Episode
Ep 94 Five Difficult Client Conversations Every Coach Needs to Know How to Have (Without Damaging the Relationship)
- Published
- Jun 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2634
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Summary
Every coach has had that moment. You're staring at your calendar, seeing a client's name, and feeling a knot in your stomach. Maybe they keep canceling. Maybe they're not doing the work. Maybe you've been dancing around a problem for weeks because you don't know how to bring it up. The difficult client conversation is the one most coaches avoid — until they can't anymore. And by then, the issue has often gotten worse. This episode is the finale of our five-part series, "The Conversations That Build Coaching Businesses." We're wrapping up with the conversation most coaches dread — and the one that can make the biggest difference in your coaching practice and your peace of mind. I'm walking you through five of the most common difficult client situations, what's really going on underneath each one, and exactly how to have the conversation with clarity and kindness. In this episode, I cover: Why coaches avoid difficult conversations (and what happens when we do) The client who's not doing the work — how to name the pattern without shaming, and when to have a bigger conversation about fit The client who keeps canceling or rescheduling — how to hold your boundary while staying compassionate The client who wants you to tell them what to do — how to hold the coaching stance without being rigid The client who's made no progress in weeks (or months) — how to address the plateau and explore what's really going on When and how to end a coaching relationship — how to have the conversation with integrity and grace A simple framework for any difficult conversation: curiosity, honesty, kindness, clarity, follow-through Series episodes: Episode 89: How to Get More Coaching Clients Through Referrals (Without Feeling Salesy) Episode 90: How to Network as a Coach (Even If You Hate Network…