How do you navigate a client's resistance to change during career transition coaching sessions?

Start Small: To reduce the overwhelm that often accompanies change, I encourage the client to start with small, manageable steps. These small wins build confidence and make the larger transition feel more achievable. Challenge Limiting Beliefs: I help clients identify and challenge any limiting beliefs that might be holding them back. Through strategic questioning, we examine whether these beliefs are based on facts or assumptions, and work to replace them with more empowering thoughts.

Build Trust and Rapport: Establishing a strong, trusting relationship is crucial. I create a safe space where the client feels heard and supported, which helps them open up about their concerns. This foundation makes it easier to discuss change without the client feeling defensive.

Reframe the Change: Often, clients see change as a threat. I work to reframe it as an opportunity. We explore the potential positive outcomes of the change, focusing on how it aligns with their long-term goals and values. By shifting the perspective, resistance often diminishes.

Na minha jornada, consegui compreender que a resistência em regra, é uma demonstração clara daquilo que está por trás, isto é, o que a pessoa tem guardado no subconsciente por conta daquilo que teve que passar na sua vida e que, dificilmente a pessoa tem consciência daí surgir a resistência. Em regra o nosso cérebro faz associações dos eventos passados criando uma figura para atribuir a culpa ou o medo, logo, entender a raiz destas associações é uma das formas que tenho usado para navegar sobre isso.

Acknowledge and Understand the Resistance: Resistance often stems from fear—fear of the unknown, failure, or even success. I start by acknowledging the client's feelings and exploring the root causes of their resistance. By understanding what’s driving their hesitation, we can address it more effectively.

One of the areas that can be overlooked at times is building trust with your clients so that they can show up ready to learn, grow, and be present in developing their skills. Spend time at the beginning of the coaching engagement to discuss your clients relationship with trust as well as their expectations for building rapport with their coach. Be curious around their experience and inquire into what you can do specifically to create a psychologically safe coaching container so that they can show up and say what they need to say, not what they want someone to hear. Depending on their personality style trust can be high in the beginning or something that needs to be earned. Each individual is unique in their relationship with trust.

Navigating a client's resistance to change during career transition coaching sessions involves addressing their concerns with empathy and structuring the process around incremental goals. Start by actively listening to understand their apprehensions and underlying fears. Break down the transition into manageable, short-term goals that offer clear, achievable milestones. This approach helps to build confidence and demonstrates tangible progress, which can alleviate anxiety about the broader changes. Regularly celebrate these small victories and use them as opportunities to reinforce the benefits of the transition.