You're facing unrealistic client expectations in life coaching. How can you manage them effectively?
In life coaching, facing unrealistic client expectations is a delicate balance. To steer this situation towards success:
- Clarify outcomes from the start. Discuss achievable goals and timelines to set a clear roadmap.
- Educate on the process. Clients should understand that growth often involves incremental steps rather than leaps.
- Regularly review progress. This keeps expectations in check and provides opportunities for recalibration.
How do you handle setting realistic expectations with your clients?
You're facing unrealistic client expectations in life coaching. How can you manage them effectively?
In life coaching, facing unrealistic client expectations is a delicate balance. To steer this situation towards success:
- Clarify outcomes from the start. Discuss achievable goals and timelines to set a clear roadmap.
- Educate on the process. Clients should understand that growth often involves incremental steps rather than leaps.
- Regularly review progress. This keeps expectations in check and provides opportunities for recalibration.
How do you handle setting realistic expectations with your clients?
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In my coaching, I’ve found these expectations often come from fear or urgency—they want quick fixes for challenges that take time to work through. Here’s what works (for me like a charm): 1️⃣ Claim the frame. Be honest about what coaching can and can’t do—clients need to own their role in the process. 2️⃣ Reframe their expectations. Ask, ‘What feels most urgent right now?’ to uncover the real issue and focus on what’s achievable. 3️⃣ Validate, but stay real. Acknowledge their desire for change while grounding it: ‘We won’t fix everything overnight, but we’ll take it one step at a time.’ Clarity and progress always win over perfection.
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Coaching should be a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore managing realistic expectations. It’s important to get curious about where these expectations are coming from, as unrealistic ones are often a result of critical narratives, external pressures, ableist perspectives etc. It’s important that you do so as a coach to ensure your client isn’t setting themselves up for failure, whilst they are also setting themselves goals aligned with their own needs, wants, values & aspirations. It’s crucial to be gentle, compassionate & understanding during this process as you may be met with some understandable resistance initially. Hold space for the client to explore at their own pace. ✨
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Las expectativas del cliente hay que ajustarlas desde la primera sesión; descubrir que el coaching no es lo que esperan más adelante conllevará frustración y, en el peor de los casos, sensación de engaño. En la primera sesión o incluso en la previa, si sueles hacerla, es imprescindible que el cliente entienda qué es coaching, que no es un proceso mágico, que lleva tiempo aunque es efectivo, que desde el primer día llevará acabo pequeñas acciones que le acercarán a sus objetivos, que no le aconsejarás, que las respuestas las obtendrá de si mismo y que es su responsabilidad el comprometerse con el proceso. Y en mi opinión, es básico entender que su meta es adecuada para un proceso de coaching. Eso es parte de la responsabilidad del coach.
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As a mindset coach, when I work with a client who has unrealistic expectations, I spend some time doing discovery with the client on what it would take to achieve their goals in the allotted time they've outlined. As we design action and set up accountability measures, the client will typically see for themselves why rushing and overestimating what can be done won't work. Then we dive into why the rush, why the sense of urgency and that usually leads us to the discovery of what is underneath the unrealistic client expectations.
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Everyone wants success in pill form. There's nothing wrong with unrealistic goals, but unrealistic expectations tend to focus on the coach. The client is always the one doing the work. I'm completely fine with someone having unrealistic goals as long as they have realistic expectations. And if they are both unrealistic, that's a conversation to have early on to reset expectations.
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In my coaching, I’ve found these expectations often come from fear or urgency—they want quick fixes for challenges that take time to work through. Here’s what works (for me like a charm): 1️⃣ Claim the frame. Be honest about what coaching can and can’t do—clients need to own their role in the process. 2️⃣ Reframe their expectations. Ask, ‘What feels most urgent right now?’ to uncover the real issue and focus on what’s achievable. 3️⃣ Validate, but stay real. Acknowledge their desire for change while grounding it: ‘We won’t fix everything overnight, but we’ll take it one step at a time.’
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If a client's expectations seem unrealistic, I make sure to set the stage with clear communication, setting boundaries early. Together we explore their goals with curiosity, not judgment using open-ended questions to align expectations with their values and reality. We'll consider what is an achievable outcome and the growth process. Coaching is a process, and we do this together, checking in frequently to adapt as things evolve and celebrating small wins as well as realigning goals. Empathy, honesty, and collaboration help us both keep the trust and grounding expectations.
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Love this great post, article! Super useful for all. Yes, Clarity is like the torch. Clarity on outcomes, deliverables, process, timelines and duration. All this when communicated with super intent and rapport, it helps. Client results are everything. When we take care of the above with crystal clear communication - verbal and written with laser focus. We can manage it well. Extra expectations can be reworked with a win/win with an upsell after the results mutually agreed upon. Happy Coaching.
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1️⃣ Establish Clear Limits Early: Start by explaining the coaching process, stressing what can be accomplished and making it clear that progress requires time and effort. 2️⃣ Adjust Expectations: Look into the fears or urgency behind their demands. Move the focus to achievable, gradual goals. 3️⃣ Acknowledge Small Achievements: Frequently check on progress to maintain motivation and point out even small successes. 4️⃣ Actively Work Together: Use questions that encourage discussion to match their goals with their values and ensure both parties understand each other.
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We are a drive through culture, quick decision, quick delivery. To assist a client to see that the years which have proceeded the desire for change require changing the habits that go along with repetition to get the desired outcome. Not to focus too much on the outcome, but the quality of the journey getting to the finished product. No great feast in life was brought home in a quick to go bag.
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