{"id":7240,"date":"2018-06-14T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-06-14T10:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitproblog.mysites.io\/troubleshooting-tough-clients\/"},"modified":"2018-06-14T10:00:10","modified_gmt":"2018-06-14T10:00:10","slug":"troubleshooting-tough-clients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/troubleshooting-tough-clients\/","title":{"rendered":"Troubleshooting tough clients who aren\u2019t getting results"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>A \u2018tough\u2019 client who makes no progress needn\u2019t stay that way, writes coaching programme developer Krista Scott-Dixon. Some specific techniques can transform the way you interact with them, as well as their success.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve all had them: the proverbial \u2018tough clients\u2019. They can be frustrating, annoying and even anxiety-provoking. They can make you question your coaching skills. You might find yourself avoiding or dreading their calls, emails and scheduled training sessions. Don\u2019t despair. There is another way \u2013 a way that will not only get you feeling better as a coach, but will genuinely get results for those tricky clients.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What\u2019s a tough client?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>At first, the answer to this question may seem obvious.<\/p>\n<p>A tough client, you might think, is someone who:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>should <\/em>follow your advice \u2013 but doesn\u2019t<\/li>\n<li><em>should <\/em>do things that move them towards their goals \u2013 but doesn\u2019t<\/li>\n<li><em>should <\/em>get results \u2013 but doesn\u2019t.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Secretly, you might even ask yourself, \u201c<em>What the #$^! is wrong with them?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>You might compare these clients to other \u2018easy\u2019 clients you\u2019ve trained \u2013 clients who were motivated, diligent, consistent and laser-focused on reaching their goals. You might secretly (or not so secretly) fantasise about \u2018firing\u2019 some of the toughest cases. Yet one thing you\u2019ll notice looking at the short list above is that they\u2019re a list of \u2018shoulds\u2019. In other words, they\u2019re things that <em>you <\/em>want and expect to happen, but don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tough clients are rarely tough<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In fact, few clients are truly \u2018tough\u2019 in the sense that there\u2019s something so fundamentally difficult and dysfunctional about them that nearly any coach might fail. Most of the time, \u2018tough clients\u2019 are not \u2018tough\u2019 at all \u2013 there\u2019s just a mismatch between expectations, skills and reality. In other words, usually one or more of the following is true:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You and\/or the client are expecting results that don\u2019t match the client\u2019s actual capacity to deliver those results. For instance, how can a client without strong food prep skills stick to a meal plan? How can a client who can\u2019t stabilise their spine improve their squat?<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re lecturing, telling, advising, suggesting, and directing \u2026 rather than listening, understanding, exploring and collaborating. The more you push, the more clients will push back, and the less you comprehend what your client truly needs and wants.<\/li>\n<li>You and\/or the client are starting from 100 and working backwards, rather than starting from 0 and working forwards. In other words, you and\/or your client are looking for \u2018perfect performance\u2019 (however you may define that) and then finding all the ways the client doesn\u2019t measure up to that standard, rather than starting from zero and finding (and celebrating) all the client\u2019s small achievements and successes. You might get irritated with a client who \u2018only\u2019 works out twice a week, when in reality this is a victory for someone who may have previously never worked out.<\/li>\n<li>Your client isn\u2019t ready, willing and\/or able to think, feel or behave in the ways that they need in order to see progress. Perhaps they aren\u2019t ready to change, or their mindset needs work, or they\u2019re hesitant to give up old habits that are problematic but familiar. There may be very good reasons for this.<\/li>\n<li>Your client has other factors in their life that are getting in the way. Few of us are professional athletes that are paid to eat properly, train and recover, and for whom performance is a job. People\u2019s lives are complex. They\u2019re juggling a lot and often just trying to hold it all together.<\/li>\n<li>You want this more than your client does. They care maybe a 5\/10, and you care a 10\/10 (it\u2019s your job to!) So, naturally, you urge, and push, and coax, and care really hard, and feel disappointed when they only give 50% effort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>How to start troubleshooting<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>You can spend your life mastering coaching and the art of helping people change. But here\u2019s a starter guide.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong> Accept reality, compassionately<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Frustration is just arguing with reality. So give up the tug-of-war with facts. Instead, accept your clients as they are, <em>right now<\/em>. Try to empathise with their situation and what they might be struggling with. Paradoxically, compassionate acceptance is more likely to lead to change in the long run than judgement or criticism.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong> Stop talking, start listening<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Stop directing, lecturing, telling, suggesting and anything else that tries to push people in one direction or another. Instead, shut your mouth and open your ears. Ask good, curious questions. Look to understand your client and their story.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong> Gather data before trying to solve problems<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Hang back, get out your measurement tools and collect intel. For instance, if a client is having trouble finding time to work out, don\u2019t lecture them on how important it is to exercise. Instead, ask them to try doing a time diary for a few days so you can both better understand how they are using their time. If a client tells you that a movement is uncomfortable, don\u2019t tell them that it should be fine. Instead, get out the camera and record what\u2019s happening. Go step by step. Look at the movement together.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong> Start with what clients are truly ready, willing and able to do<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Even if you\u2019re the greatest trainer in the world, if a client isn\u2019t ready, they won\u2019t change.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong> Look for (and correct) a skills deficit<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Many problems happen simply because clients don\u2019t have the skills they need in order to adopt the behaviours that will lead to their goals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Clients without basic planning skills can\u2019t organise their time or anticipate problems, so they end up \u2018too busy to exercise\u2019.<\/li>\n<li>Clients without basic emotional management skills can\u2019t cope with stress, so they end up calming down with a few drinks or a tub of ice cream.<\/li>\n<li>Clients without fundamental physical self-awareness can\u2019t learn new movements or know when they are moving wrongly, so they end up injured or feeling awkward and incompetent in the gym.<\/li>\n<li>Clients who \u2018can\u2019t cook\u2019 will have a hard time eating nutritiously and will frequently opt for take-aways.<\/li>\n<li>Ask yourself, what skills does my client need in order to a) understand and do a coaching task at the basic level?; and b) do the task well and consistently?<\/li>\n<li>Clients might need more life, movement and nutrition skills than you realise. Back up and teach those basic, segmental skills first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li><strong> Recognise that ambivalence is natural and normal<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Even if we want to change, we\u2019ll have mixed feelings about it. That\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n<p>Help clients explore their ambivalence and the forces preventing them from changing, with an attitude of acceptance and curiosity. Look for what\u2019s competing with the commitment your client wants to make. If they \u2018can\u2019t find time\u2019 to work out, for instance, what else is competing for that time? What\u2019s negotiable and what\u2019s not?<\/p>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong> Recognise how your own coaching behaviour may create resistance<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>How urgent or anxious do you feel? How frustrated or pushy? How much do you care versus how much your clients care? How might you inadvertently be <em>creating <\/em>the resistance you\u2019re feeling from clients, even (or especially) if you really, <em>really <\/em>want to help?<\/p>\n<ol start=\"8\">\n<li><strong> Look for strengths and bright spots<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>As the song goes, \u201cYou\u2019ve got to accentuate the positive \u2026\u201d Ask your client:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What strengths or advantages do you already have that could help you?<\/li>\n<li>What do you enjoy and how can we build on that?<\/li>\n<li>What is already going well?<\/li>\n<li>Where do problems <em>not <\/em>happen?<\/li>\n<li>What have you noticed leading to a positive outcome? When are you better, even just a little bit?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Instead of pointing out a bunch of mistakes, relentlessly chase and highlight successes and possibilities. Then just try to do more of what\u2019s already working. Assume your clients are resilient and resourceful.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"9\">\n<li><strong> Collaborate with your client on finding solutions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Your job isn\u2019t to be a one-stop solution shop. Your job is to help the clients generate their own solutions. Instead of \u201cHere\u2019s what we\u2019ll do\u201d or \u201cYou should ____\u201d, try asking questions like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What\u2019s worked in the past, even a little?<\/li>\n<li>Given this, what might be one small step you\u2019d be willing to take towards your goals?\u2019<\/li>\n<li>Realistically, with all that\u2019s on your plate, what seems manageable for you right now?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you want to give guidance, try this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I have some ideas, based on what you\u2019ve said, but I\u2019d like to hear your ideas first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong> When in doubt, pause<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Take a breath. Ask yourself whether there is more to know, learn or understand about this client. Have you missed something? What additional data could you gather? Are you working with a full, rich picture of the client\u2019s needs, wants, values, and priorities? Are you being client-centred (i.e., following the client\u2019s agenda) or trainer-centred (i.e., pushing the client to what you want)?<\/p>\n<p>Tough clients are mostly tough because we as coaches push against them. If you stop pushing and start dancing instead, following the clients\u2019 leads, you may find that your clients get a lot \u2018easier\u2019 to work with!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Krista Scott-Dixon<\/strong> is the director of curriculum for Precision Nutrition. Previously, she was a professor at York University in Toronto, Canada, as well as a researcher for a public health institute. She is the co-author of <em>The Essentials of Sport and Exercise Nutrition<\/em>. Contact Krista at <a href=\"mailto:krista@precisionnutrition.com\">krista@precisionnutrition.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>This feature is produced in conjunction with Australian Fitness Network.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Where to next? Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/index.php\/water-fitness-progressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Water Fitness Progressions<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A \u2018tough\u2019 client who makes no progress needn\u2019t stay that way, writes coaching programme developer&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7241,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[797,518,488,289,204,56,1452,741,89,723,1453],"class_list":{"0":"post-7240","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-training","8":"tag-australian-fitness-network","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-fitness-industry","11":"tag-fitness-professionals","12":"tag-fitpro-blog","13":"tag-group-exercise","14":"tag-krista-scott-dixon","15":"tag-personal-trainer","16":"tag-personal-training","17":"tag-strength-training","18":"tag-tough-clients"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7240"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7240"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7240\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}