Don’t interrupt! You’ve been told this time and again. But what do you do when you are coaching a client and they start rambling? How can interrupting be the right thing to do?

You interject gracefully because you want the highest level of productivity and the deepest learning you can achieve in a limited amount of time.

The client will often:

·        Get wrapped up in telling stories about the problem they are facing, rather than focusing on themselves and how they can change the situation.

·        Wander off on a tangent that might be entertaining or somewhat related, burning through precious time.

·        Forget what they agreed to work on.

·        Be a highly verbal processor who benefits from skillful redirection back to the identified agenda.

Learning how to interrupt is tricky. You don’t want to derail, or worse, offend your client. You can use several strategies to keep the session flowing in a purposeful direction. Here are a few:

Listen for Key Phrases Aligned with the Client’s Agenda

Allow your client some time to share some information about the topic they are working on. For example, they may be interested in improving their time management. A few minutes into the session they say, “I feel like I’m playing tug of war with time” and you notice they continue talking beyond that powerful statement. Be brave and interrupt, comment you want to go back to something amazing they just said. Bring them back using the client’s own words and ask them to elaborate.

Focus on the Person, Not the Problem

Whenever your client is talking about circumstances beyond their control or, worse, blaming others for their situation, it’s time for you to interrupt. You might comment, “I notice some elements of your situation are beyond your control, what is within your control?” Make sure there is no judgment in your tone.

Ask for Permission

As you establish the coaching agreement with a highly verbal client, you may need to explain that you may occasionally ask for permission to interpret. You do this to ensure your client is getting the ultimate level of value from your session. As your client experiences the benefit of staying focused on the agenda, they will accept your well-timed request to interrupt.

Coaching is a conscious collaboration between the coach and the client with a well-defined goal. Practice gracious interruptions over the next couple of days. You will soon realize your client appreciates your commitment to their success and is not offended at all.