You're a coach dealing with a difficult client. What are the most common mistakes you could make?

If you're not listening well as a coach, you might be the difficult one in the coaching relationship. Not listening can lead to misunderstandings, frustration and a breakdown in trust between you and your client. Good listening is essential for effective communication, trust building, and successful coaching outcomes.

Absolutely, in the post covid era the sessions are moving to online so this makes us miss the key points or emotions of the client's feelings and we make assumptions of the preconceived nnotions or biases could lead to inaccurate understanding. Active listening techniques like open-ended questions, reflecting back what you hear and a mindful silence is very important in coaching.

The most common mistakes are - ignoring the body language - missing the link between what they say and how they act as “actions speak louder than the words” - Not applying critical thinking skills - getting judgemental - not being reflective enough to understand between the lines -as a coach one needs to constantly introspect and analyse the “moment of truths “ and then apply it wisely in the next coaching session with their difficult client

Don't just wait to talk. You might have the best question in the world.... if you ask it at the wrong time, then it is not useful. Respond to the whole person. What are they saying, why did they choose that wording, what is their body language suggesting? And don't be afraid to sit in silence - let them fully process whatever they have said.

This is a pitfall that every coach has fallen into at some stage in their development. I think of 3 powerful phrases to maintain my coaching mindset and they are - "Let the client lead the journey", "Stay curious and let go" and finally "Step from hero, to coach". All of these phrases really frame the way a coach should be listening and guiding, as opposed to giving our own advice or solutions. And they have helped me stay present and actively listening for the betterment of my clients. Best of luck

Giving advices or solutions are a pitfall for the coaches, the clients are creative and we should let them make their own choices to develop problem-solving skills. Enabling them to make their own choices fosters in developing confidence in their decision-making abilities. When the clients become reliant on the coach for solutions, they may stop seeking own answers and become passive in the coaching process. This leads to resistance when the coach eventually steps back and encourages them to take initiative.

As coaches we are there to help the coachee uncover their own solutions. Telling them what to do denies them the ability to learn and grow for themself - which is why they are there to begin with, right?

Often, coaches fall into the trap of believing they need to have all the answers. However, embracing uncertainty and co-creating solutions can be far more powerful. By involving the client actively in the problem-solving process, you acknowledge their expertise in their own life and experiences. This collaborative approach empowers the client and enriches your understanding as a coach, making you more versatile and empathetic. It's about shifting from being a solution provider to a discovery facilitator, where both coach and client evolve through the process.

My common mistake in a coaching session is that I tend to avoid strong feedback, especially for difficult coachees. I usually give general or gentle feedback, like encouraging or appraising the coachee. Such feedbacks may make them feel pleased but not always effective. Sometimes coachees need strong and straight forward feedbacks to be waken up, to challenge themselves in realizing what's behind their issues.

Addressing the challenges can be a powerful catalyst for growth and transformation, avoiding the conflict can can help us to overcome the stagnation and missed learning opportunities this can occur when the feedback is unaware of blind spots or areas of improvement, wwhich can hinder our process. As well as ignored conflict can fester, damaging trust and rapport in the coaching relationship. avoid creating unrealistic expectations, which can create unrealistic expectations that they can always provide solutions without ever challenging the client.

It's the job of the coach to provide objective commentary from time to time. And even to challenge what the client is saying on occasion. This also ties into initial coaching agreements that define roles and responsibilities for all parties. Some clients want more direct language, and others prefer less direct. It's important to establish how to deal with this upfront.

Une 1ère erreur serait de vouloir trouver les solutions pour le client (pour le satisfaire, inconsciemment), alors que la force même du coaching repose sur le fait d’accompagner le client à trouver lui-même ses propres solutions. En voulant à tout prix faire pour lui, voire le sauver, cela viendrait amoindrir l’efficience et la pertinence du process de coaching.

Being too attached can stifle client autonomy and growth by having fixed expectations, pressure & and demotivation, disappointment & blame. Fixated on a specific outcome can lead to disappointment if its not achieved, potentially causing self-blame for both coach and the client. Before we start clarify roles and expectations, celebrate small wins, embrace the adaptability, focus on the client's journey and practise self-reflection.

As a coach we have to release our agenda in favour of supporting where the client wants to go with the discussion/session. It is okay (perhaps necessary) to occasionally revisit the goals and expectations from the coaching engagement to ensure they are still meeting the client's needs.

L'accent excessif sur les résultats dans le coaching peut effectivement compromettre le processus d'apprentissage et de croissance du client. Une approche trop axée sur les résultats risque de négliger l'importance du processus lui-même. Dans le coaching, le processus d'atteindre un objectif est souvent aussi important que l'objectif lui-même. C'est durant ce processus que le client développe des compétences clés, acquiert de nouvelles perspectives et apprend à surmonter les obstacles.

Coaching is a process of guidance and partnership. Not one of leadership and direction. So when it comes to working with our clients it's important for us to hold our clients agenda, but not to drive to a particular outcome. Stay within the mindset of curiosity, ask questions and let the client lead their journey. The outcome may be in an area we haven't even considered at the outset, so enjoy the journey whatever it is.

Failing to establish clear limits can lead to the client overstepping boundaries or the coach feeling overwhelmed. When coaching, it's important to set clear boundaries so that the client and coach can build a relationship based on mutual respect and professionalism. These boundaries might include guidelines around contact frequency, session lengths, confidentiality, and the scope of the coaching relationship. By establishing and maintaining boundaries, coaches can create a safe and structured environment that supports the client's growth and maintains the integrity of the coaching process.

Setting boundaries should be one of the ground rules. One being a coach should always steer the conversation in a amicable way to avoid conflicts Values and ethics should hold the paramount importance in any coaching practise The coaching agreement should always speak about the rules and regulations to avoid confusion at a latter stage

Not setting boundaries can create confusion and ambiguity which can lead to confusion about the responsibilities, communication channels, and duration of the coaching engagement. this can create a friction and hinder progress as both coach and client operate from different understandings. This could also lead to ethical and professional violations as the ethical guidelines could cause legal and professional repercussions.

Big area for mistakes to be made. Are you taking calls between sessions? Is use of text okay? These are just a couple immediate thoughts that come to mind. Establishing what is and is not acceptable is critical and should be discussed during a first session as well as be part of the coaching agreement.

In the world of sport coaching (specifically golf mindset), some players are known for shying away from areas of practice that they aren't good at. They would rather practice areas they are already proficient at - this normally comes from a fear of failure and ego. As coaches we should be seeking to explore areas of improvement, parts of our armoury that could do with a boost. This is at the centre of the growth mindset, being comfortable with failure and seeking feedback that exposes where we can be even better.

Losing Patience: It's easy to get frustrated with a challenging client, but losing your cool can harm the rapport and trust that are necessary for successful coaching. Losing patience can also erode the general rapport and trust that are necessary for successful coaching. Coaches should be aware that challenging clients could need more time and tolerance because they might be dealing with particular difficulties or obstacles to their development. Thus, patience and empathy are key to successfully navigate and coach difficult clients.

Un coach doit entrer dans chaque session avec une compréhension claire des objectifs de la session et une idée de comment y parvenir. Cela implique souvent de revoir les notes des sessions précédentes et de se tenir informé des progrès et des défis du client. Chaque session doit être adaptée aux besoins spécifiques du client, car utiliser une approche générique peut donner l'impression que le coach ne s'intéresse pas vraiment au progrès du client. Un coach efficace aide également à établir des objectifs réalistes et mesurables pour chaque session et pour le parcours global du coaching.

Le domaine du coaching est dynamique, avec de nouvelles théories, techniques, et outils émergeant régulièrement. Un coach doit rester informé de ces développements pour rester pertinent et efficace. Cela peut inclure des ateliers, des conférences, des certifications supplémentaires ou même des cours en ligne. La réflexion personnelle et la recherche de feedbacks de pairs ou de mentors sont essentielles pour l'amélioration continue. Participer à des réseaux de coaching permet d'échanger des idées, des stratégies et des expériences avec d'autres professionnels.

As a coach, or even just as a human, it can be easy to label someone as "difficult." However, once we do that, it becomes harder to engage openly and without judgement. This will make your job as a coach so much more difficult because you now have to overcome the label you placed on someone. If you find yourself saying you have a difficult client, take a step back and ask what else could be true. Are they going through an exceptionally difficult transition? Have you given them your all? Are they difficult, or just different in their approach? Look for the ways in which they are showing up on their hero's journey. This shift in perspective can make coaching more enjoyable for you and help ensure a better outcome for them.