When a client says "my manager is the problem," what do you do with that? In this episode, we're joined by Melody Wilding — executive coach, speaker, and author of Managing Up — to talk about one of the most common and least discussed challenges in coaching: helping clients navigate difficult relationships with the people above them at work.

Melody breaks down why coaching clients through workplace conflict starts not with confrontation, but with two deceptively simple conversations: alignment and communication styles. We dig into a real client story — a Chief People Officer who went from being told she might be "incompetent or over her head" to earning a six-figure bonus — and what actually shifted. We also talk about how coaches can use proprietary assessments to demonstrate client progress to organizational stakeholders, and how Melody built a speaking business from zero, starting with free talks and a clear ask.

Whether you're working with clients in corporate environments or thinking about expanding into organizational coaching yourself, this episode is full of the kind of concrete, actionable strategy that makes the work better.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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What does it really take to get honest and face hard things — in your coaching practice, and in your life? In this episode, we're joined by Andrea Owen, author of Live Like You Give a Damn: 25 Bold Moves to Get Honest and Face the Hard Stuff, for a conversation that goes well beyond coaching technique.

We’re digging into how the coaching industry has shifted from "good vibes only" toward doing real, deep transformative work — and what that shift has demanded of coaches personally. We explore the art of self-management when your client triggers something unhealed in you, how to use transparency as a coaching skill without making the session about yourself, and the hard-won wisdom that comes from taking a step back when life gets heavy.

If you've ever wondered how much of your own story to share, how to interrupt a client who's taking up too much space, or how to come back to your practice after a difficult season — this one is for you. Andrea doesn't sugarcoat it. Neither do we.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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There’s a line—and every coach needs to know where it is. When a client starts unraveling childhood trauma, asking for advice, or bringing deep grief into the session… are you coaching, mentoring, or sliding into therapy without meaning to?

This episode is for the coach who cares deeply—and doesn’t want to cause harm. We’re digging into the ethical gray zones where even experienced coaches can lose footing. What do you say (or not say) when a client wants emotional healing you’re not trained to offer? How do you hold firm to scope without abandoning your client in a hard moment?

We’ll break down real-world examples and the invisible pressures that get good coaches in trouble: the urge to “fix,” the fear of being too hands-off, the temptation to become a therapist-lite. You’ll leave this episode with clearer boundaries, stronger confidence, and language you can actually use when a session goes off-road.

Being an ethical coach doesn’t mean holding back—it means knowing your role and showing up with grounded, skillful presence.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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Feeling invisible in a crowded coaching market? You’re not alone.

In this episode of the Craft of Coaching podcast, we're giving you the real talk on the state of the coaching industry, including whether the coaching market is too saturated, and talk about what to DO about that.

Learn how to shift from trying to stand out in a "crowded"market-- to building trust, resonance, and relationships that lead to sustainable business growth.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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Ever have a client push back hard on a reflection—not because the reflection was wrong, but because it hit a nerve?

That’s "identity threat" in action.

In this episode of the Craft of Coaching podcast, we dive into what’s really going on when a client rejects your insight because it challenges the version of themselves they’ve needed to survive. We’ll explore the psychology behind identity defense, how to spot it in session, and what to do when a client becomes emotionally dysregulated or shuts down.

You’ll learn how to stay grounded, avoid reactivity, and build trust in the moments where it matters most. Instead of pushing, we’ll talk about how to slow down, ask safety-creating questions, and create the conditions for lasting identity expansion.

If you want to master the art of trauma-informed coaching—and support deep, sustainable growth—this episode is essential.

And if you’re ready to go deeper? Our new course, Undercurrents , trains coaches to work at the identity level of change with skill and respect.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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As coaches, we’ve all been there—you see what your client needs. You both know the actions that would help them break through. But they’re stuck. They hesitate. They say they want change, but their actions don’t follow. And suddenly, you’re caught between wanting to help… and pushing too hard.

In this episode of the Craft of Coaching podcast, we unpack what’s really happening when a client isn’t ready—and why your urgency can’t override their agency. You’ll learn why resistance is often a defense mechanism, not defiance, and how to work with—not against—a client’s inner pace. We’ll talk about how to name what you see without imposing, how to stay grounded in your role as a coach, and when it’s time to let go of the outcome.

This episode offers practical guidance and honest perspective for every coach who’s ever struggled with “wanting it more than the client.”
If you want to create more powerful sessions without bulldozing your client’s process, this one’s for you.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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If "clarity" is the main outcome you're selling on your sales pages and in your "getting to know you" calls, it might be time to stop over-focusing there. In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we explore why selling clarity can create false expectations—and we're talking about what clients actually need instead.

While clarity sounds like a powerful promise, it can unintentionally trap clients in a perfectionist loop of waiting for the “right” answer. The truth? Real coaching happens when we help people build the capacity to move through uncertainty.

We’ll dive into how to reframe your marketing and your coaching approach, so you can stop promising what coaching can’t guarantee—and start delivering what truly transforms.

Plus, we’ll connect this approach to ICF Core Competencies and offer real questions you can use with your clients.

If you’re ready to become the kind of coach who helps clients build resilience instead of relying on certainty, this episode is for you.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

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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.

Coaching + Courage + Community = CLCC.

We're a life-changing program, for you to become a life-changing coach. Our Level 1 ICF-Accredited program has worked with graduates from around the world. The first life you change? It'll be your own. We're the Credentialed Life Coach Collective, or CLCC, and we're here to give you a powerful coaching skill-set mixed with profound personal and professional growth.

Head to https://TeamCLCC.com to get our catalogue and the free "Become a Coach" video series to learn more about becoming a life coach, choosing a coaching niche, how coaches make money, and more.

Social:

LinkedIn