Founding members…

A letter from the founder…

Dear friends & colleagues,

I arrived in the values-based space in 2002 when Scott Fithian became my client, mentor and friend. On Scott’s passing, he asked me to make a promise: that I would personally carry the torch of his mentorship forward in some manner. After several years of contemplating what my contribution could be, I identified a personal passion in two areas.

First, while leadership exists in the values-based space, I believe there is a void of shared leadership; a place where competitors and visionaries collaborate.

Second, so many advisors are now claiming to do this work; I believe the affluent individual is at risk. They are at risk of thinking this too is done – just as they harbor misimpressions and exposures in thinking their financial or estate planning is done.

In 2010, I set a goal of bringing together a small, carefully selected group of coaches and practitioners in shared leadership with a defined goal. This Council for Shared Leadership would create two single-page Fundamentals of Excellence for the values-based space. The first would speak to advisors already in the space as well as those contemplating beginning the work. It would attempt to increase both awareness and quality around services and commitments that are made to affluent clients.

A second set of Fundamentals would guide affluent individuals and families to become more educated decision makers in this space – to protect themselves and derive the full value that authentic values-based planning has to offer.

I selected our 2010 group from those I know and trust to do great work in this space; authentic values-based work as Scott and other pioneers intended. I also knew our initial group had to be small in order to achieve our defined yet somewhat daunting goal. I didn’t set out to change the world overnight. I simply had a passion to do something to stimulate shared leadership. So in 2010 my fellow Council for Shared Leadership members agreed to join hands and take a step forward, committing a sizeable chunk of pro bono time and energy to begin the work.

It is vital to note that we do not in any way see ourselves as “the leaders” and we do not set the Fundamentals out as didactic. As the Council progresses, we ask others to add their wisdom to our initial work; to join hands in shared leadership and protect the powerful and fragile nature of authentic values-based planning.

We hope you enjoy reviewing our initial progress, and that if you share our passion, you’ll help us fuel the movement.

Warm regards,

Jennifer Summer Tolman, Founder