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Now, all clichés are based in at least a grain of truth and while it’s true that the tech sometimes plays up, even pre-pandemic talking to someone digitally was a whole lot easier than dry-cleaning your suit, making travel and childcare plans, finding their office and then fighting your way back home at rush hour. A full day away from your desk can be an expensive proposition. Undertaking a full coaching programme that could last six months – for your whole team – makes it a completely unaffordable one.

Let us take you through what we’ve discovered about virtual coaching versus face to face on our journey as a digital provider.

Location, location, location‍

While there may be a top Leadership and Development coach right around the corner, there may just as likely be a mediocre one. Or no coach at all.  Throwing off the shackles of geography means that the coach you get is absolutely the right coach for the job, regardless of whether they are in Ipswich or Inverness.

Time and flexibility‍

The work culture of today is fast-paced and slotting in a digital get together allows not only for more specific and tailored discussions, but also for creating a series of shorter calls that have less impact on your day-to-day calendar.  In turn, allowing you to choose your session at a time when you are most focussed and less likely to be distracted. Shorter and more frequent meets offer the opportunity to drill down further, but allow for a crucial period of pause and reflection in between times. Sustained and regular virtual sessions have shown to create stronger bonds between coach and coachee, resulting in keeping momentum optimal, and in creating deeper understanding and awareness.

Fewer distractions, better listening

‍The visual distractions that come with a face to face coaching session disappear in the digital world, meaning that both parties can be fully focussed on each other and the task at hand. You are listening to one another on a much deeper level. Which in turn, leads to greater insight on both sides.

In our experience, building that bond between the two parties can nurture feelings of safety that come with increased familiarity.  As the work dynamic changes, and more and more of us work remotely and with hybrid teams, displaying good practice in virtual working can create a positive culture that filters down to the rest of the team.

Face to face meetings with coaches certainly aren’t detrimental, but our research shows that much more is gained from going digital.

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you bring result-focussed, measurable virtual coaching to more of your people please get in touch.