Stop focusing on customer service. No, that’s not a typo. The reason I say this is because amazing customer service doesn’t necessarily help your bottom line. This is not to say you shouldn’t provide great service, but rather that it has become more of a commodity and is no longer a competitive differentiator. An amazing customer experience . . . well, that’s a whole other story.

Industry press is buzzing with articles about the value of partnerships in providing for succession, scale, specialization, brand strength, growth capacity, and so on. As a result, we are seeing increasing interest among advisors in creating or deepening a partnership. If you are one of those individuals, it is critically important that you understand the range of partnership options available—and, more important, why you want to partner with someone—before traveling down that path.

Leadership. Training and development. Pay and benefits. Corporate communications. Overall engagement. What do these five areas have in common? They make up a big part of creating a best place to work, at least according to InvestmentNews.

To compile its second annual Best Places to Work for Financial Advisers list, InvestmentNews surveyed advisors’ employees on a series of 78 statements, grouped into the five categories noted above. On average, those ranked “the best” scored 13 percent higher on these statements than other respondents.

Pursuing a goal with intention is more effective than approaching it without a plan. If you want to run a marathon, you won’t get there by running a few miles every so often. If you want to lose weight, trying a different diet each week likely won’t yield the desired results. And if you want to optimize your workflow and attract your ideal clients, accepting any clients that come your way may hinder your success. That’s where intentional prospecting comes in.

Culture is a critical component of a company’s infrastructure. It’s a powerful tool that leaders can use to maintain organizational viability and effectiveness. It’s also the fundamental characteristic that makes an organization distinct, binds a community together, and showcases its values. As such, culture is what ultimately enables the attraction and retention of talent, as well as clients.