Amanda Ford questions if people communicate or just talk

Financial planning is often treated as a technical discipline, defined by regulations, data, and complex product structures. Yet the core of the profession remains a people business. You can hold every relevant qualification, deploy the latest technology, and offer a superior proposition, but the distinction between a competent adviser and a great one usually unfolds in a conversation. Effective communication is not simply about translating jargon into plain English. It is about aligning your delivery style with the specific needs of the person sitting across from you.

Matching the message to the receiver

Most professionals operate under the assumption that their preferred way of processing information is the standard. Some individuals want the headline immediately. They seek the answer, the recommendation, and the next steps. Others require the full workings. They need evidence, detailed breakdowns, and time to process before they feel comfortable reaching a conclusion.

None of these approaches is inherently superior. Friction arises because we naturally tend to communicate in the way we prefer to receive information. One framework I use with individuals and teams is Insights Discovery, which describes behavioural and communication preferences through four colour energies. Fiery Red brings directness, determination, and pace. Sunshine Yellow offers enthusiasm, sociability, and a focus on possibility. Earth Green provides patience, empathy, and a strong focus on relationships. Cool Blue emphasizes precision, structure, and attention to detail.

These are energies, not rigid boxes. We all have access to all four, but some feel more natural than others. The key takeaway is that awareness creates choice. Once we recognize our default settings, we can consciously draw on different energies when a situation requires them.

The dual-client dilemma

This dynamic becomes particularly complex in financial planning because advisers frequently communicate with couples. Consider a typical meeting where one partner wants to understand every assumption underpinning the cashflow forecast. They have questions about the numbers and need time to consider everything thoroughly. Their partner is thinking entirely differently. They are asking: Are we going to be OK? Can we retire? And when can we book the holiday?

Same household. Same money. Same financial plan. Yet the communication needs are completely different. An adviser could provide an incredibly thorough explanation and leave the meeting believing it went brilliantly. One client may agree. The other may have mentally left the room twenty minutes ago. That is when understanding communication preferences stops being an interesting personality exercise and starts becoming part of delivering a genuinely personalised client experience.

We tailor financial plans to circumstances, objectives, and risk. It follows that we should personalise the conversation too. Does this client want the headline or the reasoning first? Detail or overview? Action or reflection time? What makes them feel confident enough to make a decision?

Shifting from judgement to curiosity

You don’t need a psychometric profile for every client to notice these things. You need curiosity. The same patterns occur inside advice businesses. One person wants to make a decision and move forward. Someone else wants more information. One wants to generate possibilities, while another is already asking who is doing what, by when. Without awareness, it is easy to attach judgement to those behaviours. Colleagues seem too slow, too blunt, or overly critical. Greater understanding allows us to become curious instead of critical.

Perhaps the colleague asking another question isn’t obstructing progress. They need greater certainty. Perhaps the person pushing for a decision isn’t being dismissive. They are trying to create momentum. And perhaps the adviser needs to change something about the way they are communicating too.

Flexing the muscles you already have

This framework connects to a broader belief: we already have everything inside us to succeed. Sometimes we just need to understand how to access it and when to use it. If Fiery Red isn’t your natural preference, it doesn’t mean you can’t be decisive. If Cool Blue comes less naturally, it doesn’t mean you can’t bring structure and analysis. The empathy of Earth Green and enthusiasm of Sunshine Yellow are available to us too, though some simply require more conscious effort to access.

I often talk about flexing 10%. We are not trying to become somebody we’re not. Sometimes a relatively small adjustment is enough to completely change how our communication lands. Instead of asking, “Why don’t they understand me?”, ask, “What does this person need from me for this conversation to work well?” Because communication isn’t ultimately about what we say. It’s about what the other person receives.