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We all know employee engagement matters.

But when a client shows up saying, “I’m just tired all the time” or “Nothing I do seems to land,” what do you do with that?

Gallup’s Q12 Meta-Analysis (2024) is helpful here. 

After studying 3.3 million employees across 347 organizations, they found a clear pattern:

Teams in the top quartile of engagement compared with the bottom quartile see:

So when we hear our clients complain about their jobs, it’s not just venting. 

The chances are, one of their core engagement needs isn’t being met. And that’s something we can help them name.

When clients feel incompetent, it’s often not about ability. 

It’s about unclear expectations or missing resources. 

Coaches sometimes over-index on mindset here. 

Instead, slow down and ask, “What feels unclear about what’s being asked of you?” 

Nine times out of ten, that unlocks the answer.

Lack of recognition shows up as self-doubt in your office. 

Clients might ask, “Am I even good at this?” 

That’s your cue to dig into evidence of strengths. Have them collect two or three recent “wins,” no matter how small. 

Naming their impact helps them re-ground in their value before they go chase a new job.

When clients say, “It feels like no one cares,” you’re looking at a teamwork gap. 

As coaches, we can’t fix their culture, but we can ask, “Where do you feel most heard right now?” 

If the answer is “nowhere,” then the next move is about boundaries or finding healthier teams, not just pushing them to “fit in.”

This is the most common mid-career stall. 

They’re competent and stable, yet they’re bored out of their minds. That’s when you shift from résumé-polishing to future-mapping. 

Ask, ““What skill would make you more excited six months from now?” 

Growth gaps can often be solved with a stretch project or certification, often without leaving the company.

Next time a client shows up drained, don’t jump straight to career strategy. 

Start with these four needs. Pinpoint the gap, name it out loud, and watch how much lighter the room gets when they realize it’s not “just them.”

That’s the real power of coaching: making the invisible visible and giving clients back their agency.

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