Effective Client Listening Habits

New Article for Advisor Engine

"Advisors want to lean in with answers but need to step back and ask questions so clients can arrive at their own solutions,” he says. “Curiosity, compassion and mindfulness allow clients to affirm their wisdom. Let clients guide the meeting and if you’re talking with a couple, encourage them to talk with each other rather than with you.”

Snippit from Advisor Engine:

Honing listening skills are a cornerstone of the annual "Mindful Advisor Retreat” at the Green Gulch Zen Center in Marin County, California. 

Overseen by Spencer Sherman, the founding CEO of Santa Monica-based wealth management firm Abacus Wealth, the retreat is designed to help advisors “enrich communication skills, emotional intelligence, and ability to connect deeply with clients.


Echoing the Zen classic “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind,” Spencer says advisors need to let go of assumptions and approach listening to clients “from a place of not knowing,” Spencer says. “Let go of categories and remember how unique each client is. Listen as if it’s the first time you’ve ever heard anyone say what they’re saying.”


Read the full article here!

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A person kneeling in the sand with a picture frame in front of them

The high cost of being "flawless"

By Spencer Sherman • January 20, 2026
We often treat perfectionism like a badge of honor. In reality, it’s a liability that can cost us our time, our health, and our presence.
Person hiking through a lush forest, wearing a backpack and hooded jacket, surrounded by tall trees and greenery.

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Hands cutting a small branch with berries, making a wreath with scissors on a wood surface.

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