Major General John Macdonald served our nation for 33 years retiring in 2012. He was awarded 2 Distinguished Service Medals and 38 other military decorations. During his time in the Army, he served 17 years outside of the US. He led troops in combat in Grenada, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq and most recently in Afghanistan.
So what words of wisdom could the General have for our affiliated financial advisors? Plenty. At a recent ACM due diligence meeting on March 13, 2017, General Macdonald told us that leadership is about trust. And trust can be secured only with competence, caring, and confidence. Breeding timidity is a fatal error. The General provided similarities to leading in battle with today’s volatile markets. We were told that the best leaders are listeners and not to assume that your clients actually are hearing what we are trying to convey. A battle plan (or financial plan) should not be misunderstood. All parties have to agree and commit to achieving any level of success. He stressed that we all need to celebrate the little successes; grandkids, graduations, and changes in life. And finally, admit when a mistake has been made. Sounds like great investment advice.
