Decipher: Discover How You Can Think About Money
One of the distinctions that separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom is our ability to read emotions from one another’s face. It has been proven that blind people can read the six basic expressions recognizable across cultures. Developing this skill is a vital part of growing up, the older we get the more we learn and practice this skill in our everyday life. Our various situations and daily experiences can teach us how to use these skills.
However, it does not matter how much experience we may have from interacting with others or how many courses we have taken about body language, if someone wants does not want to bring a topic or thought to the conversation they will not and there is no way to know about it otherwise. It is not about what someone says, but it is about what they do not say that often needs to be known when talking to a CFP (Certified Financial Planner).
In Linda Clayton’s webinar, Decipher: Discover How You Think About Money she discusses a new software that she uses with her clients called Decipher. After a short test, it allows you to learn what type of thinking style you have as well as what your strongest emotional reaction was during a conversation. The CFP can then see the results to know what topics they reacted to the most, this then allows a conversation to open up.
According to Clayton, Decipher is an innovative and revolutionary assessment tool, psychological metrics with emotional recognition and a new way of understanding a client’s thought process, emotions and motivations.
There are three main ways of thinking according to Decipher:
- Past Thinkers – these characters like certainty – they like to analyze, reflect, validate, and evaluate using the past.
- Present Thinkers – these characters like probability – they like to act, organize, plan and implement.
- Future Thinkers – these characters like possibility – they like to brainstorm, change, dream and imagine.
This does not mean that you are one clean-cut type of thinker, you could be a mix of two or even all three.
Clayton believes this piece of software has added great value to her work as it helps her understand her clients more in-depth and the way they like to receive information. For example, if you are a future thinker presenting to a pass thinker, it allows you to alter your presentation so the receiver understands it. Without the software the client will need to be asked directly, but it is likely that they do not know what type of thinker they are or the best way for them to receive information. As mentioned earlier, this software also highlights the topics that they reacted to the most subconsciously, therefore consciously they may not come up in conversation.
“If somebody has a preferred mode of thinking it shows you ways that you can incorporate the other styles,” Clayton said. Understanding the type of thinker you are will also affect leadership, approach to life, communication, relationships, and learning, it is beneficial to more than thinking about finances.
So how well do you think you know yourself? You may be reading this thinking about how you are not a CFP or a client so this does not relate to you, but it does. Understanding how you think and how your mind works now at college-age is extremely helpful and will help you a lot in the long run. Take the time to research the different types of personality, as well as different thinkers and learners. Take certified free tests such as the Myer Briggs Personality Test or Crystal to learn more about yourself.
To learn more work with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) practitioner or reach out to the Financial Planning program here at California Lutheran University.
About the Speaker:
Linda Clayton has an MBA in Financial Planning from California Lutheran University, as well as being an adjunct professor there. She is a Certified Financial Planner and Wealth Advisor in Downtown Los Angeles.
About the Author:
Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising. She is also minoring in Creative Writing.
Watched the archived webinar below:
Decipher™ : Discover How you Think About Money – Linda Clayton
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