What To Do if Your Coaching Client Wants To Quit: 4 Easy Steps

These four simple steps have helped me navigate the most challenging situations I’ve ever encountered as a coach. And I hope might help you navigate them as well.

Toku McCree
5 min readApr 14, 2022
Photo by Tonik on Unsplash

It’s morning. You wake up, pour your coffee, and sit down at your desk. Waiting for you in your inbox is an email from one of your clients telling you that they think your work together has come to an end.

You feel a sense of shock and surprise. Maybe some part of you knew this was coming. But even though you knew the work had been challenging, the reality of this situation sinks in.

As your mind starts to reel you feel a desire to shoot back a quick reply.
You think about offering a discount, more time with you, or something else.
You wonder if they’ll want a refund for the work you’ve already done.
You feel groundless, uncertain, and maybe you even doubt if you should be in business at all.

The truth is that clients quit.
They do it all the time.

As a transformational coach, my client’s wanting to quit is often a sign that the work we’re doing is powerful. That the…

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Toku McCree
Toku McCree

Written by Toku McCree

Executive coach and writer. I’ve toured with rock bands, trained as a zen monk, and taught preschool. My hope is that my writing makes you think.