How to Become a Trusted Adviser
I included a picture of guide dogs because there is no better symbol of trust than the relationship between disabled and their canine partners. These dogs understand what it means to be a trusted adviser above all else.
Where are you on the Relationship Path?
The kind and depth of value you provide to your network will depend on where you are and where you want to be on the relationship path. There is a distinctive Relationship/Networking Path that ranges from a basic friendship to a strong advice and counsel situation.
If you’re in the friend/social contact range the value you offer the person includes connecting them with others and letting them help others, including you. At the mid-point, the relationship will be deeper, and you’re more likely to help them understand their thinking and solve their problems. And if you’re in the trusted advisor range, you’ll be focused on interaction that will support their dreams and make them more successful.
The majority of our relationships are friend/social contacts. These are the people who would either come to or acknowledge your funeral and who would definitely come if you called for help.
But what does it really mean to be a trusted adviser, and is that the relationship you want with one or more people in your network?
The 6 levels of a relationship:
Level 1 – They don’t know my name
Level 2 – They do know my name
Level 3 – They like me
Level 4 – They are openly friendly with me
Level 5 – They value me
Level 6 – I am a trusted adviser!
Visualize this concept as a ladder where there are various distances between each level or step of the ladder as you climb from level 1 to level 6.
Think of Level 1 in a sales situation: the customer remembers being introduced to their sales rep, but can’t recall the name.
There is little distance between Levels 1 through 4, but the distance increases significantly between Level 4 – They are openly friendly with me – and Level 5 – They value me.
There is another big jump from Level 5 to Level 6 – I am a trusted adviser. In fact, true level 6 trusted adviser relationships are somewhat few and far between. Why? Because not every job or life situation offers the opportunity to play that role and not everyone wants or needs that type of relationship.
Think about a sales person who works with the same account for many years and creates a value-based relationship with the customer – over time they are asked for advice and options because they are trusted to help solve problems versus push products.
According David H. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford in their book The Trusted Adviser, the key to professional success is the ability to earn the trust and confidence of clients.
When a client trusts you they will:
• Seek your advice and listen to you
• Let you ‘into their world’ where you can see opportunities to be helpful
• Treat you as you wish to be treated and give you the benefit of the doubt
• Watch your back to be sure you get the business you deserve to win
• Refer you
Becoming a trusted advisor takes time and effort, and will not happen over night. Remember to be realistic about the level of relationships you need, given your unique circumstances, and to always follow the first rule of Value Based Networking: provide value first before expecting anything in return.
images courtesy of Kansas Sabastian and Esther Gibbons
