In my previous piece, I said “it all starts with you” and that is true on many levels. Each “you” on the team plays a crucial role, and taking the time to uncover all aspects of that role can be a game changer in terms of productivity and client experience. Take a lesson from the less experienced financial professionals on your team and consider following their lead in these three ways:

1. Energize with innovation.

“Because we’ve always done it that way.” That simple statement can kill innovation before it even begins. Oftentimes, especially those of us who have been in a role for many years, or even decades, tell ourselves “if it isn’t broken, then why fix it?” However, new financial professionals tend to bring a fresh perspective. They are inquisitive, and those curiosity questions can help pave the path for enhanced systems, solutions, and processes.

Less seasoned financial professionals are not steeped in tradition, and oftentimes that lack of repetition can be energizing for the practice as a whole. Welcome the excitement and energy of less seasoned financial professionals, who are soaking it all up and allow the opportunity to inspire you and your team. You might be surprised by how re-energized you feel about the industry after spending time with less seasoned financial professionals.

2. Leverage their life story.

We all have a story. The choices we’ve made, the choices we wish we had made, the jobs we have held, the family situations we have experienced, etc. Sharing your story with your clients and team members can help you to connect with them on a more personal level, and leveraging a new financial professional’s life story in the practice can be an incredible differentiator.

For example, has the new financial professional previously held a job in the medical field, giving them insight and empathy for elderly individuals who may face social isolation? Have they nursed a grandparent who has dementia and can truly understand the role of a caregiver? Bringing in a team member with a different background can be more helpful than you might think. Be sure to understand their passions, story, and life’s path so that it can benefit your clients, as well as the advice and solutions you deliver as a team.

3. Embrace technology.

Technology tends to be a group sport. One person tries a new app, device, website, and then shares their experiences, opinions, and takeaways. Before you know it, others in their circle are using the same tech tools and the cycle continues.

Adopt the same mentality within your team. Share best practices and be sure to pick the brain of the less seasoned financial professional on the team to see what technology platforms or tools he/she is using frequently. Ask him/her to do a tech assessment of your current practice and offer up suggestions (within compliance parameters) that might make sense to use. Less seasoned financial professionals may be able to help transform the practice’s technology tools in a very short amount of time, especially in today’s socially distanced world.

When you think of your team, be sure to not only count the years of experience of each team member, but also count their total life experience, story, passions, and skillsets. Although they may not have held a specific industry license for a long period of time, chances are their innovative mind, lack of tradition, and comfort with technology will benefit your team, your practice, and most importantly, the client experience you deliver.