You're facing a client who expects constant availability. How do you set boundaries effectively?

Client turning your phone into a red hot potato? Set boundaries like a pro, coach! Here's your communication playbook: Transparency is Key: Explain your work hours and preferred communication channels. Be clear, not cryptic! Offer Alternatives: Suggest alternative solutions – designate specific response times or offer alternative contact methods for urgent issues. Be flexible, but firm. Educate Gently: Explain the benefits of focused work time for better client service. A well-rested coach is a more effective coach! Respectful Reinforcement: Stick to your boundaries politely but firmly. Consistency is key! Remember, boundaries aren't walls, they're fences. Now go forth and manage client expectations like a sheepdog herding a flock.

Set clear boundaries from the start by communicating your working hours and response times. Be firm yet polite, and offer alternative support options. A dedicated time for urgent queries. Reinforce these boundaries consistently to manage expectations.

Definir limites é importante aqui. Assim como qualquer trabalho, faça o cliente respeitar a agenda. Caso isso não ocorra, reitere o compromisso e os limites acordados. O cliente que se posiciona assim, precisa de um mentor, não de um coach, friamente falando.

Every session I deliver comes with 14 days post session support via WhatsApp or Slack. I mark the day that period finishes for each client in my calendar and it acts as a decent prompt for the booking of the next session if that has not already been diarised. It also provides the client with a timeline for achieving goals and completing exercises. Most clients are active in the 72 hours post session and then again about 7 days later. This works well to keep in communication and momentum without becoming overwhelming or unmanageable for me.

Coaching is not just about communication, it’s about connection and trust. Accountability is hugely important as a coach and I think there is some need to maintain lines of communication, but boundaries need to be in place. Setting clear boundaries in coaching: Communicate Limits: Clearly outline the scope and availability of your services. Emphasize Independence: Stress the importance of clients’ self-reflection and problem-solving. Educate on Benefits: Explain how boundaries enhance personal growth. Reinforce Expectations: Regularly remind clients of these limits to maintain clarity. This approach ensures a healthy client-coach relationship and promotes self-reliance in clients.

My clients are given quick, specific tasks to focus on in between our sessions. These are are also mind shifts that his/her brain will chew on prior to our next conversation. If there is a question I set up email or WhatsApp correspondence 1x per week. It’s enough to stay in touch but also provide the autonomy to do and process on their own . If a client has high anxiety we start out weekly and taper down to bi-weekly once given the tools in the first 30 days. It’s been very effective!

Ensure communication expectations are clear & concise in the contract, SOW, and/or binding agreement. Parameters of the engagement are important.

Tell them I'm the expert in coaching, not a 24/7 pizza delivery service. Schedule check-ins so they can't sneak in surprises like your grandma with snacks. Set clear 'office hours'—not the 'always-open' kind—so they know when to hit pause on their questions. And if they text at 3 AM, reply with a sleepy emoji and a reminder: 'Even coaches need beauty sleep.' They'll learn, and you'll keep your sanity intact.

É importante, no começo dos processos criar um contrato de convivencia. Onde explicar os detalhes da sessão e limites, assim não cria expectativa. Outra coisa importante é ter uma agenda bem definida e ser criterioso com suas horas, claro que terá momentos onde exeções precisarão ser feitas, só não deixe elas virarem regras.

Here's a clever approach: "Just like Batman's bat-signal, let's create our 'Coaching Signal'—when it's on, I'm fully here for you. When it's off, I'm recharging my superhero cape! Let's set specific times for our coaching adventures to ensure you get the best results and I stay Gotham-city sharp.

As I conduct opening interviews with clients I discover their time and availability expectations and share mine as well. If there is not synergy, I do not continue with the client. We need to be able to meet eachother's needs, so I find it respectful to outline expectations. If a traumatic event occurs, I can often add sessions for a client in need, but I never promise that. When I can not meet, I invite my client to remind me of their support systems, and write out a plan of who to call/text if I am not available. This builds resilience and reinforces the importance of boundaries.

Ah, the ever-present client! I'd explain my superpower: transforming into a pumpkin at midnight. Then, I'd gently share my office hours as 'non-pumpkin' times and suggest we all need a bit of superhero recharge. Consistency is my sidekick, ensuring our caped crusade stays on track. Boundaries are like my secret lair — they keep us both super focused and ready to save the day (and night)!

As sessões serem semanais ajudam inclusive o cliente a desenvolver autonomia. No caso de ele querer compartilhar suas vitórias e tirar dúvidas ou ter suporte, tudo isso deve ser combinado de antemão.

In addition to being VERY clear in that initial session, I send quarterly reminders to my clients with gentle reminders of when I am available (dates/times), if my hours have changed (summer hours are a thing, people!), and that I do not coach while driving and I do not coach clients while they are driving. In our next session, I may ask if the client has any questions about any policies, a great time to address anything else that may be unclear to either you or the client.

To effectively set boundaries with a client expecting constant availability, define the work hours clearly and communicate limits on response times outside those hours. Establish protocols for urgent situations (norm for exception management) , enforce boundaries consistently to manage expectations, and offer alternative resources when necessary. Regularly review and adjust boundaries to maintain balance and ensure a professional coaching relationship that respects both client needs and your personal time.

I will discuss RACI matrix & role clarity with him & thus getting idea from him that why he is expecting my constant availability.

Todo cliente que já atendi, deixei muito claro sobre as suas responsabilidades no processo. Enfatize durante a jornada a importância do cliente seguir sozinho, mas estabaleça limites claros, sobre o que está incluso no suporte e como será o acompanhamento extra sessão.