How do you challenge a client without damaging the coaching relationship? In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we explore how skilled coaches use challenge—not as confrontation, but as transformation.

If you’ve ever held back from asking a hard question or reflecting a client’s pattern because you were afraid they’d walk away, this episode is for you. We break down what it really means to challenge someone in a coaching conversation and how to do it in a way that builds trust, not breaks it.

We’ll explore how experienced coaches create powerful breakthroughs by offering honest, compassionate challenge—and how this aligns with ICF Core Competencies like trust-building, presence, and evoking awareness.

You’ll walk away with real phrases to use in session, insight into why clients crave challenge (even when they resist it), and tools for navigating discomfort with integrity.

Whether you're a new coach still finding your voice or a seasoned practitioner refining your edge, this episode will change the way you view challenge.

Are you being a supportive coach—or are you just people-pleasing? In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we take an honest look at what happens when coaches confuse kindness with avoidance, and how to recognize when you're prioritizing being liked over being effective.

If you’ve ever hesitated to challenge a client, held back from naming a pattern, or found yourself drained after sessions, this episode is for you. You’ll learn how people-pleasing shows up in subtle coaching behaviors—and how to shift back into authentic support that fosters trust, not performance.

We’ll explore how the ICF Core Competencies call us to higher standards of presence and truth-telling, and how your desire to “be nice” might actually be undermining your client’s growth.

Whether you’re a new coach still developing your voice or a seasoned coach noticing these patterns in your work, this episode will help you discern the difference between showing up as a coach—and showing up as a caretaker.

How do you support your clients—and yourself—when the world feels like it’s falling apart? In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we’re talking about what it means to coach through chaos, uncertainty, and grief.

When clients bring in overwhelm, despair, or real-world fears, many coaches feel unsure about how to respond. Should you stay “neutral”? Try to uplift them? Hold space without absorbing their pain?

We explore how to stay grounded as a coach in messy times, how to support clients without bypassing their real emotions, and what it actually means to be present—without performing.

You’ll learn how to simplify your approach, listen without fixing, and recognize when you need to pause and seek support. We also connect these practices to ICF Core Competencies like cultivating trust, maintaining presence, and evoking awareness.

Whether you’re a new coach or a seasoned pro, this episode is your permission slip to be human. Because coaching in today’s world isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being real.

What do you do when your client’s political values are wildly different from yours? In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we explore how to navigate political differences in coaching without sacrificing your values—or your presence.

Whether a client makes a comment that goes against everything you believe in, or you discover deeper ideological gaps over time, the question becomes: Can I still coach this person with integrity?

We’ll walk through how to stay grounded in the face of political tension, when to address a comment in-session, and when it’s time to set a boundary or end the coaching relationship altogether.

You’ll also learn how to discern between a difference in opinion and a violation of human dignity, how to stay curious without bypassing your own ethics, and what the ICF Core Competencies say about navigating charged dynamics.

Coaching in today’s world means being present to complexity. This episode offers tools, language, and clarity for those moments when values collide—and shows you how to coach with honesty, discernment, and compassion.