--- title: A Very Productive Relationship description: The coaching relationship is a partnership. My success lies in the ability of my clients to achieve their goals. Accountability is the glue that maintains our stability during this journey. image: https://blog.aceup.com/hubfs/bag-and-hands-1.jpg --- [![The Marketplace for Quality Coaching | Ace-up](https://s3.amazonaws.com/ace-up-www/assets/aceup-white.svg "The Marketplace for Quality Coaching | Ace-up")](https://www.aceup.com) - [How we Work](https://aceup.com/how-we-work/) - [Better Coaches](https://aceup.com/better-coaches/) - [Platform](https://aceup.com/platform/) - [Proven Results](https://aceup.com/proven-results/) - [Resources](https://aceup.com/resources/) - [Request Demo](https://aceup.com/see-aceup-in-action/) # A Very Productive Relationship By [Ed Drozda](https://blog.aceup.com/author/ed-drozda) | July 18, 2016 ![version_800_ed_drozda_startup_business_coach_boston.jpeg](https://blog.aceup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/version_800_ed_drozda_startup_business_coach_boston.jpeg?width=120&name=version_800_ed_drozda_startup_business_coach_boston.jpeg "version_800_ed_drozda_startup_business_coach_boston.jpeg")I’m often asked what it’s like to work with a business coach. It’s a good question that deserves a clear answer. Many people who need services like mine either don’t understand what coaching is about or are nervous about what the process may entail. There’s nothing intimidating about what I do. My goal is to help you achieve your toughest goals. Three important characteristics define the coach-client relationship: trust, honesty and accountability. With those concepts in mind, here’s how I describe what it’s like to forge a productive relationship with a business coach like me. ## Trust Me Trust must be earned. Before the full benefits of coaching can be realized, trust has to be established. And trust is a two-way street. From the get-go my clients and I create an inherent sense of trust that is nurtured and fortified as we continue to work together. We must trust that we’re both committed to the process. We must trust that we’ll both be honest with each other. We must trust that working together holds the potential for the client to achieve elusive outcomes. It’s easier to establish and maintain trust when you share a common goal. My clients and I always share an important goal: to see them and their businesses thrive. ![bag-and-hands-1.jpg](https://blog.aceup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bag-and-hands-1.jpg?width=640&name=bag-and-hands-1.jpg) ## Tell Me How It Is Honesty is an integral part of the coaching relationship. Some say the truth hurts and sometimes it’s just hard to explore the truth. If we want to find answers we must explore tough questions truthfully. In a trusting environment that’s quite possible. Exploring tough questions requires three things. First, knowing which questions to pose. Second, asking those questions appropriately. And third, initiating and facilitating the exploration dialogue and process. Of course, none of this is easy. I’ve been known to ask fearless questions so that we miss nothing in our quest for the best possible solutions. Fearless questioning is the result of my deeply-honed intuition and powerful diagnostic skills. Together, these skills drive me to examine the often overlooked, mundane, and simple things as well as things outside of the box. When clients and I are both unafraid to ask and to answer questions honestly then we make a formidable team. ![leadership-coaching.jpg](https://blog.aceup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Imgs_Compressed/leadership-coaching.jpg?width=640&name=leadership-coaching.jpg "leadership-coaching.jpg") **You Can Change Your Mind but…** I approach coaching in a non-structured manner. I treat each client as a clean slate. The client and I create the script for success together. My clients do not appreciate fences. Boundaries yes, fences no. I’m referring to accountability. When a client expresses a goal they wish to achieve, we work towards that end. If their actions or behavior detract from or are deleterious to achieving those goals, it’s my responsibility to bring them back on track and to help them stay there. I fully recognize that people change their minds. I expect the client to keep me informed if their goals change. The coaching relationship is a partnership. My success lies in the ability of my clients to achieve their goals. Accountability is the glue that maintains our stability during this journey. Overlooking the simple things and failing to recognize the complex ones is human nature. The coaching relationship is a productive relationship for any business person who knows they don’t have all the answers. The coaching path is likely the right path for you. Let’s start the conversation. 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