The Wealth of Your Life guidebook featured as a resource in December Horizons Magazine

December 15, 2011

Kentucky pastor Desiree Youngblood wrote a great piece on ethical wills this month for Horizons Magazine, the magazine for Presbyterian women. She helps her readers imagine themselves creating a legacy letter by asking them to answer the question of why they are writing. She offers this list to consider:

I am writing this ethical will because:

I love you.

I want to share my values and beliefs with you.

I want to share my life stories with you.

I want to share my dreams and hopes for you.

I want you to know how important you are to me.

I want to recount my life to you.

I want to be remembered long after I am gone.

Very helpful, Desiree. Thank you for a lovely job.

“Open Mic” interview prompts reflections on good conversation

October 26, 2011

It was a privilege to be interviewed today by Appreciative Inquiry expert and coach Ed Jacobson. You can listen to the audio here. A good interview can bring new insights to the person being interviewed, and that’s happened today when Ed quoted – or paraphrased – poet Ed Whyte  who said, “You know you have found your calling when you have discovered the kinds of conversations you want to be in. ”

I loved this quote. As I said at the close of the interview today, it speaks directly to why I do what I do – the work provides an official excuse to have extraordinary conversations. This is not true only for me, but for anyone who introduces the notion of an ethical will  to a client or a parent or a friend. The idea itself, once understood, can be a lever for very meaningful conversation – even if the other person does not commit to creating anything.

In fact, that is just what happened earlier this week, as reported by a financial advisor who used The Wealth of Your Life and the LifeLegacy Cards as props to prompt discussion with a couple who are her clients. She wrote,  ” They really enjoyed the discussion and it brought back lots of memories.  It helped me to understand how “stuck” they are right now [because of some of their commitments.] I asked if they would do the ethical will and they said, honestly, no.  At least they were honest.   But they remarked how much they enjoyed the discussion [and] having your materials made the visit that much richer.”

What a powerful reminder that good conversation brings its own rewards.

Wealth of Your Life made a Top 12 List Today

December 16, 2010

The Wealth of Your Life: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating Your Ethical Will made a list assembled by Vanguard financial advisor Steve Vernon, entitled, “12 Books to Give to Retirees (or Those About to Retire.)  Steve’s blog shows up on CBS Money Watch.

Advisor Impact study on client loyalty just out

December 16, 2010

An analysis of the May, 2010 study conducted by Advisor Impact called the "Anatomy of the Referral"  has just been published. In a survey of ...

More on Listening

December 8, 2010

I got many responses to my email newsletter on the topic of listening, namely, the difference it makes to the quality of thinking on the part of the person who ...

Gunther Weil on Values

December 7, 2010

I heard a fascinating presentation on the subject of values today, given by Value Mentor's founder Gunther Weil, who has taken his expertise in the human and organizational development, ...