Video Transcript: How to Motivate a Client

Hello again, Steve Elzinga here, and this is the coaching class. In this session, I want to talk about how to motivate your client. Now, in some ways, you're not trying to make things happen; you're trying to help your client make things happen. So, it's sort of an indirect motivation. You want the client ultimately to figure out how he or she can motivate themselves. But helping the client understand what motivates them is your way to motivate them.

So how do you do this?

Top Motivators

1. Goals Having a goal is probably the top motivator. That's why in the initial session, or with every session, the goal is to come up with a goal — what is your client going to do? Especially a short-term goal. Maybe they have a big goal of wanting to be a better parent or a better marriage partner or a better preacher. But we need to break it down into weekly goals. A goal must be specific, measurable, and clear enough that the client knows whether they did it or not. Having a goal motivates action.

2. Reward We often don't think about reward, especially when we come up with our own goals, because we would have to come up with our own rewards. But in real life, rewards are everywhere — grades in school, money at work, trophies in sports.

Rewards are recognition systems. They tell us we’re on the right track.

Help your client figure out what kind of reward motivates them:

• A pat on the back

• Money

• Honor

• A title

• Recognition

Even in the Bible, following Christ comes with the reward of eternal life. Humans are motivated by reward.

3. Negative Consequences Touch a hot stove — you don’t touch it again. Fail at work — you stop doing the thing that caused the failure. Negative consequences motivate us to avoid pain.

Ask your client:

• “What reward will you give yourself if you accomplish this?”

• “What negative consequence will you accept if you don’t?”

You won’t follow them around all week. They must motivate themselves.

4. Discovery Some people are motivated by discovery. When someone discovers something themselves, it is far more motivating than being told what will happen.

As a coach:

• Don’t tell them what will happen.

• Don’t tell long stories about others’ success.

• Don’t rob them of discovery.

Let them be surprised by their own progress.

5. Potential People are motivated when they see potential:

• “If I do this, my marriage might improve.”

• “If I take this course, I might become a coach.”

School often fails to motivate because students don’t see potential. Clients can feel the same way.

6. Success Nothing motivates like success. That’s why big goals must be broken into small steps. Small wins motivate continued effort.

7. Change If we don’t see change, it’s hard to keep going. Help your client notice small changes. Sometimes they don’t see them.

8. Fun People are motivated by fun. Ask:

• “Are you having any fun in your life?”

• “Where does fun fit into what you’re doing?”

9. Connections We are social beings. Connections motivate us — friendships, shared experiences, belonging. Extroverts need more people; introverts need fewer, but everyone needs some.

10. One’s Own Ideas This is why coaching is powerful. People are more motivated by their own ideas than by someone else’s. You’re not telling them what to do — you’re helping them discover what they want to do.

11. Ownership When people own something, they take care of it. When clients own their goals, attempts, successes, and failures, they are more motivated.

12. Applause We like to be recognized. Without recognition, motivation fades.

13. Encouragement Everyone needs encouragement. Everyone is short on encouragement. As a coach, you can create a culture of encouragement.

Top Short-Lived Motivators These work only while the pressure is present:

Fear People act out of fear only while the threat is present.

Authority People don’t follow titles for long. Authority is a short-term motivator.

Money Studies show money is not a long-term motivator. People want purpose and contribution.

Titles Titles don’t motivate long-term. People follow those who make a difference.

Demand Parents use demands. Bosses use demands. But people only comply while being watched.

Expectations As a coach, it’s easy to slip into expectations. But coaching is not about your expectations — it’s about the client’s motivation.