The relationship between coach and client is privileged. A coach is free from bias or fear of repercussion and is only interested in your success. It is also a relationship of equals, where no discussion is off-limits.
So its important to get the basics between us right at the outset. In executive coaching the formal contract is usually - but not essentially - between the coach and your employer; whereas it is more common in career coaching for it to be with the coachee themselves. Sometimes an assignment is a mix of both.
Whichever it is, our coaching engagement always begins with an introductory meeting with you as coachee to lay the foundations for a productive coaching relationship and clarify the focus of our work together.
My charges are always realistic. They reflect both the context (who is paying?) and the potential for serious added value.