Communication...Don't Stop
Photo by: Robert7
Communication…Don’t Stop…
OR, if you haven’t yet started,
Get S!tarted
For the few who read this blog regularly, here’s another turn at the broken record…COMMUNICATION…I talk and write about it a lot. Maybe even practice it some. Can I PRACTICE - ATTENTIVE, CURIOUS LISTENING? Let’s face it. We all can get better at communication – if we train ourselves. Notice I didn’t say TRY.
I’m tired of trying harder.
But, I can still train to get better…over time. So, here’s another go.
Not too long ago, my wife, Lyn, and I had a meeting with our financial advisor. This time, we invited our adult children, who are now 34 and 32, respectively, to join us. We didn’t tell every detail of our financial “story,” but another layer of the onion was peeled. They know more now than they did before. They had the chance to ask questions. Another leg of the race. AND, they know the door is open to talk to our advisor…WITHOUT us.
Another vignette: I was visiting recently with a client. Mom and Dad are revising their estate plan, hoping to have a family meeting soon to LISTEN and SHARE. I suggested to “the kids” (again, all adults) that they share with Mom and Dad:
We don’t DESERVE anything.
We aren’t EXPECTING anything.
These are your assets and affairs,
to do with as you deem wisely.
What might happen if Mom and Dad hear that from their kids? Might it take some pressure off of them as they have been shackled with words like FAIR? Might the sense of “needing” to please their kids (and maybe the kids’ spouses…) lessen a bit? I think so…
So that you know I’m not the only one talking about this communication thing, and maybe to spur some of your own thoughts and conversations, here’s a link to a very informative (maybe even challenging) article I recently read. I hope it’s helpful!
https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/conversations-to-have-with-beneficiaries
So, if communication is “lagging” in your “race,” pick up the pace. If you haven’t begun to run, there’s no better time than now to begin.
