Remote Coaching & How to Bring Out Your Best Thinking
Have you ever had the experience of a remote coaching session?
There have actually been few studies conducted around remote coaching, so to find advice and support for how to maximise it isn't exactly in abundance. As someone who has coached for 20 years with the last 6 of those conducting many online sessions, I wanted to offer some advice and support to you, especially with more of us working remotely.
before I highlight my top 5 tips, I think it's key to understand what a great coach should bring to the table, remote or not. They need to have great questioning, listening & playback skills, and be very much 'in the moment' with you. Great coaches are enablers, getting you to achieve your goals/vision, to overcome specific problems and to help you do your “best thinking!”
These are the people you need to trust and build intimacy with; this is critical, and takes great skill from a coach to demonstrate this to you. You should be put at ease and made to feel safe, so 'permission questions' are key. Remember you are in control, and if you ever feel your session is taking you to a place you don’t want to go, you have every right to say so.
So now you know what to expect from a great coach, how can you be a great coaches?
Top Tips
Here are my top tips to help you benefit hugely from a coaching session, remote or face to face.
1) Prepare properly - Before the session, ask yourself the following:
- What ground rules and expectations do I want to agree with my coach?
- What is it I want to get out of the session?
- How clear am I on explaining this?
- What are the blockers for me?
- What goals or vision am i wanting to achieve etc..
2) How open am I prepared to be?
How much do I want to share of myself? How can I signpost this to the coach when I need to?
3) How well will I listen and take notes?
How will I ensure I am in the moment and not distracted?
4) Am I in the right environment in the office or at home?
Have I given myself enough time in the diary?
5) How will I ensure I follow up on the outputs and put things into action?
How will I enable myself to do this? And what will I want my coach to do if I don’t?
In summary to ensure your time with your coach is well spent, you can see that these key questions will allow you the ownership, direction and control you will need. It will limit any feeling of being exposed or you being in a vulnerable place. It will give you some of the “best thinking” you may have ever experienced... and trust me when I say the benefits you will receive will be multiple.
To learn more about how we can help, please contact us.
