The Coach's Journey - build a coaching business with integrity

#110: The One Thing That Solves Most Coaching Problems: Contracting Well

Oct 2, 2025

Explore how effective coaching contracts can resolve many common challenges in the coaching world. Robbie discusses the importance of clear agreements, the key questions to ask clients, and strategies for re-contracting throughout engagements. He highlights the balance between stakeholder transparency and client confidentiality, as well as the ethical considerations that shape his practice. Learn why simplifying session notes has allowed him to focus on high-impact coaching, ultimately empowering his clients and enhancing their experiences.

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INSIGHT

Contracting Is The Core Problem Solver

Robbie observes that most coaching problems stem from weak contracting and unclear agreements.
He claims better contracting could have solved almost every issue he's brought to supervision.

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ANECDOTE

One-Take Recording And A Slip-Up

Robbie records this episode in one take and notes a slip between 'coaching' and 'contracting' at the start.
He uses the anecdote to highlight the episode's informal, practical tone.

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ADVICE

Use A Written Vision And Revisit It

Use a written coaching agreement focused on what coaching is and the vision for the work.
Revisit that vision in the middle and at the end to check progress and focus the rest of the engagement.

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Why contracting solves most coaching problems

00:14 • 4min

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What questions did Simon ask about contracting?

03:45 • 14sec

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How Robbie defines coaching and contracting

03:59 • 2min

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How Robbie creates a vision and revisits it

05:43 • 32sec

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Key contracting questions to ask clients

06:15 • 46sec

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How and when Robbie re-contracts during engagements

07:01 • 30sec

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Differences contracting with internal vs external clients

07:32 • 24sec

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How Robbie handles confidentiality with known clients

07:55 • 2min

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Why private goals are essential when stakeholders fund coaching

09:34 • 2min

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How Robbie balances stakeholder transparency and client confidentiality

11:35 • 16sec

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How Robbie records contracting and session notes

11:51 • 28sec

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Why Robbie stopped sending coaching session notes

12:19 • 3min

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How ethics and supervision shape his practice

14:55 • 2min

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How Robbie applies GDPR and legislation practically

16:41 • 39sec

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Where to find Robbie's coaching business resources

Effective Modern Coaching

None

Miles Downey

#23050

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

An Introduction to the Coaching Business Flywheel

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Robbie Swale

This ebook provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing the Coaching Business Flywheel, a model for building a sustainable and thriving coaching practice. It explores the key components of the flywheel, offering practical strategies and insights for attracting clients, delivering exceptional coaching services, and fostering long-term growth. The book emphasizes the importance of authentic connection, effective communication, and strategic business development. It also includes actionable steps and templates to help coaches implement the flywheel model in their own businesses. The ebook is designed to empower coaches to create a sustainable and fulfilling career.

What if almost every coaching challenge you face in your practice could be solved with better coaching contracts and clearer agreements?

That’s what Robbie dives into in this short episode.

Drawing on his own coaching practice, experiences in supervision, and lessons learned from mentors and peers, Robbie explains why contracting with clients is one of the most important skills a coach can develop… and how better contracting could have solved almost every challenge he’s ever brought to supervision. He shares how he builds contracting into every part of his work: from the very first client conversation, through re-contracting midway, to closing an engagement with clarity.

Robbie explores the written coaching agreements he uses, the questions he asks clients, how he contracts with stakeholders while keeping confidentiality intact, and why he has stopped sending written coaching notes. Along the way, he also reflects on ICF ethics, the role of supervision, and what really matters for coaches who want to build a meaningful, sustainable business.

In this episode, Robbie talks about:

Why most coaching challenges come back to contracting and agreements

The questions he asks to set up effective coaching contracts

How he re-contracts with coaching clients partway through an engagement

The importance of private goals when coaching within organisations

Why he stopped sending coaching session notes and what he does instead

How ethics, supervision, and simplicity shape his coaching practice

If you’ve ever wondered how to contract in a way that supports your clients, strengthens your coaching practice, and makes your work more impactful, this episode offers plenty to take away.

Download Robbie’s ebook, An Introduction to The Coaching Business Flywheel, here.

Buy The Coaching Business Flywheel Booster Pack - including all the emails Robbie sends to his clients at every stage of his business, plus a flowchart, coaching agreements and his favourite emails for creating clients.

For more information about Robbie, visit https://www.robbieswale.com/

Read more about The Coach's Journey at www.thecoachsjourney.com.

Music by My Good Man William: listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQg

To support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/community.

THINGS ROBBIE MENTIONED THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN

The Coaching Business Flywheel: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/the-coaching-business-flywheel

Robbie’s article about starting coaching sessions well: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/writing/how-to-start-your-coaching-sessions-so-they-practically-run-themselves

The Coaching Business Flywheel Booster Pack: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/the-coaching-business-flywheel-booster-pack

Robbie’s Meaningful Productivity workshops: https://www.robbieswale.com/meaningful-productivity-workshop-series

The video version of this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhjuhKWx9iA

Episode #8, containing this and lots more nuts and bolts of coaching: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/robbie-on-structure-first-conversations-marketing-price

Simon Feldman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonfeldman/

Robbie’s video with ways of talking about coaching: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/106-how-to-lead-a-powerful-first-conversation-with-a-potential-coaching-client

Robbie’s video about endings and reflecting on coaching: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/91-how-to-create-a-powerful-ending-to-a-coaching-engagement

Miles Downey – Effective Modern Coaching - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Effective-Modern-Coaching-Developing-Professionals/dp/1441186102

Robbie’s conversation with Miles Downey on The Coach’s Journey Podcast - https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/ep-14-myles-downey

BetterUp https://www.betterup.com/

64 Million Artists https://64millionartists.com/

The ideas of Zone of Genius and Zone of Excellence: https://www.robbieswale.com/the-12-minute-blog/2022/2/3/the-zone-of-genius-the-most-powerful-thought-experiment-for-personal-transformation

Mike Toller on The Coach’s Journey Podcast: https://www.thecoachsjourney.com/podcast/episode-32-mike-toller

International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics https://coachingfederation.org/ethics

Free Ethics Training from the ICF https://learning.coachingfederation.org/products/ethics-training

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