Issue brought to supervision: My client is very goal and action oriented and wants to move really fast. Why do I feel like we need to slow it down a little?

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You have what some might think of as the dream client: they’re driven, focused on goals, and keen to leave each session with a list of actions.

The trouble is… you sense something’s missing. They don’t want to pause, reflect on possibilities, or explore their “why.” They get impatient with questions they don’t see as directly linked to their goal. And despite all those action lists, they often return to the next session in the same place - stuck, frustrated, and demotivated.

Being highly goal-oriented is often a strength. But sometimes it doesn’t serve the client, especially when they’re in new territory, facing a difficult choice, or feeling conflicted about the consequences of their decisions.

As coaches, we can help them explore what this pattern means in their current context, experiment with different approaches, and uncover options or compromises that feel more sustainable.

We want to honour the client’s agenda. And we also want to be useful, to spark fresh thinking, and to support meaningful, lasting change.

If we simply follow their “fast goals and actions” agenda, what might they miss? And how will they actually move forward?

If your client is all about speed, goals, and endless lists of actions, but rarely moves forward, consider:

• Could they be stuck in an old pattern that doesn’t fit their current context?

• How might slowing down help them tease things out more fully?

• What’s driving their urgency?

• What’s stopping them from completing their actions?

• What would it mean for them to pause?

• What might they be afraid of?

• What do you notice about their energy, self-awareness, confidence, attitude to failure, or willingness to reflect?

Experimenting can help too.

We often talk about “mirroring and matching” in coaching. If your client talks quickly, leans forward, and pushes for action, try matching their pace at first, and then gently slow your own speaking, deepen your breathing, lean back, and soften your tone. Notice what changes.

If they avoid reviewing past actions and immediately want to set new ones, try naming what you see: “I notice a reluctance to review last time’s actions. I wonder if spending a little time on this now might give you learning that helps with the next set?”

You’re keeping with their goal-focus and inviting a different layer of reflection.

You could also begin sessions with something grounding:

• a short reflection exercise,

• a seasonal or visual prompt, or

• simply asking, “What’s gone well since we last met? What’s been harder? What’s developing positively?”

  
  

The aim is to create a pause, slow their thinking, and shift them into a more reflective space.

By shifting your own pace and energy, by naming what you observe, and by inviting reflection, you give the client permission to step back. They may begin to see the bigger picture, beyond the checklist of goals.

This can reveal deeper truths: maybe their goals no longer align with their values, maybe external realities are in the way, or maybe they lack the energy/time for the huge targets they’ve set themselves.

Exploring this opens the door to more authentic, sustainable progress.

What you can try

Start with yourself. Notice your reactions to their pace and tone. Reflect on what you’re observing - what clues are hidden in their behaviour or language?

Then experiment. Try slowing the pace, disrupting the pattern, or opening the session differently. Watch what shifts.

A fast-paced, goal-driven client can feel like a gift. But if your instincts tell you something is amiss, then trust them.

Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is gently challenge, slow things down, and open up a new perspective. That way, clients still get where they want to go, but on a path that’s steadier, wiser, and more sustainable.

As we know in coaching, there are many lenses through which we can look at things. These are my lenses and the thoughts expressed are mine, based on my learning and experience as a coach and supervisor. If this topic resonates with you, I encourage you to take it to coach supervision to explore it some more.