Cut out the bottom 10% of your clients

Probably the most gratifying moment for me in my practice is when a client shows up who is fully present and available for big growth and change, and they join my business coaching program like they really mean it. I can tell you with 100% certainty, that if you were peaking through my window in my office, you would see me literally jumping for joy. That is like having the winning lottery ticket. You get to see this person expand and grow right before your eyes.

As I grew, matured and gained more knowledge and became a Master Coach, (which means I have thousands of hours of coaching with service professionals) I realized I needed to get more serious about investing in myself and in my clients, as I am getting lots more of them.

I needed to make some changes, some tough decisions.

I sat down and looked at my proven track record with coaching clients. My average time serving and working with a client is about 3-5 years, and several have just crossed over the 7 year mark. In my opinion, after coaching hundreds and hundreds of service professionals in their businesses I have learned a thing or two.

While some coaches are obsessed with status, security, comfort, fear, convenience, and money I decided to take a different road; the one less travelled as they say. I decided to invest in my future and in the future of my clients in a way that may surprise you.

I made a huge shift in my thinking, and chose to cut out the bottom 10% of my clients who talked a good game, and never did what they said they were going to do or wanted to do. A tough decision? Yes? A smart decision? YES!
Now it is up to you. I have laid out some guidelines that I have used in my practice over the years that has shown me that to connect, engage and relate at a deep level you need to know where your clients are in the coaching process and how to choose the ones that need to move on, and perhaps chose another coach. Remember, all of these can be good for you, the client and the coaching profession.

When it comes to change, some coaching clients lose motivation and fail to “stick with the program.” Regardless of the coach’s ability, failure to achieve goals and dreams may happen for a number of different reasons:

1. Take Ownership

The more coaching clients feel the process, or coaching program is being forced upon them or that they are just casually “trying it out,” the less likely the coaching process will work. If coaching clients are simply “playing games,” with no clear commitment, they are more likely and willing to discontinue the coaching process.

2. Real Time

Coaching clients who are real goal setters have a natural inclination to underestimate the time needed to reach dreams and targets. Demanding, impatient coaching clients can be even more time-sensitive than most other clients. Generally, our behaviour changes long before the people around us observe any change, and they may not notice what has actually happened for them.

3. Level of Difficulty

Coaching clients who are goal setters’ and have a lot of optimism, must also apply the level of difficulty, as well as time. Not only does everything take longer than you think; it also requires real work! Long-term change for your coaching clients and its effectiveness takes real effort. For instance, it can be challenging for hectic, opinionated coaching clients to have the discipline to stop and listen while others say things they may not want to hear.

4. Amount of Distractions

Some coaching clients have a tendency to underestimate the distractions and competing goals that will consistently show up at any given time. By preparing for distractions ahead of time, coaching clients can set realistic expectations for change and be less likely to give up on the change process.

5. Immediate Rewards

Some coaching clients tend to become disillusioned when achievement of one goal or dream doesn’t instantly turn into achievement of other goals and dreams. If coaching clients think skills improvement will quickly lead to short-term profits, advancement or big time recognition, they may become disappointed and give up when these things fail to materialize instantly.

6. Level of Maintenance

Once a coaching client has put in the energy necessary to achieve a goal or dream, it can be difficult to maintain behaviours that include the new changes. Coaching clients must recognize that professional development and growth is an ongoing process, with a lifelong commitment.

Coaching and mentoring can be daunting for some coaching clients, as they must be willing to be vulnerable and open to a level they may have never experienced before. It is exhilarating, exciting, and life changing for those who embrace it and commit to real lasting change. Being coached and mentored is an exciting journey.

Great coaches and their clients form strong bonds built on trust, openness, confidence, respect and achievement. For coaching to really work, the connection must be firm and the coaching program must operate with clear ground rules.
So there you have it: a list of what your clients may be going through as they work with you, and where they may be hung up in the process. Now it is up to you, to decide if you are going to create some strong boundaries in your business. What matters is that you have the desire to serve and work form the heart, the savvy and smart way to make business decisions, and the determination to succeed. That and knowing that 90% or more of your ideal clients will go miles towards accomplishing their goals and dreams when you can invest in yourself and make good decisions regularly and profitably.

Now I know some of you are thinking about the loss of income. When you find yourself being frustrated by something that a client does or says, the situation is occurring for a specific reason. You attracted it into your world for your growth.
You can shift your situation of attracting less than ideal clients by getting clear about the outcome that you want to achieve in your business. And by making good solid business decisions! Your ability to be clear about what you want in your ideal clients and making good business decisions will fill your practice faster than you realize.