Firing Clients
I hate firing my clients and yet, I still do. I fire my clients. I let them go, make them redundant, or however you want to say it.
Some of you may be confused at this point. Some of you may be saying to yourself, “She fires her clients? Why would you fire someone who is paying you?”
Why? Because I have boundaries, that’s why.
If a client oversteps one of the boundaries I set, I let them go. And I do that because my boundaries keep me happy and worry-free. That’s why I created them in the first place.
Boundary 1 – Not Doing the Task
My first boundary is about doing your homework. If you can’t complete a task, why are you wasting your money on a coach? Did you expect to continue to do the same things and get different results? That doesn’t happen. If my client wants to change, then they must actually do things differently. My client needs to be serious. Doing the task is being serious about change. I first remind the person about the task and get re-commitment about doing tasks. Second, I check that there isn’t any unspoken reason why they feel the task isn’t appropriate or manageable. Lastly, I tell them that our coaching agreement isn’t going to work and send them on their way with a refund of outstanding sessions. People don’t hire me as a coach to just chat. They hire me as a coach to get stuff done.
Boundary 2 – You must want to EXCEL
My second boundary is that I only work with people who really want to stretch themselves and grow in a big way. Doesn’t everybody? No! Some people just like throwing away good money to complain. I’m not a shrink! I’m the “Build a Better You!” lady. I’m the “Raise Your BAR” lady. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader and biggest pain in your butt, all at the same time. There are no couch potatoes working with me. If you want to complain, find someone else. I’ll even help you! There are plenty of other coaches and psychologists out there who are more than happy to work with you for years, even decades, on the same thing. I’m just not that type of coach. My goal is to get you back on track, living the best, most authentic version of yourself, as quickly as the process will allow. I do not believe in creating a crutch for you. I believe in self sufficiency.
Boundary 3 – Honesty
Lastly, my newest boundary is about honesty. I didn’t actually think I had to state this as a boundary until a company in Singapore, NO, a particular individual from a company in Singapore, changed my mind. If you lie, I’m also not your trainer/presenter/1-on-1 coach. There’s no doubt that having someone lie to you – right to your face – is a little annoying. I don’t want to feel that way, so it’s going in my contract. Honesty is important and so is respect. I’m 100% there for you and you goals. If lying is your thing, find someone else.
Those are my 3 boundaries. Simple ones. Easy to decide one way or another.
How about you? Do you set limits? Do you establish boundaries at work or in your relationships or with your health? And what excuses do you use to stop yourself from setting boundaries?
You teach people how you want to be treated every day. Are you teaching them to respect you or walk on you?