has a successful outcome is as much determined by the way the change agent interacts with the client as it is by any particular approach or school of thought.

Change Agent Principles Approaching the interaction with the client with a “Beginner’s Mind” is very helpful Approaching the interaction with the client with a “Beginner’s Mind” is very helpful When resistance is encountered during an interaction the change agent will benefit from changing speed, direction or technique When resistance is encountered during an interaction the change agent will benefit from changing speed, direction or technique The goal is to ‘be’ with the client, wherever they are in the change process The goal is to ‘be’ with the client, wherever they are in the change process The client needs to be the primary source of ‘change talk’ The client needs to be the primary source of ‘change talk’

Change Agent Principles Continued Empathy (skillful reflection and listening that clarifies and amplifies an individual’s own experience and meaning) warmth and genuineness are three key attributes of an effective change agent Empathy (skillful reflection and listening that clarifies and amplifies an individual’s own experience and meaning) warmth and genuineness are three key attributes of an effective change agent The change agent wants to provide an opportunity for the client to hear their change talk at least three times The change agent wants to provide an opportunity for the client to hear their change talk at least three times

Techniques: O.A.R.S. Open Questions (statements are better than open questions) Open Questions (statements are better than open questions) Affirming statements Affirming statements Reflect what the speaker has said Reflect what the speaker has said Summarize what the speaker has said Summarize what the speaker has said

The Three Components of Change Sense of importance of change/perceived need to change Sense of importance of change/perceived need to change Level of confidence that change is possible/that client is able to change Level of confidence that change is possible/that client is able to change Readiness to change Readiness to change

Need to/Importance of Change The task is for the change agent to develop the discrepancy between the current situation and the idealized goal The task is for the change agent to develop the discrepancy between the current situation and the idealized goal

Tools for developing a client’s perceived “Importance/Need to Change” Tell me what worries you most about how things are now Tell me what worries you most about how things are now Tell me what has happened to make you think you need to do something different Tell me what has happened to make you think you need to do something different What difficulties have you experienced because of the current situation What difficulties have you experienced because of the current situation Tell me what there is about the situation that is a concern for other people Tell me what there is about the situation that is a concern for other people To what degree do you share their concerns To what degree do you share their concerns Tell me how you would like things to be different Tell me how you would like things to be different Tell me the advantages for you, and your family of making this change Tell me the advantages for you, and your family of making this change Tell me what would be good/better if the change took place Tell me what would be good/better if the change took place Tell me how, if things could magically change right now, they might look/be better Tell me how, if things could magically change right now, they might look/be better

Ability To Change The best predictor of success is the level of confidence that the client has that they can change; the task is to evoke from the client examples of their own historical resourcefulness in making changes The best predictor of success is the level of confidence that the client has that they can change; the task is to evoke from the client examples of their own historical resourcefulness in making changes

Tools for developing a client’s “Confidence/Ability to Change” Tell me, on a scale of 1-10, how confident you are that you can do this if you decide to do it Tell me, on a scale of 1-10, how confident you are that you can do this if you decide to do it Tell me the factors/resources that make you think that if you decide to do this, you can be successful Tell me the factors/resources that make you think that if you decide to do this, you can be successful Tell me what encourages you to believe that you could do this if you want to Tell me what encourages you to believe that you could do this if you want to Tell me what personal strengths would work for you if you decided to do this Tell me what personal strengths would work for you if you decided to do this Tell me about other times in your life where you made a significant change like this and how you did it Tell me about other times in your life where you made a significant change like this and how you did it Tell me who you know/believe could offer you support in making this change Tell me who you know/believe could offer you support in making this change Tell me how I might support you Tell me how I might support you

Readiness to Change The task is to recognize that ambivalence is normal, getting stuck is normal, that resistance is a signal that things are moving too quickly, and the change agent needs to focus on staying with the client to help them explore whatever space they are in The task is to recognize that ambivalence is normal, getting stuck is normal, that resistance is a signal that things are moving too quickly, and the change agent needs to focus on staying with the client to help them explore whatever space they are in

Tools to help Develop a client’s “Readiness to Change” Tell me what your thinking is at this moment in time regarding this proposed change Tell me what your thinking is at this moment in time regarding this proposed change You seem stuck, tell me what is going to have to happen before you are ready to move ahead You seem stuck, tell me what is going to have to happen before you are ready to move ahead Tell me what you think you might do Tell me what you think you might do Tell me what changes you are thinking about making Tell me what changes you are thinking about making Tell me how important it is right now for you to change Tell me how important it is right now for you to change Tell me what you are willing to do Tell me what you are willing to do Tell me where you would like to go from here Tell me where you would like to go from here Of all the options we have talked about, tell me which ones sound best to you Of all the options we have talked about, tell me which ones sound best to you Never mind how for right now, tell me what you would like to have happen Never mind how for right now, tell me what you would like to have happen Tell me what you see as your options Tell me what you see as your options Of the all the things we have talked about, tell me which ones concern you the most Of the all the things we have talked about, tell me which ones concern you the most

Helpful Responses Elaborating: Tell me how, in what way, more, give me an example, tell me about the last time Elaborating: Tell me how, in what way, more, give me an example, tell me about the last time Examine Extremes: Tell me what worries you the most about the long run if there is no change, tell me about the worse thing that could happen if there is no change, tell me about the potential consequences of not changing, Examine Extremes: Tell me what worries you the most about the long run if there is no change, tell me about the worse thing that could happen if there is no change, tell me about the potential consequences of not changing, Looking Back: Tell me how your pain around this changed you as a person, tell me how this lack of change stopped or hindered you from growing, moving forward Looking Back: Tell me how your pain around this changed you as a person, tell me how this lack of change stopped or hindered you from growing, moving forward Looking Forward: Tell me what you hope will be different in the future, tell me how you would like things to be different in 10 years, Looking Forward: Tell me what you hope will be different in the future, tell me how you would like things to be different in 10 years, Tell me how you picture your life 5-10 years from now if you don’t change Tell me how you picture your life 5-10 years from now if you don’t change

Change Agents: Larry Larry Rick Rick

References Motivational Interviewing: Dr. William Miller & Dr. Steven Rollnick Guilford Press 2002 Motivational Interviewing: Dr. William Miller & Dr. Steven Rollnick Guilford Press 2002 Changing for Good: Dr. James Prochaska, Dr. John Norcross, & Dr. Carlo DiClemente Quill-Harper Collins 1994, 2002 Changing for Good: Dr. James Prochaska, Dr. John Norcross, & Dr. Carlo DiClemente Quill-Harper Collins 1994, 2002