Make sure clients understand your priorities

Adrian George, CFP, TEP, has service standards at his practice. That means returning phone calls within two hours and emails within four hours. He reserves two evenings per week for clients.

But weekends are off limits.

“I communicate to my clients when I am and am not available because one of my core values, if not the core value, is my family,” said the eight-year MDRT member from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “I get very positive responses because of that, and I’m excited to go to work and I’m excited to see my family.”

That includes attending all of his sons’ soccer practices and games and attending mid-day school functions as needed. “These are times I can’t get back,” George said. “They get really, really excited because they know dad will be there for every one of their events.”

Anticipating the more complicated teen years, George said he knows there’s a limited amount of time that his kids (now 8 and 10) will want him there, which is all the more reason to make them a priority. “They’re as excited to see me as I am to see them,” he said, recognizing the impact this balance in his life has on his overall state of mind. “I’m constantly in a state of excitement. It’s fantastic.”

For more Whole Person ideas

•        “Well mind and body” (pdf)
•        “Don’t allow negativity” (video)
•        “Whole Person balance quiz” (pdf)

Written by Matt Pais, MDRT Content Specialist