What’s More Contagious Than COVID-19?

Your attitude is more contagious than any virus, whether that attitude is one of fear, negativity or positivity.

That was the word from Deirdre Van Nest creator of the Crazy Good Talks Blueprint, a system that teaches financial advisors how to bring in business faster and impact more lives through the power of speaking. Van Nest spoke at an online town hall meeting for members of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors on Monday.

Advisors are taking on the roles of leaders and first responders during the current COVID-19 crisis, Van Nest said. As a result, she added, “the people in your life will look to how you react. They look to you to lead in a way you never have before.”

In order to lead effectively, Van Nest said, advisors must answer the question: How do I want to show up for the people I lead?

“You must decide in advance who you’re going to be or else your attitude will be blown in the wind,” she said.

Advisors are entitled to whatever emotions they feel, she said, but “you can’t let your emotions rule your attitude.”

So how do you show up for the people you lead? Here’s what Van Nest had to say.

• Have an “energy protection plan” to protect your energy so you can live the way you want to show up for others. Some of the daily practices she suggested to protect your energy included meditation, exercise and journaling.
• You may have to protect other people from your energy when you are not in a good place emotionally or mentally. “There are time when you need to be in a bad mood for awhile,” she said.
• React first with affirming empathy when someone comes to you with a problem or a question. Resist the urge to respond by “jumping into solution mode” right away. From there, create a “vision cast” in which you show them a positive future, focusing on their long-term goals and plans.

Van Nest said she believes the current crisis opens many opportunity for advisors.

“I believe advisors get more clients when the markets are down than when the markets are booming,” she said. “When the markets are doing well, clients don’t care.”

She emphasized that this is an opportunity for advisors to reach out to all their clients and prospects – even the “chicken prospects” they are afraid to call on.

“Your clients need to see your face; they need to hear your calm, confident voice.”

Susan Rupe is managing editor for InsuranceNewsNet. She formerly served as communications director for an insurance agents' association and was an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @INNsusan.

© Entire contents copyright 2020 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted without the expressed written consent from InsuranceNewsNet.com.