Do You Have a Client Who Won’t “Do The Work”?
One of the most rewarding aspects of business coaching is the dramatic results that clients can achieve with your expert mentoring and support. It’s an experience that raises your vibration and expands your potential to help more people.
But every now and then, you may have a client who, despite initial appearances of enthusiasm and readiness, essentially refuses or resists taking action – and thus experiences little or no results.
At first it’s heartbreaking to watch this behavior unfold. Then it becomes frustrating. Eventually you may find yourself downright angry or resentful or doubting your abilities – and this is not a helpful place for you emotionally, nor for your client.
So what do you do when your client simply won’t follow through on her work?
Here is a 4-step process for helping turn the situation around:
#1. Schedule an Open Conversation
Acknowledging that there is an issue can be difficult for both parties and it’s easy to put it off in hopes that the client will figure things out and fix it herself. The fact is, however, that you wouldn’t be the powerful coach she hired if you didn’t provide feedback when she’s struggling.
The sooner you have this conversation, the better it’ll be for both of you. Issues like this create negative energy that affects you beyond the time you spend on this one client – so it’s critical that you step up and take the lead to get the situation resolved.
#2. Clarify the Client’s Goals and Action Steps
Sometimes the client is genuinely on the wrong track with her goals. Make sure that they are still viable and actually hers – not yours or someone else’s. If the client has allowed her goals to be influenced by others, she is far less likely to follow through on them. On the other hand, challenge her if she tries to use weak excuses for downgrading her goals.
Also make sure that she isn’t lacking some practical content or skills that would help her to accomplish her goals. Sometimes those missing pieces aren’t obvious to the client and require an outside observer to identify. Then you can either schedule mentoring time or point her in the direction of appropriate resources.
#3: Tap Into the Emotional Undercurrents
It’s possible that your client has personal issues that she hasn’t discussed with you – and those issues may be impacting her performance. You may not need to know the details, but simply being aware there are issues can help to clear the air around missed goals. Ask the client to be specific about how her work is impacted, and then set new action steps that meet her needs.
More often than not, however, there are underlying emotional blocks, such as fear of failure, lack of self-worth, or inability to follow through on commitments. These challenges need to be brought into the open (whether or not for the first time) and addressed courageously. You may have to refer your client to another coach or even a counselor, depending on the issue and your skill set.
#4: Express Your Heartfelt Support for the Client
Being in a stuck place, regardless of the reasons, is painful for anyone. Let your client know that you’re there to support her through these challenges. Sometimes just knowing that there’s someone who truly cares about her goals and her struggles to achieve them are all a client needs to get her back on track.
Be careful not to let your compassion turn into another round of accepting excuses and missed goals. Ask the client to commit to a revised set of goals and actions steps, and then expect her to stick to them, coaching her with your new understanding of her situation.
Challenging coaching situations are terrific learning opportunities for you to grow…
Coaching problems like this can easily escalate, so it’s important that you continue to stay on top of the situation. Honor them for helping YOU to be a stronger and more powerful coach!
Hot Tip! Be sure to check out February’s IAWBC print newsletter for pointers on how and when to use “tough love” strategies with perpetually resistant clients. Watch your mailbox for this and other great articles and information
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