Obviously our whole world is being moved inside our physical homes and out to the online world. So much good and bad is being said around this, I am lacking words. Yet it makes me more committed than ever to bringing the best coaching services into your homes. I wholeheartedly believe this is what anyone leading and loving a rich life needs. Especially now. Anyone leading others, be it in the medical, education, corporate field or at home can chose how to navigate oneself and loved ones through this. Making adjustments along the way. Transitioning. Transforming. You can show your worst or best behaviors. You can discovery your mindsets deeply. There are endless resources on the how, coaching just being one of them, yet the one I love and offer.
„Great coaches move us. They move us through a basic human process- our emotions. They create and nurture these resonant relationships through mindfulness, hope, compassion, and playfulness. In coaching, the combined effect of vision based coaching and resonant relationships with the client results in dramatically more effective coaching experiences.“
Professor Richard Boyatzis, Institute of Coaching
In the last weeks, I continued learning so much around coaching effectiveness. Of course, going back to my coaching roots with peers from ISB Wiesloch, re-connecting with my mentor Coach Ruth Roemer and discovering virtual offerings on coaching effectiveness by by Richard Boyatzis, Kiersten Dierolf, Oskar Trimboli. I sensed what effective coaching feels like, as well as started to understand the neural processes that foster or inhibit it. Applying it to my own strengths and development needs as a Coach. And whether delivering this remotely makes a difference.
In the last weeks, the coaching community has been circling around the question on how to skill-up, how to attract and convince clients to buy-in the work that was formerly delivered through immense travel, face-to-face contact. And it’s now all going remote. Beautifully self-organized initiatives on how to get digital emerge like the one by @LilianMatischek among the ISB coaching community. Yet, for some well-known and established coaches and consultants, this transition does not happen by choice. They view this new way of working through a lens of deficiency. It reminds me of the whole world around corporate travel which has now come to a complete stop. I remember Executive Coaches, strategy consultants, Sales Heads and even General Counsels loving to do extensive traveling. Flying business, even first class, staying in some of the nicest hotels around the world. Building up frequent flyer status. As someone who loves to be on the move, discover new places and learn about different cultures, I was very much drawn to this life style myself. In my first job, I recruited at different Top Business Schools in Europe, I got a first glimpse of that life style. And later being a member of Executive leadership teams brought me to places like New York, Washington, Sao Paolo. With small kids at home, I indulged into those 2-3 days away from home: sleeping without disruption, getting just myself ready in the morning, enjoying a quiet breakfast, having an after work drink if I wanted with my coworkers. Also, I have to admit, flying out ten people or more to a meeting, investing the money and time, gives it some importance per se. And of course, physical-social connection components can be added to it to make all the time away from home worthwhile. A whole entertainment industry evolved around these team activities: building bikes for a good cause, racing in soap bubble boxes, table soccer competitions, wine tasting, climbing parcour, swimming in lake Geneva near Cern institute - imagine being the only female Executive on this one ... - just to name a few. All put on hold right now.
So, it is understandable that Executive Online Coaching is not yet perceived as effective and valuable as a face-to-face intervention. Reducing the transactional costs makes it of course more cost-effective. The limited physical movement also makes it more intense, sessions usually lasting a maximum of 60 minutes instead of 2-3 hours. And with the GDPR, data privacy is being taken very seriously, also by US vendors like Zoom. And there is more and more evidence and research showing that benefits do not depend at all on the type of medium, but on the skills, competencies and match of the coach.
With the current pandemic crisis, a new up-skilling is taking place and it’s exciting to be a part of this. Creating new connections. Or just to keep on doing what they have been doing for a while now online, because it is a unique way of connecting across borders and timezones. Bringing the amazing world out there right into your home. Here's my take on why I love online coaching:
easy to access making it international
easy to schedule ideally before or after work
easy integration of mindfulness (camera-off mode)
high intensity due to shorter sessions
high focus in 1:1 setting
Ok, I did not plan on building up an online coaching practice, it more happened through the location choice I made together with my husband. Spending more time in Australia, his home country. I started working 100% online in October 2019. I coached in various airbnb’s and co-working spaces across Europe (see my November blog), facilitated online group coaching while vacationing in California. Taking my work with me ANYWHERE I want to be, is the most amazing thing that has happened to me professionally in the last decade. I am not exaggerating. I often day-dreamed about creating jobs in a corporate environment where this could be feasible. In 2012, when I travelled Australia during our first parental leave for 5 months, I had the idea of finding a project role at my old company that would allow me to work 6 months and take 6 months off per year. This sense of freedom and autonomy is deeply instilled in me. On the other hand, I always knew that I am not a long-term traveller or even beach bum. I love to work. I love to work with people. I love seeing them improve. Transition. Transform & Perform. And now, I am making my work accessible to people around the world. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity, especially in these moving times.
For me the key is like so many things - learn, do, be, repeat.
So, stay tuned on my next post on how to incorporate mind & body practice to have more engaging online group meetings.
Until then, let me ask you:
How do you transition into online work?
How do you take care of your remote connections right now?
Which opportunities do you use to join new communities? What are your contributions?
Looking forward to hearing from you. Stay safe everyone.
If you like my themes around Coaching, Transitions, Women in Leadership, Mindfulness and Agile HR, then sign up here.
Best, Cindy
Upcoming events & offering:
*** w/sisters Online Peer Coaching Europe starting April 21st
*** free online mindfulness sessions
*** Transition Coaching