{"id":13927,"date":"2026-01-05T10:27:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T10:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/?p=13927"},"modified":"2026-01-05T12:04:45","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T12:04:45","slug":"how-pts-can-establish-behaviour-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/how-pts-can-establish-behaviour-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Accountability 101: How PTs can establish behaviour change that really works"},"content":{"rendered":"

How PTs can establish behaviour change in coaching that really works. David Howatson<\/strong> discusses how to set up agreed accountability at the start of the coaching process.<\/h2>\n

\u201cI\u2019m leaving you!\u201d is the crushing statement all coaches (and people in love) fear the most. If you are a busy trainer, by the law of averages this is bound to happen at some stage, so don\u2019t beat yourself up. A common reason for the separation is that the client isn\u2019t achieving the goals that they\u2019d set out to achieve, no matter the efforts of the coach. Here is where the blame game starts \u2013 the client accuses the coach and the coach accuses the client: \u201ctoo lazy\u201d, \u201cbored with the routine\u201d, \u201chorrible exercises\u201d, \u201cdidn\u2019t follow the plan!\u201d etcetera and so forth until both parties are at breaking point.<\/p>\n

This awkward exchange is due, in part, to the client thinking the trainer is the one in charge and it\u2019s entirely plausible the coach might have given them that impression. In many cases, this is avoidable if we set up some agreed accountability at the start of the coaching process. How often have you said the line \u201cHere\u2019s what I can do for you \u2026\u201d right away? Off to a bad start, folks.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s responsible for this?!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

At the outset of any relationship, the practitioner should make it clear that the client is the custodian of their own health. Outlining the responsibilities of both the individual and the coach is a useful strategy when forming the partnership. This process hits the sweet spot in ethical practice in line with the British Psychological Society\u2019s core principles of respect, competence, responsibility and integrity1<\/sup>. While you might not be a therapist, adopting these principles in service of your clients is wise. Creating agreed-upon boundaries of accountability and then putting them in writing is a useful first step.<\/p>\n

Here is a deliberately simple example of a co-created list I shaped with a client in psychological performance coaching.<\/p>\n

Client responsibilities<\/strong><\/h4>\n