• Communicating openly: The way leaders and employees communicate with each other and with clients is reflective of a culture. When leaders are accessible and transparent, they are better able to create trust. That breeds an environment of trust that can be felt inside and outside of the firm.

  • Leading by example: Just as important as being able to define and shape a firm’s culture is having leaders committed to demonstrating and reinforcing the behaviors and beliefs. It is integral that leadership subscribe to its tenets so that it can cascade with meaning.

Moving From The Inside, Out

As the financial services industry becomes increasingly commoditized, having a defined and recognized culture can set a firm apart from its competitors. When a culture is meaningful, collaborative and has a positive impact on employees, it becomes the same experience for your clients. They will understand who you are and what you represent, trust will be established and clients will ultimately choose to stay or go with a firm based on how they feel personally connected to it.

Sallie Larsen is the managing director and chief human capital officer at LPL Financial, the nation’s largest independent broker-dealer. Larsen has spent three decades in best practice HR companies such as TRW, Marriott and Capital One and has worked with top HR leaders. 

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