How do you manage resistance when using a coaching model?

2 Why do clients resist coaching?

Resistance is a natural and normal reaction to change, which can signify that your clients are feeling challenged, uncomfortable, or insecure about their situation. The source of this resistance can vary, such as a lack of trust or rapport with you as a coach, a mismatch between their values and goals, fear of failure or success, low self-esteem or confidence, lack of motivation or commitment, perceived lack of resources or support, or conflicting priorities or expectations.

3 How do you recognize resistance?

Resistance during client interactions can take on many forms, from subtle to obvious. You may notice your clients giving vague or inconsistent answers, avoiding eye contact or fidgeting, making excuses or blaming others, interrupting or changing the topic, rejecting or ignoring your suggestions, showing anger or frustration, or withdrawing or shutting down. It is important to recognize these signs of resistance and address them appropriately.

5 How do you overcome resistance?

The ultimate goal of managing resistance is to assist clients in overcoming it and reaching their desired outcomes. To achieve this, building trust and rapport is essential. Establish a safe and supportive environment where your clients feel respected and heard. Active listening, positive feedback, and open-ended questions can show your interest and curiosity. It's also important to help your clients identify and articulate their core values and vision, ensuring their goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Exploring options and consequences can help them generate and evaluate different strategies. Highlight the benefits and costs of each option as well as the impact of their choices on themselves and others. Lastly, encouraging action and accountability will help them create an action plan that is realistic and achievable. Monitor their progress and celebrate successes to help them stay motivated.

6 How do you prevent resistance?

Prevention is better than cure, and you can reduce the likelihood of resistance by following some best practices before, during, and after your coaching sessions. To start, set clear and realistic expectations. Explain the purpose and process of coaching, your role and responsibilities, and your clients' role and responsibilities. Agree on the frequency, duration, and format of the sessions and the methods of communication and feedback. Additionally, assess your clients' level of readiness and willingness to change using tools such as the transtheoretical model or the motivational interviewing approach. Adapt your coaching style and interventions to match their stage of change. Finally, review the key learnings and insights from each session with summaries, reflections, and homework assignments. Ask your clients to share their feedback and suggestions for improvement too.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?