The partnership between a coach and their client is built on trust and a shared commitment to achieving the client’s goals. However, the closeness of this connection could potentially lead to blurred boundaries, which can be detrimental to the coaching process. Coaches must therefore maintain healthy boundaries with their clients to ensure that the client is the one doing the “heavy lifting” to reach their goals, rather than the coach.
Below, 16 members of Forbes Coaches Council share strategies coaches can use to maintain appropriate boundaries with clients. By employing these strategies, you can help your clients achieve their goals while also ensuring they’re the ones doing the hard work to achieve them.
7. Focus On The Clients’ Top Priorities
Many times, clients have come to sessions and sheepishly said, “I didn’t do my homework.” My response surprises them every time: “It doesn’t matter or bother me.” We move into what was a higher priority for them, and they decide where to go from there. – Kristy Busija, Next Conversation Coaching, LLC