When I trained to become a credentialed coach, and ever since, I believed that face to face coaching was the most effective form of coaching, enabling the client to accomplish the most from each session. I also noticed that I like being in the same environment as the client, that I like to observe them through the session as body language can often provide non-verbal
clues or energy that is useful to address. In lockdown, most of us - coach or otherwise - have had to adapt our working practices. For me this meant increasing the work I undertook online via Skype or zoom and, interestingly, increasing telephone coaching too, at the clients’ preference. As coaching is about the client, what works best for you is important to me. How does telephone coaching work? Telephone coaching is not a mystery and it’s not new. Some coaches only offer telephone coaching and I’m seeing why. Bookings are made in the same way as any other format of coaching. Rather than attend the coach’s office or have the coach attend your workplace, you simply call your coach at the scheduled time. Your coach will be as committed and present as if a face to face session, if not more. Benefits of telephone coaching for the coach: What I have found is that I enjoy telephone coaching. For me as a coach, it enables:
- even greater focus as I listen even more attentively to my clients’ words, tone of voice, pace of speech, silences, hesitations as well as excitement and those wonderful lightbulb moments when new insights come to the surface. A different level of concentration is inevitably required when coaching over the phone. With experience of all formats of coaching, this becomes more evident but, rest assured, your coach will always be attentive to you and your coaching aims;
- heightened active listening that potentially permits even more powerful questioning to move the client forward. For me, it’s important that my clients progress towards their goals as quickly as is reasonable for them and I will always have this in mind, checking in on how coaching is helping and maintaining an element of accountability for the client;
- time to be used especially effectively as there is no commute involved; and
- me to reach a wider number of people who may have been nervous about embarking on coaching face to face.
Benefits of telephone coaching for the coachee:
- no need to travel to the coach;
- a sense of ease from being in their own environment, be that at home or elsewhere;
- continuing with the day as quickly as possible after a session without more travel;
- not having to dress up, or be concerned with what they look like, for a face to face or online session. If you want to be coached in your pyjamas because you were not woken by the alarm, it does not affect the ability to be coached. once you are in the mindset for your session;
- scheduling sessions more easily as you have more time available when not traveling and you can bring your favourite mug of tea/coffee to the session; and
- you may more comfortably take notes either doing, or immediately after, the session rather than have to jump into your car or on the train back to the office or home. Why not join those who have discovered telephone coaching? If you’ve been curious about coaching, how you can fit it in to your busy schedule (inside or outside of working hours), or would like a free discovery call about how coaching could be the right step for now, you can contact me at anita@anitagohilthorp.com
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By Anita Gohil-Thorp, Coach, Trainer and Mentor for lawyers and other outstanding professionals. You contact me at anita@anitagohilthorp.com