When and how do I complete with a client? (Client Off-Boarding)

Earlier this year, I received the following question: How do I finish with or off-board a client? What do I do with a client I am no longer aligned with? By aligned, I mean time/sessions per month, rate, or the type of client you want to work with. 

While I have had a few of these situations come up, I realized this was a bit of a taboo topic. So, to answer this question, I asked some of the best coaches I know how they complete with a client that no longer aligns with them. 

Essential Question: What have you done with clients who are no longer aligned with your practice? How have you broached the conversation and what have you offered as alternatives? 

What I gathered is that ‘client off-boarding or completion’ is a low-frequency conversation. Even some veteran coaches answered they hadn’t approached this conversation with their clients. However, the common sentiment with all the responses was, “where you’re choosing to complete from matters. Be sure you are supporting the client with what is best for your coaching relationship and in service of them.”

The answers concluded that there are two ways that we powerfully complete with a client: (1) A powerful mindset/context and (2) a powerful action. Listed below is a menu for you to adopt, adapt, or disregard to fit your authentic style. This answers all sides of the question: 

• What if I no longer align with my client… because me or my business has changed? 
• What if they no longer align with me… because they’ve changed? 
• What if the coaching container no longer aligns with us… because we’ve successfully accomplished what we set out to accomplish? 

A huge thank you to the coaches that offered their brilliance on this topic. While I asked for their permission to use their answers, I removed attributes to maintain confidentiality. Any of the direct quotes below were nearly copied verbatim from their responses to the text prompt below. 

Powerful Completion Contexts

• Empowered & Unattached: “We complete and then we are complete. I reach out to them to check in but not on a regular interval. Some come back for coaching and some don’t. But you’re making me think I need to keep a master list and maybe engage in some outreach or provide them with some services!” 
• Clear is kind: “I would likely just say it flat and direct and offer whatever feels right to you. Request that they pay your new rate and/or go down to less calls per month, or you can connect them with some other coaches.”
• Trust your gut: “The most basic answer is that when we no longer seem in alignment with the agreement-them coming w requests, being coachable, etc. I broach this with them directly. And see if there is room for reinvention or if we should end our engagement.” 
• Reflect the pattern: “It’s often about them missing too many meetings or canceling. I often say that clearly this isn’t a priority so let’s move on.  Some have taken it ok others not so much.” 
• Respect the current agreement and your professional boundaries: “I recently had someone ask if we could take a month off to which I said I don’t like to do that so instead let’s just call it and if he ever wants to work with me again he can commit to a program.” 
• Speak to what is next: “I typically bring a conversation forward around 1. What I see for them 2. What are the breakthroughs they are working for 3. My business is changing and as of XYZ date I will be raising my prices, focusing on a different clientele etc… 3. Would love to create it in partnership with them and find another coach with them. I think of 3-4 coaches I think they would align with and introduce them for sample sessions while still coaching them….Usually give them a month to two month window.”
• “I haven’t had to end it with anyone that wasn’t aligned - they typically just phase out when it’s time. But what I would do is acknowledge them for where they’ve gotten to and suggest that where they are now may be best suited for a new coach. All in service of them and their growth” 
• Be in Partnership: Enroll the client in the changing structure and how you might create a win-win. If not, refer them out. “I try to take as much energy out of it as possible. But be generous and patient with what they need: what do they need? What’s the opportunity in it for them? What do they need to say?”
• Be of Service: “Take myself out of the conversation. What qualities do you want in a support partnership? How can I be of service to this person in their next chapter without me?” 

Powerful Completion Actions: 

• Honor the Current Agreement: Honor the agreement > Get complete > Get curious > Reinvent > Bless and Release
• OR 1. Honor the commitment > 2. Offer the alternatives > 3. Reinvent in partnership
• Offer alternative pathways of value: This is a great development opportunity for the client to choose what works for them. A different support structure (ACA, EMDR, talk therapy, plant medicine, somatic coaching, your newsletter, a group program, content and resources). 
• Support them in finding a new coach while you complete. Would they benefit from a different coach? Create and update a list of referrals in mind of where you used to be. 
• Reinvent the relationship - Intentionally disrupt the normal flow of coaching sessions. Voice your concern and invite them to reimagine what coaching could be. 
• Cut ties - Our coaching relationships are often for a season, not a lifetime. How is drawing out your relationship with a client out of integrity for your commitment to live an inspiring and impactful life? Likely, this relationship in its current form is an energetic drag to you AND therefore impacts your ability to show up complete and responsible as a coach. If this were romantic, this would be seen as cruel. 
• “I typically fire gently and intentionally don’t offer future options (for example once/month)”. 
• Increase your rate. At what price would working with this client be empowering to you? 
• Decrease your time. The inverse of the line above… at what time commitment per month would you be empowered to work with this person? 
• If the answer is you wouldn’t, it’s probably time to let them go. 
• Always set a time-bound container for your coaching agreements. This ensures you’re having purposeful conversations about the start and end of each coaching contract. Working together in infinity might be great for your bank account, but is not in integrity with being a coach. The practice of rechoosing time and time again is a powerful catalyst of transformational relationships. 

Conclusion

To finish where we started: These examples aren't ways you 'could' close, they are ways that many coaches DO close. No reasons are right or wrong, but also, no methods are right or wrong. As long as they are aligned with accepted coaching ethics and your principles. 

Where you’re choosing from matters. There is no right or wrong reason to complete your work with a client, but is important that you’ve defined your conditions of success and are staying true to your business principles.