How developing deeper listening skills transforms client outcomes and business results
When Mel Holman, founder of Compliance and Training Solutions (CATS), first heard about my work on listening skills for financial planners, she admits she thought it sounded “a bit wishy-washy.” After 20 years building one of the industry’s leading compliance consultancies, she already understood that great financial planning requires more than technical knowledge. But could there really be that much more to learn about listening?
After attending my one-day Thinking Environment programme for financial planners, Mel discovered something powerful: knowing how to create space for thinking is a skill that transforms everything.
Beyond surface-level conversations
“When you actually do a deeper dive into this, it is more than just listening,” Mel reflects. “It is also challenging yourself and giving yourself time to think.”
Her key insight? Too often, client conversations become “a sausage factory chat”, going through the motions to tick the boxes each year, without getting to the heart of what clients truly need. The solution is surprisingly simple:
Deeper listening equals deeper understanding, which leads to better problem-solving for clients.
This directly supports Consumer Duty objectives. As Mel explains: “If you have better listening skills as a financial planner, you develop deeper trust with clients. You actually find out what is truly important to that person sitting in front of you rather than just surface level objectives.”
The technology opportunity
With AI transforming financial services, human connection matters more than ever. While technology drives efficiencies, the future belongs to those offering what AI cannot: genuine empathy and the ability to navigate complex emotional decisions.
“AI can ask some questions, but you need somebody to be able to react to you and ask those deeper questions and challenge you,” Mel observes. The winning firms will be those offering high-touch services, using technology to enhance rather than replace human interaction.
Practical changes that make a difference
Mel’s experience revealed simple shifts that create profound impact:
In client meetings:
- Don’t rush into “fix it mode” – let clients fully express themselves first
- Set realistic time expectations for meaningful discovery
- Ask deeper questions: “Who will you be when you retire?”
With your team:
- Be truly present – laptop down, phone away
- Let team members reach their own conclusions for genuine growth
- Create space where people can challenge ideas safely
For your business:
- Use listening skills to identify emerging leaders
- Build the supportive culture that attracts both talent and buyers
- Give yourself the time and space to think well as a leader – if you don’t, no-one else will
The ripple effect
Perhaps most powerfully, these skills extend beyond work. Better listening improves relationships with family too. “The more you use it, it becomes second nature,” Mel notes.
The bottom line
The advisers who thrive combine technical expertise with the human skills to unlock what clients really need. As Mel puts it: “If you’re a bit skeptical about this, give it a go because it will blow your mind.”
Sometimes the conversation you’re having isn’t the conversation you, your clients, or even your teams need. These skills help you find the one that makes all the difference.
Watch the full conversation with Mel Holman below to hear more about her experience and insights on how listening skills transform client relationships and business outcomes.
Ready to transform your client conversations? Discover how the Thinking Environment can elevate your practice.
As a Financial Planner on our Unlocking Excellence programmes
As a Leader on our Thinking Environment Foundation course
As a Team on our Transforming Meetings team away day
Contact us to find out more.
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