A sales principle—'You can't be more committed than your prospect'—applies directly to mentorship. A mentor's energy should mirror the mentee's. When a mentee stops applying advice, the mentor must pull back to avoid burnout and wasting effort on someone not committed to their own success.

Firms struggle to measure coaching ROI because they don't define success upfront. Applying Stephen Covey's 'begin with the end in mind' principle is key. By first asking what the business wants to accomplish (e.g., culture transformation, skill development), clear metrics can be set to track tangible returns.

Staying with a team that consistently resists change and makes no progress sends a negative message. It signals to the organization that the coach is content to 'cash a paycheck' without delivering value, undermining the engagement and damaging their professional reputation.

In a supportive culture, managing underperformance starts with co-authored goals upstream. When results falter, the conversation should be a diagnostic inquiry focused on removing roadblocks. This shifts the focus from the person's failure to the problem that's hindering their success, making tough conversations productive.

Don't quit just because a task is difficult, especially if the rewards are worthwhile. You should, however, quit if a situation 'sucks'—meaning it's toxic, unfulfilling, and unchangeable. This framework turns quitting into a calculated decision, not an emotional failure.

Coaching executive teams is fraught with power dynamics. To be effective, a coach must align exclusively with the person who hired them and their specific objective. Addressing other visible problems will only create opposition from other executives and derail the engagement.

Instead of focusing on long-term commitments, ask a potential agency what happens if you want to end the contract early. A truly confident partner, who believes in the results they can deliver, won't try to trap you with hidden fees or restrictive clauses.

Keeping an employee in a role where they are failing is a profound disservice. You cannot coach someone into a fundamentally bad fit. The employee isn't growing; they're going backward. A manager's responsibility is to provide direct feedback and, if necessary, 'invite them to build their career elsewhere.'

To prevent deal slippage, don't just present a timeline; co-create a mutual action plan with the client. This shared ownership makes them feel personally accountable and less likely to delay, as they would be breaking a joint commitment rather than just pushing a vendor's date.