CEC
ARTICLE
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ARTICLES
WALK TOGETHER
NURTURING COLLABORATIVE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH CLIENTS
When clients hit a plateau or engage in unhelpful behaviours, you can assist them to move on
by nurturing a collaborative relationship in which they feel unconditionally supported, writes
PT and performance coach Susy Natal.
This is the second article on the often-overlooked topic of softer
coaching skills (following You are not your client), which will not teach
a client how to squat, but can empower them to stop jeopardising
their own success.
A ny client that you work with is on a health and fitness
journey, and you are on it with them. It is not yours to
commandeer, but you are an active part of it, so the
ways you engage and relate to your client and their
behaviour can seriously impact their success. Your client could be
trying to do this alone, but they have chosen to include you in the
process, so do everything in your power to help them succeed.
Make the connection
Rapport and trust are gradually built over time, and as the guide in
the client-trainer relationship it is your responsibility to gently and
authentically do your part to nurture these.
Listen
In a previous article, You Are Not Your Client, active listening was
Your client could
be trying to do this
alone, but they have
chosen to include
you in the process
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