Knowledge and Insight

A talent shortage looms as the industry booms

Added on April 2012 in Thought Leadership

0 visitor like this article | Viewed 4491 times | 0 comment

Summary: The profound demographic trend that is boosting demand for investment advice — the millions of baby boomers retiring or planning their retirement — also is threatening the financial advisory sector with a talent shortage.

A 2011 survey by Cerulli Associates Inc. showed that 22% of advisers were below 40 and only 5% were younger than 30. The average age of advisers was 49.6, up one year from 2010. The average for wirehouse advisers was 50.6.

Innovation Is About Arguing, Not Brainstorming. Here's How To Argue Productively

Added on April 2012 in Thought Leadership

0 visitor like this article | Viewed 4667 times | 0 comment

Summary: Turns out that brainstorming isn’t the golden ticket to innovation after all. Science shows that brainstorms can activate a neurological fear of rejection and that groups are not necessarily more creative than individuals. Brainstorming can actually be detrimental to good ideas.

But the idea behind brainstorming is right. To innovate, we need environments that support imaginative thinking. We need to work both collaboratively and individually. We also need a healthy amount of heated discussion, even arguing. We need places where someone can throw out a thought, have it critiqued, and not feel so judged that they become defensive and shut down. Yet this creative process is not necessarily supported by the traditional tenets of brainstorming: group collaboration, all ideas held equal, nothing judged.

The 6 Habits of True Strategic Thinkers

Added on March 2012 in Thought Leadership

0 visitor like this article | Viewed 5147 times | 0 comment

Summary: After two decades of advising organizations large and small, my colleagues and I have formed a clear idea of what's required of you in this role. Adaptive strategic leaders — the kind who thrive in today’s uncertain environment – do six things well:

Succession-planning program at Cambridge is bearing fruit

Added on March 2012 in Plan for the Future

0 visitor like this article | Viewed 6198 times | 0 comment

Summary: Representatives and financial advisers with Cambridge Investment Research are taking advantage of a succession-planning program that gives junior reps access to capital to buy into senior reps' practices while the broker-dealer, in return, gets a piece of the action. Called Continuity Partners Group LLC, the program was launched two years ago and has seen the number of practices joining the program double, with 46 offices now on board.

Wharton Professor Gives Advisory Model Radical Makeover

Added on February 2012 in Join an RIA

0 visitor like this article | Viewed 5402 times | 0 comment

Summary: Kent Smetters, a Wharton Professor, has created a platform for advisors to be able to scale their practice while serving the underserved Middle America. Veritat is a platform that does the client scheduling, collection of client information, creation of the personalized plans and the portfolio management. The advisor must approve and can slightly alter before it is presented to the client.