I typically read about successors who came in and they didn’t know as much as or were less capable than the original founder. In our case we prefer the son to his dad.

When I ask an audience of advisors who wants to be a better salesperson, the room goes silent. I often say “sales” is not a four-letter word (it is five!).

When our less-experienced team members present their ideas, the long-time staff dismisses them as “been there-done that” almost before the idea is fully vetted.

What do you do when one of your best clients is spending their way into oblivion?

Time management is a fallacy – you can’t manage time; everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day. You can manage your choices – by focusing on personal management you will start to see a positive shift when you try one or more of these things.

We are finding it harder and harder to attract good talent. We are in a large metropolitan area and the economy is strong so candidates are waiting it out when it comes to job offers.

The last couple of weeks I was reminded that often times, words do matter and we have to consider how what we say is interpreted and relayed to others.

I need to motivate my team to take more action. I often tell them to bring me solutions, not just problems. But all I hear are complaints about what we need to do differently.

There are things coming at me from all corners – my own clients, my boss’ needs and other projects he wants me to be involved with in our firm – and he is asking me to obtain a certification, which I haven’t even been able to investigate yet.

What do the best leaders do to gain the trust and respect of their followers? They master these seven key skills.