As a coach or mentor, you have a responsibility to create a safe and respectful relationship with your clients. This means you need to obtain their informed consent and set clear expectations before you start working together. In this article, you will learn what informed consent and expectations are, why they are important, and how to communicate them effectively.
Informed consent is the process of explaining to your clients what coaching or mentoring is, what it is not, what they can expect from you, and what you expect from them. It also involves asking for their permission to proceed with the coaching or mentoring agreement, and respecting their right to withdraw or change their mind at any time. Informed consent helps you to establish trust, transparency, and accountability with your clients.
Informed consent is important for several reasons. First, it protects both you and your clients from potential legal or ethical issues, such as misunderstandings, conflicts, or complaints. Second, it ensures that your clients are fully aware of the benefits and risks of coaching or mentoring, and that they are making a voluntary and informed decision to participate. Third, it empowers your clients to take ownership of their own learning and development, and to voice their needs and preferences.
Last but not least informed consent strengthens the relationship from client to coach in an enormous positive way. It builds TRUST which is needed for the transformation process. My experiences show that the more information you share about setting and details, the more trust is created.
Obtaining informed consent requires clear and open communication with your clients. You can accomplish this through verbal, written, or electronic communication, depending on the context and preferences. However, regardless of the method, you should always cover the purpose and scope of coaching/mentoring, roles and responsibilities, boundaries and limitations, confidentiality/privacy policies, fees/payment terms, duration/frequency of sessions, cancellation/rescheduling policies, feedback/evaluation procedures, and complaint/dispute resolution mechanisms. Additionally, it’s important to encourage your clients to ask questions, express concerns or share feedback at any time. Documenting the informed consent process and keeping a record of it is also essential for future reference.
Informed consent is crucial to establishing a professional relationship with a new client, and ultimately achieving effective results from the coaching experience. Obtaining consent can be made easy by starting with a standardised contract, to inform the client of the standard processes and policies and set the right expectation for the relationship. After that, discuss the details of the coaching agreement for the specific client you're working with, and outline the current state, the reason the client has decided to work with a coach, and the results they're aiming for in doing so. At all times, ensure the client understands they are in a safe space, and they get to choose how much they put in, to get the results they want to achieve.
Expectations are the assumptions, beliefs, or hopes that you and your clients have about the coaching or mentoring process and outcomes. Expectations can be explicit or implicit, realistic or unrealistic, positive or negative. Expectations can influence your clients' motivation, satisfaction, and performance, as well as your own.
Expectations are important because they can either enhance or hinder the coaching or mentoring relationship. If you and your clients have aligned and realistic expectations, you are more likely to have a positive and productive experience. However, if you and your clients have mismatched or unrealistic expectations, you are more likely to encounter frustration, disappointment, or conflict.
Setting expectations is the only way you're going to create a fruitful interaction with a client. As a coach, you're the expert, therefore clarifying what you are there for, and what you're not there for is the only way to ensure the client doesn't get disappointed or frustrated with the outcome. Once expectations have been set, you're more likely to help a client reach the outcome and achieve the goals they are aiming for during the process.
To set expectations, it is essential to communicate clearly and honestly with your clients. Utilize various tools, such as contracts, agreements, or goal-setting frameworks, depending on your context and preferences. When doing so, make sure to cover the desired outcomes and objectives of coaching or mentoring, the indicators and measures of success, the strengths and areas of improvement of you and your clients, the potential challenges and risks of coaching or mentoring, the support and resources available for you and your clients, as well as the ground rules and norms of communication and behavior. Additionally, check in regularly with your clients to monitor and adjust expectations as needed. Lastly, document the expectation setting process and keep a record of it for future reference.
Getting informed consent and setting expectations with coaching clients is an integral part of professional practice. Doing so helps to create a respectful and trusting relationship, clarify goals and roles, as well as ensure quality and ethical service. By following these tips and guidelines, you can improve communication and collaboration with your clients while also increasing coaching or mentoring effectiveness and impact.
Setting clear expectations with clients is vital in coaching. Unfortunately, many coaches overlook this important step. Here are some good questions to consider asking your client: - What specific outcome are you aiming for? - When do you hope to reach this outcome? - On a scale of 1 to 10, how content are you with where you are now? - How will you recognize when you've reached your goal? - On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you want to be in relation to that goal? By asking these questions you are setting a foundation for success and a productive coaching relationship.