Opinion: What it means to be a Trusted Adviser

Congratulations to John Wanamaker, 2015 Legacy Adviser, and all of the 2015 honorees of Springfield Business Journal’s Trusted Advisers. By your selection, each of you is to be commended for representing your profession at a high level and earning the trust and recognition from your clients and peers as a Trusted Adviser.

We all start life with a blank slate. Commencing at birth, we are dependent upon our personal trusted advisers, such as our parents, in order to gain knowledge and exercise good judgment. Over time, our circle of personal advisers expands to include other influencers such as teachers, spouses, faith leaders and good friends, among others.

I have been blessed with trusted advisers throughout my personal life. At the top of the list are my dad and my wife, Suzi, both of whom have had the most significant influence in my personal growth and professional development. However, I also have relied upon numerous other personal and professional advisers – teachers, community leaders, professionals, colleagues and clients.

Professional trusted advisers such as those being honored by SBJ are essential to guiding and supporting us through life, whether related to our education, career, financial planning, retirement or general bumps and bruises that occur along the way.

So, what does it mean to achieve the status of a professional Trusted Adviser?   

An adviser is generally considered a person who gives advice and who is an expert or has experience in a particular field. A commonly accepted definition of trust is having confidence in and relying upon the integrity and ability of another person. Trust further represents the obligation or responsibility imposed on the adviser in whom such confidence and reliance is placed. Integrity is typically defined as having the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. Responsibility is generally considered to represent the exercise of leadership and being dependable and accountable for one’s actions.

Thus, key qualifications for achieving Trusted Adviser status include integrity, honesty, ability, confidence, obligation, leadership, dependability and responsibility.   Trust also must be earned and requires well-developed relationships and a high level of dependability, so that the judgment and perspective of the trusted adviser will be valued.   

By their recognition, it is apparent each of those being honored as an SBJ Trusted Adviser have illustrated they possess the personal attributes and professional qualities and experience that constitute the foundation of a Trusted Adviser.  

Thank you to SBJ for providing an opportunity to recognize and celebrate those who have attained the professional character and expertise required of a Trusted Adviser.  This recognition will hopefully set an example and provide a standard for others in our community to strive to achieve.

David Agee can be reached at david.agee@huschblackwell.com.