Why Virtual Coaching Works

… and is often more effective than face-to-face coaching

I practiced my first virtual coaching session many years back, long before Zoom, and even Skype was just at its beginning. The client was a Managing Director of a global medical supplier, based in Eastern Europe, and he was not yet sure if coaching by phone would work for him. And to be honest I wasn’t too sure about it myself. But after the first session we were both convinced, that this will work. We reached a great level of depths and trust in our conversation, and over the next couple of months were able to tackle the main challenges.

Since then I have conducted many virtual and face-to-face coaching sessions with clients from different countries and levels. And as much as I like – and still sometimes prefer – the personal face-to-face sessions, virtual coaching is often the better and more effective solution for both sides. Over the years I learned about a couple of conditions that need to be in place to make sure, the virtual coaching session works well. Some of these aspects are simple technical aspects, some have to do with creating the right mindset and conditions for the coachee:

The Right Tools & Platforms for Virtual Coaching

These days we have more options to choose when it comes to platforms. Zoom, MS Teams and most other video-call applications are working very well and stable. But in my experience, you do not necessarily need video, it sometimes even disctracts in a coaching conversation, for example when it freezes, or video and voice are not in synch. I usually ask the coachee to turn on his/her webcam at the beginning of the session for a couple of minutes to basically re-connect. After that we both turn the video off, so we can focus on the conversation. And this method really does enhance our capability to truly listen.

It is almost a no-brainer – coach and coachee have to use a headset to have a clear and smooth conversation. I still come across coachees, who use their speakerphone, but it does not create that trusted atmosphere you need in coaching calls. Almost any headset will do, but of course if you have a great noise-cancelling headset, even better. Try to avoid Bluetooth or at least make sure, the headset is fully charged to not run out of battery mid-coaching.

Location, Location, Location

When you coach or being coached make sure you sit in a place, where you can speak freely, it is quiet, and you will not be disturbed. Your own office works well, but if you sit in an open space, find a meeting room or another space that is more discrete. Make sure you can sit there undisturbed for the whole coaching session. Just recently I had a virtual coaching session and the coachee was sitting in the main meeting room of his company. Mid-coaching a group of people came in, because they had booked the room for a meeting and my coachee had to move. If nothing is available, think about having the coaching session over lunch or after work, when you can sit in your home-office.

The Virtual Coaching Mindset

Coachees want to have full personal attention. So, for both sides, coach and coachee, it is important to clarify expectations in the beginning and check with the coachee early on, how he/she feels about the virtual coaching. A professioal coach will be able to create trust, intimacy and impact during a virtual coaching session. An additional benefit for the coachee/the leader is to experience the process of achieving this level of connectedness. As many leaders are getting more and more involved in virtual interactions with their teams, they will learn how to be more impactful with them and better connect during those interactions.

The Hybrid Coaching Version

One very effective ways of coaching that will suit every leader in my experience is a well drafted mix of face-to-face and virtual coaching. The first two sessions conducted personally, then one face-to-face session mid-way through and at the end of the coaching engagement, the sessions inbetween done via phone/virtual. This gives enough room for coachees to have those personal get-to-know moments, but it also provides time-effectiveness and focus during the virtual sessions.

As long as many of us still have to work from home or rotate in and out the office, virtual coaching is probably the most impactful development initiative for leaders. If you have good equipment, a quiet location, the right mindset and a professional coach, you will have a great experience for your own learning and development.

Michael Weichert, Asian Leadership Centre, ©️ 2020   mweichert@asian-leadership.com