I was on a coaching call earlier today with a client I’ve been working with for just a few short weeks. As I do with every session I asked her how she was feeling after our last call, to share what she was working through and to give me an update on her progress. She sat quietly for a minute before admitting to me that she had been struggling with understanding the tasks I’d suggested she work on and as a result had felt crippled. I sat there listening while my heart started sinking. When clients aren’t making progress it can feel super disheartening.
All that any great coach wants is for their clients to feel clear, satisfied and to make massive progress. But when that doesn’t happen it can feel like a huge blow to your spirit.
It doesn’t have to be that way. As with anything in life you have the opportunity to view a client’s progress and setbacks as a chance for you to grow as a person and refine your skills as a coach.
So, here’s what to do when a clients aren’t making progress.
Own your responsibility.
So this may not be the most popular opinion but I truly believe you should own your responsibility to the situation. There is a crowd of coaches out there who believe that the client is entirely responsible for their own progress, but I tend to disagree. When you enter into a coaching relationship with a client you’re agreeing to support them in reaching their goals with the knowledge and skills you possess. If the client is not making any progress then take a minute to reflect on your coaching, the client’s goals and expectations, and see if there’s something that needs to be modified on your end to be of greater support.
Adapt your teaching and coaching style.
Not everyone learns the same. One of the biggest mistakes we make as coaches is thinking that all we need is one method for working with people. Some of your clients will respond best to a hands-off approach while others needs step by step guidance on what to do next. Some clients will respond well to visual guidance while others will work best with written content. Some clients need more prompting and guidance while others will take total control of coaching sessions. Know your clients preferred learning style and adapt accordingly.
Check back in on your client’s needs.
Do you even know why your client isn’t making progress? I’ve got to admit…when I hadn’t heard from my client in a week and she hadn’t shared an update on her work I just assumed she was busy doing other things. When I found out she was experiencing a lack of clarity around the tasks she was meant to be working on I realized I had just assumed she understood. It’s so important as a coach to stay in-tune with your client’s needs. Check back in with them regularly to make sure you are supporting them in the way they most need support. Simply say, “What do you need from me now and how can I best support you?”
Empower the client to take ownership of their success.
Sometimes all your client needs is a little kick in the butt. They know what to do but they’re letting fear or procrastination get in the way. If your client has hired you to keep them accountable to their goals then it’s your job to help them get to the bottom of their fears and start moving forward. You can empower a client to take ownership of their success by reminding them of their goals and of why they chose to invest in your program to begin with. At the end of the day, your client wants to progress otherwise they likely wouldn’t have hired you. So let them know you’re here from them and firmly encourage them to keep moving forward.
Release and let go.
If you’ve given it all you can and still your clients aren’t making progress then it’s time to release and let go of the feelings of guilt or responsibility. In some cases it may be a case of the coach-client relationship not being a good fit and if that’s the case you might consider returning a pro-rata share of the money back to the client and release them from the agreement. But in the case the client just isn’t doing the work release and understand that at the end of the day the ultimate responsibility of success rests on the client. If they aren’t doing the work then you can’t force them to. Just know that you’ve given it your best and you can let go of the rest!
