A difference isn’t a difference until it makes a difference.

We have all heard that knowledge is power. That’s just not true. If knowledge were power, everyone with an Internet connection and a library card would be shaking it up.

That’s just not so.

Knowledge in and of itself is all very well and good, but until knowledge is used in some way to cause a result or to impact change, knowledge is actually pretty power-less. The alchemy, the true power comes when knowledge is applied in a way that leads to transformation.

The dictionary defines transformation as a ‘marked change in appearance or character, especially for the better.’ Think of some of the great change agents in the last century – Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa. They didn’t possess any secret or exclusive knowledge about human rights, personal dignity or freedom. Yet, they each took what they knew to be true, combined this awareness with passion and action, and changed the course of history. They moved from information to transformation, and from transformation to significance.

Consider the implications this has in your relationship with your clients. Is your objective to inform or to transform? What change for the better do you want to see for them as a result of their engagement with you?

We all know they need to have a current Will, Power of Attorney, Advance Directive, and Financial Plan. Learning about the importance of these planning documents is a good first step, but as you experience first-hand, until they are actually established, they hold no power for improving their lives.

Imagine the impact you can have in your community and your business bottom line when your clients take your information and are inspired to action.

Here are some tips that can help you be that change agent:
1) Lead with the ‘why’ instead of the how and the what
2) Engage their emotions
3) Demonstrate how your service solves a problem or need
4) Establish your expertise in providing a solution
5) Provide a clear and simple next step

We have a choice. We can distribute information and sit back and think that our job is done. The majority of professionals do just that, so you would have lots of company. Or, we can assume a higher calling and continually challenge ourselves to find ways to help our clients take the action they need to make their change for the better. We can make our ‘Why’ a desire to make a difference, to move from information to transformation, and perhaps even significance in our own little corner of the world.

That’s the Power of Knowledge In Action.

Rhonda Latreille, MBA, CPCA
Founder & CEO
Age-FriendlyBusiness