In late 2024, I sat down with Dan Atkinson, Head of Technical at Paradigm Norton for a chat. Dan came to one of my courses in May and I was keen to hear his thoughts on what had changed for him since.
The result was a thought provoking and insightful conversation that I’m really excited to share with you here. I think you’ll walk away from it with actions you can implement immediately.
Dan has impressive technical credentials, being a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and the Personal Finance Society (PFS). However what struck me was his emotional intelligence, intentional approach as a leader and mentor, and how eloquently he speaks.
Video description with timestamps
00:00 – Introduction and Dan’s background 00:53 – The critical role of human skills in communicating technical concepts 2:28 – The importance of understanding the question before jumping in 3:53 – Simple meeting changes that empower teams and generate better ideas 7:16 – The importance of environment in achieving meaningful outcomes 10:02 – Why giving others more time to explore their thoughts (and stopping interruptions) leads to better solutions 12:55 – How emerging technologies can support intentional leadership 13:54 – Transforming financial planning through the Thinking Environment approach 20:30 – The pathway to becoming an EPIC financial planning professional
In summary
In this thought-provoking conversation, Dan shares how attending the Thinking Environment Foundation course and learning about the approach has influenced his leadership style and client service model.
As “Head of Technical”, he could have seen coming on the Thinking Environment Foundation course as a bit extra curricular for him, so I was curious why he signed up. He explains that focusing on human skills alongside technical expertise are essential for him with his team, and also for Financial Planners, creating spaces where clients feel truly heard and understood.
Key takeaways include practical strategies for improving meeting dynamics, the significance of creating the right environment for meaningful conversations, and how intentional listening can help financial planners address their clients’ true needs rather than assumed problems. Dan also explores how emerging technologies can support intentional leadership – explaining one way in which he uses AI to help him build self-awareness.
Whether you’re a financial planning professional looking to enhance your client relationships or a leader wanting to empower your team and draw out their great ideas, this interview offers actionable insights to transform your approach from simply good to genuinely epic.
If you like the sound of what Dan learned on the Thinking Environment Foundation course, check out our upcoming course dates here or book in for a chat.
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