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Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar . . . a quote mis-attributed to Freud and often used to challenge the suggestion that there’s a deeper meaning to something. Yet as a retired psychologist, I can’t help but be intrigued when business advisor friends and exit planning colleagues pick my brain about clients who get them stirred up. Mental health professionals know that our conscious (and unconscious) reactions to patients inform our work with them, giving us clues about their struggles and about our own blind spots. For example, if I found myself feeling bored throughout a session with a patient, upon reflection it was usually because they were avoiding discussing something essential to their progress, which signaled to me (if I wasn’t too sleepy to pay attention) that I needed to be asking different and better questions. I don’t mean to suggest that business advisors treat their client encounters as therapy sessions. However, I do believe that how we respond to clients offers useful data that, if examined, can potentially help us to be more effective. To that end, here are five common reactions you may have to a client, and subsequent questions to ask yourself. Advisor Reaction Ask yourself I feel confused about what this client wants; they’re sending mixed messages. Do I feel confident about exactly how I can be of help, and have I clearly conveyed that to my client? Is my client ambivalent about needing my services? Is my client fully transparent and forthcoming about their circumstances and needs? If not, why not? I feel hesitant to say something or bring up a topic. How is my rapport different with this client compared to other clients? What’s behind that? If my client reacts poorly to something I say, what does that mean? What assumptions am I making here? This client is too demanding. What do my client’s demands indicate about me, them, and this project? How do I know for sure? If I continue to meet their demands, what might happen? What if I stop? Is there a middle ground? I feel like I’m working significantly harder than my client, and they need to step up. Am I being clear with my client about their role in our working relationship, and if not, what’s stopping me? If I told my client I was feeling this way, how would I like them to respond, what do I wish they would say – and why is that important to me? This client is being incredibly unrealistic. How do I feel about myself when clients don’t see things the way I’ve presented them? Underneath their unrealistic stance, are they feeling something else (e.g. disappointment)? If we both acknowledged that, would I feel differently about this client? Assuming that this client is indeed unrealistic, what psychological function is served by labeling them that way? (example: if we label someone as unrealistic, maybe we won’t feel badly if they’re disappointed) As you read those five reactions in the left-hand column, you probably found yourself thinking about simple, obvious ways to account for all of them. After all, a cigar is just a cigar and as one of my professors once advised me, “when you hear hoofbeats, think horses – not zebras.” There will always be clients who push your buttons – they would push anybody’s – and you may already know how to handle yourself in those situations. That said, there is merit in self-examination, especially when you’re puzzled – either by how you’re feeling or how your client is acting. Keep an open mind and stay curious as to what your reaction might reveal about both of you and watch for patterns. For example, long ago you may have figured out that you have a strong need to please your clients. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but over time you may discover that this can leave you feeling disappointed when a client isn’t delighted with your work. You might even notice that this initiates a cycle; when your disappointment saps your enthusiasm, your clients are even less likely to be delighted. This type of self-reflection isn’t always easy, but the insights you develop will be valuable in your work. Feel free to reach out if you would like some additional guidance. Copyright 2025 Larry Gard, Ph.D. Done With Work Retirement Coaching and Consulting All Rights Reserved
Let’s suppose you have owned a business for any years and are considering selling it to retire (kinda the dream…). Say it is worth $5 million and your capital gain is $4million You will be facing state and federal capital gains taxes, as high as 40% depending on where you live. It gets worse. If you are a C-corp, you could face tax at the corporate level AND the personal level. We call this double taxation. Most buyers want an asset sale, not a stock sale, to avoid liabilities of the seller (legal and debts). There are also some tax advantages. Sellers in a C-corp might prefer to sell stock, to reduce taxes, but that might expose the buyer to additional taxes and legal liability. You now see how this conflict can kill a deal (the tax-tail). (Note that there are ways to mitigate some of this, but we will save that to another day). However, all is not lost if the double taxation occurs, because the seller can use other strategies to offset/reduce the personal side of the capital gain. Saving money on corporate taxes or personal taxes is really about saving money. Money is money. So, before you get too deep into the tax questions, spend some time talking to your CPA and financial advisor about your future plans to sell your business, and let them come back to you with options for planning. If they do not come back to you with good options, then maybe you need new advisors.
Unleash the Power of Conative Data for Your Small Business Small business owners are continually juggling tasks and managing personalities. Conflicts arise whether we like them or not; team leaders and members inadvertently cause disruptions to productivity and damage morale. But what if you could understand why they’re clashing based on their natural need to take action in a certain way? That’s where Conative Wisdom comes in. New Ideas Versus What We Have Always Done Kolbe doesn’t focus on personality traits or feelings; it zeroes in on conation—how we instinctively solve problems and get things done. Understanding your team’s Kolbe Action Modes (Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start, Implementor) can shed light on the root causes of conflict and guide you toward effective resolutions. Common Conflict Scenarios Through a Kolbe Lens: The “Analysis Paralysis” vs. “Leap of Faith” Clash: A high Fact Finder meticulously researches every detail before making a decision, while a high Quick Start jumps in with an innovative idea. This can lead to frustration, with the Fact Finder seeing the Quick Start as reckless and the Quick Start viewing the Fact Finder as slow and indecisive. Resolution: Value both perspectives within the context of the goal or project. The Quick Start brings needed energy and new ideas, while the Fact Finder ensures solid grounding. Guide them to leverage each other’s strengths. The Fact Finder can help the Quick Start refine their ideas with data, and the Quick Start can help the Fact Finder overcome analysis paralysis by setting realistic deadlines. The “Chaos Creator” vs. “Order Keeper” Tug-of-War: A high Follow Thru thrives on structure and predictable systems, while a high Quick Start prefers flexibility and breaking the rules. This can result in the Follow Thru feeling frustrated by the Quick Start’s perceived chaos, while the Quick Start feels stifled by the Follow Thru’s rigidness. Resolution: Define clear integration of these values for the goal or project. Allow the Follow Thru to manage established processes and systems while empowering the Quick Start to brainstorm new solutions and suggest improvements. Establish agreed-upon boundaries and communication protocols. The “Idea Generator” vs. “Executioner” Bottleneck: A high Quick Start is bursting with new ideas that provide opportunity but struggles with implementation. In contrast, a high Implementor prefers tangible tasks and hands-on creation of quality outcomes. The Quick Start might feel held back by the Implementor’s slower pace, while the Implementor feels overwhelmed by the constant influx of new options without proper execution. Resolution: Create a clear system for evaluating and prioritizing new ideas. Let the Quick Start focus on generating concepts while the Implementor takes ownership of execution. Break projects into smaller, manageable steps and assign clear deadlines. Provide the Implementor with the resources and support they need to bring Quick Start’s ideas to life. Using Kolbe to Resolve Conflicts Assess your team’s Kolbe A™ Index results: Knowing each person’s Action Modes is crucial. Identify the underlying conative differences: Is the conflict stemming from a difference in how they prefer to approach tasks or solve problems? Facilitate open communication: Help team members understand each other’s perspectives and appreciate the value of their different approaches. Encourage collaboration based on strengths: Assign tasks that leverage each individual’s natural abilities and preferences. Create a culture of appreciation: Foster an environment where everyone feels valued for their unique contributions. Embracing Conative Wisdom Learn to do more than tolerate new ideas and opportunities that seem to threaten productivity. Instead, utilize the Quick Starts need to explore ideas as a jump-start to accelerate progress toward growth goals. Tap in to, not out of, the Quick Starts talent; their need to solve problems through ideas and opportunities. Now, you can avoid the entanglements of problem-solving methods and overcome conflict, so you don’t miss a step in your timeline to success. Resolve immediate issues and build a stronger, more collaborative, and ultimately a more successful small business. Stop managing feelings and start understanding action – your team will thank you! Call to Action: Are you ready to understand the power of your team’s strengths? It is important to have a Certified Kolbe Consultant guide the interpretation of this data to attract, engage, and develop your team so you can grow and exit on your terms.
Listen to this post as a podcast: How a Smart Roth Conversion Strategy Can Build Tax-Free Generational Wealth www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). Please read the disclosure statement carefully before you engage our firm for advisory services. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. It should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security. It does not take into account any investor’s particular investment objectives, strategies, tax status or investment horizon. You should consult your attorney or tax advisor. The views expressed in this commentary are subject to change based on the market and other conditions. These documents may contain certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Please note that any such statements are not guarantees of any future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected. Any projections, market outlooks, or estimates are based upon certain assumptions and should not be construed as indicative of actual events that will occur. All information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. There is no representation or warranty as to the current accuracy, reliability, or completeness of, nor liability for, decisions based on such information and it should not be relied on as such. Bloomwood is a registered investment advisor. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Bloomwood and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. 730 Starlight Lane, Atlanta, GA 30342.
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Among the wave of Executive Orders issued by President Trump was one rescinding a 1965 Order established by President Lyndon B. Johnson (“LBJ”) designed to prevent workplace discrimination by federal contractors. This LBJ Order is the basis for all Affirmative Action obligations of federal contractors. President Trump’s rescinding Executive Order, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” is part of President Trump’s broader campaign to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) initiatives in both the public and private sectors. LBJ’s Order and Trump’s Rollback Executive Order 11246 was signed by LBJ in 1965, just one year after the Civil Rights Act was passed. The Order prohibited workplace discrimination by federal contractors and subcontractors and required them to take “affirmative action” to ensure equal opportunity. It also gave the Labor Department the authority to enforce its provisions. President Trump’s Executive Order rescinding LBJ’s Order stated DEI initiatives can violate civil rights laws. This Order removed all affirmative action requirements imposed on federal contractors/subcontractors while still prohibiting consideration of race, color, sex, sexual preference, religion, or national origin when making employment decisions. Additionally, the Order requires the following provisions to be included in every federal contract or grant award: A term requiring the recipients to agree that compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws is material to the government’s payment decisions; and A term requiring such recipient to certify it does not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate Federal anti-discrimination laws. For Federal contractors, this is a huge development but whether the Order will withstand court scrutiny is unknown. Right now, affirmative action is gone but before relying on this to change federal contractor’s practices check with counsel to monitor the status of the legal challenges. Warning to the Private Sector Trump’s efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives extend beyond just federal contractors and the public sector. Trump’s Executive Order encourages the private sector to “end illegal DEI discrimination and preferences.” Specifically, Trump ordered the Attorney General to prepare a report within 120 days providing recommendations to encourage the private sector to end DEI initiatives. The report was ordered to contain a proposed strategic enforcement plan intended to deter DEI efforts. Employer takeaways The crackdown on DEI does not come as a surprise, and many large corporations rolled back their DEI initiatives in the months leading up to Trump’s second term. As a precaution, employers with DEI programs or similar initiatives should review any such program to ensure compliance with anti-discrimination laws. Moreover, employers should remain vigilant for updates regarding any further anti-DEI actions. The current Administration has many irons in their fire. Whether it will push this issue, remains to be seen. Brody and Associates regularly advises management on complying with the latest local, state and federal employment laws. If we can be of assistance in this area, please contact us at info@brodyandassociates.com or 203.454.0560.
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