Dealing with clients who exceed session times. Are you ready to assert your boundaries?
When clients consistently exceed their session times, it's crucial to establish and enforce boundaries. To address this professionally:
How do you handle situations where clients overstep their time? Share your strategies.
Dealing with clients who exceed session times. Are you ready to assert your boundaries?
When clients consistently exceed their session times, it's crucial to establish and enforce boundaries. To address this professionally:
How do you handle situations where clients overstep their time? Share your strategies.
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If clients habitually exceed time, start by clarifying the session structure upfront: how much time is allotted and what it includes. Define your boundaries—whether 5 or 15 extra minutes is acceptable. Be mindful of time without constantly clock-watching. As you approach the last 15 minutes, begin summarizing, outlining action items, and checking in with the client. Remember, a session isn’t just coaching; it’s also prep and wrap-up. Guide the conversation to ensure productive use of time, avoiding unstructured data dumps that prevent meaningful progress.
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Dealing with clients who exceed session times requires a balance of assertiveness and professionalism to ensure our boundaries are respected. - Set clear expectations: Communicate our session length up front. - Use a timer: Politely inform the client when time is running out. - Offer options: Suggest scheduling additional time if needed. - Stick to our boundaries: Be firm but courteous when it’s time to wrap up. By asserting our boundaries respectfully, we maintain a professional relationship and ensure productive sessions.
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This is tricky one, because we became coaches to help people, but at the same time we have busy schedules and other clients to attend. I usually allow 15 minutes for overrun, although this shouldn't be a regular thing. If it is, we need to make sure to set those boundaries and keep each session as targeted as possible. In the overrun period, I'd allow them to say everything they need to say without interruption. During this time, I'll be taking notes like usual, and then I'll make sure that they feel acknowledged. We'll put a pin in that topic. And I tell them we'll continue from there in our next session. I close out the session with the task(s) they need to complete for the upcoming session.
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"Boundaries Build Bridges, Not Barriers!" When a client regularly exceeds session times, it's a golden opportunity to reinforce respect for your time and theirs. Start by acknowledging their enthusiasm and gently remind them of the agreed session limits. For example, say, "I love our discussions, and to honor both our schedules, let’s wrap up promptly moving forward." Set clear expectations at the start of every session and use a timer to signal the end. Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re frameworks that ensure mutual growth and balance.
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If clients habitually exceed time, start by clarifying the session structure upfront: how much time is allotted and what it includes. Define your boundaries—whether 5 or 15 extra minutes is acceptable. Be mindful of time without constantly clock-watching. As you approach the last 15 minutes, begin summarizing, outlining action items, and checking in with the client.
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As a Coach, I believe that the coaching session is the responsibility of the coach not the client. The coach is the guide who consciously leads the session, the client is usually immersed in their thoughts. To avoid exceeding session time, 1️⃣ Listen actively to your client to be able to determine the most urgent goal need to be achieved and check it out with your client. 2️⃣ If you found more than one goal needed to work on, explain to your client that their needs could not be achieved in one session. 3️⃣ During the session, you need to be aware enough to bring your client back to the main context of the session, in case they slipped away.
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Setting clear expectations at the beginning of the coaching relationship is key. I let my clients know in advance the session duration and the importance of staying on track to respect both of our time. Then I gently communicate that I'm respecting their time and my own by sticking to the agreed-upon schedule. I remind my client that boundaries aren’t walls. They’re ways to maintain a healthy and productive coaching relationship.
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