Why every client relationship fails (and how to stop yours from doing the same)

👉 Join my coaching programme: https://theauthoritativecoach.com/essentials

👉 Get my 16 Conversations playbook: https://theauthoritativecoach.com/workshop/the-client-success-conversation-playbook/

Is your client onboarding process quietly setting you up to fail?

If you've ever felt frustrated by missed deadlines, unclear communication, or clients who seem to check out mid-project… this episode is for you.

In this episode of Say What You See, I walk you through six essential conversations you should be having with every new client before the work begins. Whether you're a coach, consultant, or any client-facing professional — these conversations will help you set clearer expectations, avoid predictable problems, and establish peer-level trust with your clients right from the outset.

What this episode helps you solve:

• The silent killers of successful client relationships — unspoken assumptions, poor expectation-setting, and creeping scope.
• The trap of jumping into delivery mode without laying a proper foundation.
• Feeling like you're improvising every client relationship — even though you're the expert.

Why it’s worth your time:

• You'll leave with six practical, real-world conversations that can strengthen your next client onboarding immediately.
• You'll gain confidence in how you lead relationships, and learn how to communicate your boundaries clearly and respectfully.
• You'll know how to pre-empt issues like missed deadlines, stress, and messy communication before they disrupt the work.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

• The Doubt Conversation: how to surface and channel internal friction before it festers
• The Time Commitment Conversation: how to help clients carve out space for success
• The Communication Expectations Conversation: how to reduce chaos and set clear norms
• The Scope and Boundaries Conversation: protect your energy and avoid overwork
• The Feedback & Candour Conversation: make honesty a standard part of your working relationship
• The Define-the-Relationship Conversation: a powerful way to start every new engagement

You can download the 16 Conversations Playbook to integrate this work into your client onboarding process.

Get it here: https://theauthoritativecoach.com/workshop/the-client-success-conversation-playbook/

Already watched? I’d love to hear from you:

• Which one of these six conversations are you going to try first?
• How do you currently set expectations — and what might you shift after watching this?
• Share your takeaways or experiences in the comments — I’d love to learn from you too.

Let’s talk—drop your thoughts in the comments.

🗣️ 👀

Chris