Assess the Gap. What has been done up to now by the client to achieve his or her goals? What else needs to be done? In essence, where is the gap? Discuss possible strategies that would eliminate the gap. Identify the key initiatives and find out which are the most important, and then have the client prioritize them as they did with their goals, i.e: Where are you with respect to educational funding for your children? What specifically have you done for your retirement planning?

Learn the Issues. Now you will attempt to understand the driving and the restraining forces the client faces (what is working for and against the client's goals). A positive factor (driving force) might be market conditions, and a negative factor (restraining force) might be employee problems at his or her business. Do you remember those emotional issues we discussed in previous articles? We believe that you cannot properly know and serve a client without knowing these seven issues:

1. Challenges

2. Circumstances

3. Concerns

4. Frustrations

5. Needs

6. Opportunities

7. Problems

Your clients have emotions surrounding their business and personal goals. Connect powerfully to these emotions, and this alone may give you an edge.

Understand the Impact. Now that your client and you have reviewed vision, goals, gaps and the very real emotional issues the client feels, both of you need to understand the consequences-negative and positive-of achieving goals, and addressing the key emotional issues he or she has raised. Again, it's important to be in listening mode here. Ask the right questions and fight the urge to answer on behalf of your client.

Determine how the issues you've just learned about impact your client's goals. How will these issues affect the client's personal and or business life, and what are the consequences? An example of an impact question might be, "If your father-in-law requires in-home care, what plans have you made?" "If your new business venture succeeds, how will this affect you retirement plans?" "If your child goes to medical school, will your savings plan change?"

Express Your Understanding. This step allows you to summarize all the key issues you've been able to explore with your client. You will have a better understanding of your client's goals, key initiatives and important issues, as well as knowing the impact or consequences of reaching those goals. This is also the time when you and your client can clarify information that was unclear or undisclosed. Here are a few bridging statements to help you summarize key issues:

"Let me summarize what I have learned during our conversation."