Love in business? Anathema, no? You can’t fall in love with your clients – much too messy, you say.

Well, consider this…

Many of my clients are reasonably to very attractive men, who are in responsible if not powerful positions, very bright. And, by signing up with me, they are embarking on a journey of self-discovery leading to deeper self-awareness and more conscious, healthy choices. The kind of man many women might think “What's not to love?“

I’ll be honest. It could be easy for me to fall in love with many of them. With my female clients as well – motivated, accomplished women with a vision for a difference they can make in the world around us.

What???!! you might be thinking. That's unethical; you should be struck off...

The first time it happened – many years ago, when I first became a coach – I had the same thought. It felt exceedingly awkward and uncomfortable when I realized what was happening. It was hard to even think about taking it to a colleague, though I did of course; to explore whether I should step back from working with this client, go for therapy, stop being a coach altogether …


This Comes with the Territory…

What I learned then is that the kind of work I do is emotionally intimate work. My clients and I are exploring their blocks, sometimes their deepest fears, the things that most confuse them; sometimes things that are hard to admit. Of course there could be opportunities for professional caring to drift into personal territory -- on both sides. To ignore that is to be irresponsible. <more>