In this exclusive insight, Rob Lankey, Chief Commercial Officer at Afin Bank, shares his thoughts on how leaders can build knowledgeable, confident teams that recognise the value of advice and support borrowers through increasingly complex circumstances.
Strong leadership remains a key differentiator for firms operating across the mortgage and property sector. As advisers continue to navigate affordability pressures, changing borrower expectations and ongoing market uncertainty, effective leadership can play an important role in supporting teams, maintaining high advice standards and delivering positive client outcomes.
From encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing to helping advisers develop confidence in handling more complex cases, today’s leaders are tasked with balancing commercial objectives alongside the need to provide consistent support, guidance and professional development.
In an increasingly competitive market, building resilient and knowledgeable teams can help firms strengthen client relationships and demonstrate the long-term value of advice, as Rob explains below.
“The mortgage market is a tough place for borrowers at the moment as they face stretched affordability, interest rate uncertainty and a slowing property market. Consequently, the role of the mortgage adviser in helping clients navigate these challenges is as important as it ever has been.
In turn this could make it tougher for brokers to win business from a smaller pool of customers, so the mantra of “quality over quantity” is vital. Good leadership in today’s market means helping teams realise the true value of advice, particularly when supporting borrowers with more complex circumstances, rather than simply trying to drive more activity.
The strongest firms will be those that build confidence and judgement across their teams; sharing knowledge, learning from more complex cases, ensuring excellent market and product knowledge, using lender feedback properly and ensuring advisers know when to ask more questions or to escalate early.
Taking time now to understand the needs of their clients to help them find the right lending solution could pay dividends in future when time comes for the borrower to look for their next mortgage deal.”
