Don’t Lower Your Standard, Raise the Bar!

Leadership Tip of the Week

The other day, I was speaking to an agency owner (whom I will call Becky to protect her privacy).

Becky was frustrated. She was feeling worn down by advisors on her team who simply would not commit to doing the work.

As a result, she was seeking to recruit enthusiastic candidates committed to excellence.

My response?

“Focus on career advisors.”

Her response? She did not hold back.

Becky is six weeks into my ten-week Recruitment Accelerator course and is on fire to build up her team.

Yet she has this nagging worry that if she only went after career advisors, the pool would be too small.

This is a common belief. It is both true and not true.

Yes, the pool of committed, career-minded professionals is smaller than the broader advisor population.

The reality is that while the pool may be smaller, it is also more productive. According to Host Agency Reviews, among active, experienced hosted advisors, 15% sell more than one million dollars annually.

What would happen if your recruitment strategy focused not on finding more of what you don’t want, but creating a culture that generates fewer, more successful advisors?

A career is not defined by the number of days an advisor works. It is what they do with those days.

The story Becky was telling herself was that she would have to settle for less than her ideal candidate because the pie was smaller and they would be harder to find.

When you lower the bar, you may get a bigger response from candidates who don’t fit. When you lower your standards, time, energy, and effort are wasted.

When you raise the bar, an interesting thing happens. Not only do you attract more serious candidates, but you also raise your commitment to your unique ability to lead.

Great candidates do not lower their standards when choosing a team. They are looking for leaders who know what they stand for.

Leading new advisors to a higher ideal elevates what you can do for everyone else on the team.

What kind of team do you really want?

What steps are you taking to make it happen for the team you lead? 

One of the things I love most about coaching travel business owners is helping them uncover the story they are telling themselves—and discovering the fuller truth waiting on the other side.

Every breakthrough starts there.