So you think you can coach…virtually?

Now and then, people raise their eyebrows when being told I’m into the online coaching business supported by social media.

“But you seem like a person who really likes to interact with your clients, and the lack of body language must devalue the effectiveness of your coaching!”

Then I tell them my story.

At the beginning of my career as a coach, I was hesitant to coach someone by phone and just the thought of trying to coach someone online was very distant to me. How would I ever be able to coach someone I’d never met face to face, let alone get the benefit of interpreting the body language and mirror the client? I specifically asked for a phone coach during my training, to learn and see what happened.

What I learnt was the following: As a client, I was much more relaxed, creative and open than I thought I would be when coached by phone. I experienced a sense of deep insight and strong accountability. So I decided to replicate what my coach taught me in order to create an effective coaching environment by phone. Today, I have to admit I prefer phone coaching because it allows me and my client to focus on the potential of the dialogue, without any major biases.

As a new coach, I first found it difficult to keep my clients focused on their original plan as new insights turned up during the process. My first clients expected me to be more persistent, more driving, more focused on keeping them on track of their initial goals. I thought: “How great wouldn’t it be to have my clients prepare themselves properly prior to our meetings, document their ongoing activities and capture their insights in a structured way?”

When I found an online tool supporting this process, I realized that I would reach out to many more clients than previously through a portfolio of online coaching services. And, as the coaching program is available 24/7, my clients can reflect and focus when they decide. To supplement the process, I use social media such as Wiki, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to support the dialogue with both existing as well as potential clients.

None of this brings breakthrough results unless the clients are committed and motivated. Online supported coaching provides the structure and flexibility required to effectively support the clients with a result driven approach at a time of their convenience. Did I mention that the process remains fully documented for future reference, even after the program is over? That’s what I call effectiveness.

Virtually yours, CoachKaty