This time we welcome our colleague, Jo Bamford, to talk about the benefits of virtual coaching. Jo works closely with a diverse range of boards and senior managers in both the private and public sector which means she has significant knowledge of best practice and pragmatic solutions.
In a nutshell virtual coaching is a coaching conversation that takes place using a method other than face-to-face for example; video conferencing, telephone or even email communication.
We are the same coaching experts that facilitate and manage these online sessions, it is just that the methodology is different.
In years gone by the feedback we often received after a virtual coaching session was along the lines of:
Yet, we have always seen the power and potential of a virtual coaching solution and over the last 2-3 years in particular online coaching has become very popular and we have been working hard to make it work as well and sometimes even better than a face-to-face session.
With technological advances such as Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams and FaceTime we have worked out how to deliver online coaching with huge success.
We are pleased to say we have been able to respond very positively to the recent increase in demand for online coaching, due to Covid-19, and are seeing some amazing results in this space. Our virtual coachees now say things like:
During the Covid-19 lockdown we have, of course, had no choice but to coach this way. Although the coronavirus has likely propelled more coaches into virtual coaching, it’s not a new thing for us; we have simply seen a huge increase in both demand and opportunity over recent weeks.
And we’re probably not alone as we expect more organisations to adapt to different ways of working and consider whether remote working becomes more of the norm rather than a return to office-based working. Why? Because the benefits to coachees and to business are compelling.
During this challenging time of lockdown we have been offering a greater number of virtual coaching sessions to support our coachees – the uptake has been significant. We have been supporting people who are feeling more anxious at this time and who need support to find their resilience. (See Gemma Bullivant’s recent blog on how the lockdown might be affecting people’s emotions.)
We have been coaching people as they adapt to home working and being part of a virtual team.
We have had people come and seek support because they are finding that some of their personality preferences are not responding well to lockdown (in other words their de-railers are starting to play havoc!) and we have been guiding and coaching leaders to adjust to the new ways that they are expected to lead, inspire and support their staff.
As the lockdown eases there may be extra challenges appearing as apprehension spreads about a return to the workplace.
A recent study[1] by Berry et al “offers tentative evidence that distance coaching may be as effective as face-to-face coaching,” and in our experience we are proud to report the same. In particular, we have experienced the following wow factors:
We love coaching no matter the methodology used and we have enjoyed sharing our insight with you into the world of virtual coaching particularly during these challenging and different times. If this is an opportunity you would like to have yourself or offer to one of your team members then please do get in touch with us.
About Jo Bamford – Jo has more than 25 years practice as an Occupational Psychologist working with businesses, teams and individuals to enable change and maximise potential. She has vast experience in inspiring, engaging and coaching people and organisations through change. She has an ability to energise people, bringing together key stakeholders and managing conflict and challenges positively and proactively. She understands the psychology of change and helps people approach change with the right mindset, behaviour and approach for maximum success.
[1] Berry, R. M., Ashby, J. S., Gnilka, P. B., & Matheny, K. B. (2011). A comparison of face-to-face and distance coaching practices: Coaches’ perceptions of the role of the working alliance in problem resolution. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 63(4), 243–253.
And a final thought
At JA Consulting we help businesses and individuals take the theory of selling and put it into practice. We’re here to help you learn how to spot and grow business opportunities, how to develop strong and transferable selling skills and how to generate robust account management. To find out more, talk to us, our team is waiting and ready to help.
Our mission is to make your change management journey easier, smoother, quicker and more sustainable.
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