There’s been lots of talk about the coronavirus recently, and the effect it’s having on coaching and training engagements all over the world.
Have you heard the saying, “When one door closes, another opens”? That’s what’s happening now.
Some of the coaches I know have already had training sessions with companies cancelled.
I heard about a coach that is stuck in another country and can’t get home from her vacation.
Many of the coaches I know have been asking about how to go virtual, rather than taking the time to travel to and from companies to do executive coaching and training. They’ve been asking about this for years.
Because of what’s going on, NOW is the perfect time to recommend coaching by phone to your in-person clients. And because of many employees starting to work remotely, this is also a great time to recommend online training programs, to further develop skills while they are not in the office.
There’s a case to be made for coaching by phone.
In a 2012 study of people being counseled, 80% of those being treated by phone completed an 18-week treatment program, while only 67% who were assigned face-to-face therapy completed.
In a 2008 University of Florida study, telephone coaching was just as effective as in-person coaching for weight loss clients.
In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Counseling and Development, 58% of clients who had gone through both telephone and in-person sessions preferred the phone.
Executive & business coaching is so convenient done by phone.
No travel time required. Less carbon footprint. The client is not influenced by seeing the coach’s reaction to what they are saying.
The case could be made that phone coaching is even more effective than face-to-face. Think about a blind person – it’s said that when the visual sense is turned off, the other senses are even sharper. This is what happens to a coach when other senses are turned off in phone coaching. We hear energy and nuances that are more difficult to hear when we are in-person, as we’re focusing on so many other things.
If you have been coaching clients in-person, and want to shift to a more virtual business, now is the time. And if you would like to strategize about how to have the conversation with your sponsors and clients, I’m opening up strategy session – my treat – to help you think it through and prepare for these conversations.
Just send an email to concierge@coachesquickstartintensive.com to get a link to my calendar. The time to do this is now, when there is a natural reason to make the switch. I’d be honored to support you in this.
As one door closes, another opens. If you like, walk through that door to an easier and more effective way of supporting your clients.
