Reflection.app is a digital journaling tool designed to build reflective practice for coaches and clients. Coaches can use it to make quick notes after sessions and capture patterns they’re noticing. Clients can use it between sessions to process what happened, track emotions, and prepare for next steps.

A few weeks ago, we bought my son a truck as he prepared to start driver’s training. 

It’s old enough that a few scrapes won’t matter, but sturdy enough to get him on the road.

It’s the vehicle he’ll learn on. The one he’ll take out for those shaky first drives, stalling at stop signs and jerking the wheel too hard into a turn.

As he starts his driver training, I’m equal parts proud and terrified.

Proud, because this is independence in motion. The late-night pickups, the endless chauffeuring, the constant, “Mom, can you take me…?”...all of that is about to change.

Terrified, because I know what’s coming. 

He’s going to hit curbs. He’s going to take wrong turns. He’s going to drive too fast, then too slow.

And I won’t be able to stop it.

I can sit in the passenger seat. I can remind him to check his mirrors. But I can’t keep him from making mistakes that are his to make.

That’s the tug every parent knows, the mix of wanting to protect and needing to let go.

That’s been sitting with me as I think about career coaching.

Because isn’t it the same with our clients?

We prepare them and give them the tools, but at some point, we’re no longer in the passenger seat.

And that’s uncomfortable.

As coaches, we like to prevent pain. We want to save our clients from rejection emails, lowball offers, and awkward interviews.

But if we never let them drive, they never learn.

Letting go of the wheel means trusting the process.

Our job isn’t to bubble-wrap them.

Our job is to make sure they can steer themselves back on the road.

So what does that look like in practice?

Name the inevitables. 

Tell your clients that mistakes will happen. It’s part of learning, not a sign they’re failing.

Build repair skills. 

Instead of just rehearsing perfect delivery, teach how to recover when things go sideways. (“That’s not quite what I meant—can I restate that?”)

Debrief, don’t rescue. 

When a client comes back from a shaky experience, resist fixing it for them. 

Ask, “What did you notice? What would you try differently next time?”

Parenting and coaching have this in common: we want to protect, but we serve better when we prepare.

We can’t shield clients from every bump. But we can make sure they know how to keep going.

And maybe, like me, watching my son pull out of the driveway, we’ll feel a little nervous pride as they drive themselves forward.

Heather

The Coach for Career Coaches

3 ways I can help you:

Join the next cohort of my fully online FCD (Facilitating Career Developments) course here

Take my free coaching masterclass for career coaches

Apply for 1:1 coaching if you want honest feedback and real-time support to improve your client outcomes.