Beyond just ‘planning’: How playfulness transforms client relationships 2025

In this IIL financial planning webinar, Chris Marshalltalks to financial planners, who will discover evidence-based strategies for deepening client relationships through playfulness – learning how to create psychological safety, reduce client anxiety, and build the kind of genuine human connection that improves outcomes and future-proofs their practice in an increasingly automated world.

In today’s complex and disruptive world, the relationship between financial planner and client has never been more crucial. As AI and technology reshape our industry, it’s our uniquely human ability to forge meaningful connections that will increasingly set exceptional planners apart. Yet there’s a paradox at the heart of our profession. While we invest countless hours mastering technical skills, we receive surprisingly little guidance on what research shows matters most: building genuine human connections. Our qualifications and CPD focus almost exclusively on technical competence, leaving us to figure out the ‘soft skills’ largely on our own.

This is where the science of playfulness offers remarkable insights. Far from being frivolous, playfulness emerges as a sophisticated tool for deepening client relationships. When skillfully applied, it creates safe spaces where clients speak freely about their hopes and fears, connect more deeply with their financial goals, and navigate uncertainty with greater resilience. Even a touch of well-placed humour can transform tense discussions into productive conversations.

Drawing on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience, this session reveals practical strategies for enhancing your client relationships through the strategic use of playfulness. You’ll discover how to create the kind of deep working alliance that not only improves client outcomes but also future-proofs your practice in an increasingly automated world. Whether you’re establishing new client relationships or deepening existing ones, this session offers evidence-based approaches for creating lasting client connections that withstand market volatility and life’s inevitable financial challenges.

Learning objectives

• Discover how playfulness helps clients better navigate financial uncertainty and market volatility
• Learn practical techniques for creating psychological safety that enables deeper client conversations
• Understand how strong working alliances improve client decision-making during stressful periods

Speaker(s)

Chris Marshall, MSc, FPFS, Psychologist, Behavioural Scientist & Chartered Financial Planner, The Playfulness Institute