What do you do if your executive coaching session is conducted via video conferencing?

A significant portion of executive coaching now occurs through virtual mediums, offering numerous benefits such as flexible scheduling and the elimination of travel constraints. Here are a few key aspects to consider: — Begin by dedicating the initial session or parts of initial sessions to build a strong foundation of trust and rapport with the executive. — In addition to live video sessions, leverage email, whatsapp, voice and video messages to ensure continuous support and communication. — Enhance engagement by incorporating visual aids and interactive exercises that cater to different learning styles. — Consider utilizing coaching platforms equipped with features that enhance the overall coaching experience.

If your executive coaching session is happening over video conferencing, make sure you're prepared. Find a quiet, well-lit spot so you can see and hear each other well. Test your tech beforehand to avoid glitches—check your internet connection, camera, and microphone. Have all your notes and questions ready. Treat it just like an in-person meeting: dress professionally and be on time. Use the screen share feature to discuss documents or presentations. Finally, keep engaged, nod and smile, to show you're actively participating. This setup can be really effective with a bit of preparation.

Video conferencing sessions are very common, don't confuse it with comfort. Find the right place, set it up properly and most importantly take away nearby distractions. For example: you would not have your cell phone out on the table during an in-person coaching session, why would you have it near your computer during a virtual session? Close out all programs and windows and only leave opened your video conference application.

Of course, I'll be scouting out the perfect spot on my end - a cozy, private nook where we can go without any interruptions. No barking dogs, crying kids, or buzzing notifications to pull us off track. Just you, me, and our shared mission to make your greatest potential happen

Preparing ahead is a normal thing, since most executive coaching are now carried out via the Internet, eliminating physical restraints

Be Kind To Yourself! At the heart of the whole purpose is tweak the why that sits beneath the how of what you are doing each day. Bring clarity to the destination and be happy to review where the bumps in the road are. Remember how to enter the Focused Zone? (If not give me a shout and I'll link you in) What one thing will make your world shine today? Work back from there.

Just like any other coaching session, take the time you need before the session for a bio break, review notes from previous session and take mental space setting your intention for the meeting. You can do some mindful exercises, breathing or even a 2-3 minutes meditation to be fully present for your client. Once the call starts, follow your usual agenda for the sessions starting by creating rapport, specially important in online sessions. You can start by asking if this is still a good time for the session and then ask about some positives for the day or week, review of goals and progress and asking what should be the focus for the session today. This is an example of a session agenda trying to reduce the perception of virtual distance.

To achieve optimal results, it's important to create a structured agenda that we will develop together. Prior to each session, we will collaborate to determine and prioritize our objectives for that particular time. While adhering to this overarching framework, we will always maintain a willingness to be flexible and adapt based on how you feel and any new discoveries that may arise naturally during the session. The agenda serves as our guiding principle, not a rigid set of rules.

The language of 'agenda' is unhelpful for me. I'm walking beside another human being. I want to break the existing corporate patterns, and talk with the individual in front of me. Expectations and agreements are what drive the structure to the work. Designing up front how this relationship works, naming the particles and mechanics is fundamental. You have your agreements to support the conversation. And be ready to hold whatever comes up in the moment. An agenda is useful. Don't be attached. Be ready to drop it and hold what the client brings.

It is very common to look at the screen where the other person appears, however this will make it seem like you're not looking at the person. Try to position your eyes as close as possible to where the camera is located.

Engage fully, by using the environment. Stand up, move around with your coachee in front of the camera, to make the coaching more effective and to break through the possibility of people doing other things on their device. Use your range as a coach in your intonation, and show courage and get people out of their comfortzone. Last but not least, make sure their environment is a safe one, where they can be authentic and engage with every aspect of the coaching

I'm gonna suggest that meeting virtually is more intimate than meeting in person. You get to see square into the face of each other. There's no hiding. Stifling a yawn, sneaking a peak at an incoming phone notification. Don't be tethered to the tech. Use your bodies, stand up, move around, stretch, flex, move. Draw pictures with real paper and pens, and hold them up to the camera. Lean forward, get in their face, get big. Step back, create space. You can do as much, if not more, virtually than you can in a small cramped, empty, bland corporate shoe box of a meeting room.

I have found following very helpful 1. Eliminate all possible sources of distraction 2. Frequent pause ( a kind of forced distraction) 3. A high level check on what transpired helps in making up for any misses due to unknown distractions

As important, if not more than the see and be seen, is the being understood and understanding. Your coach is there to help you get answers to discuss your topic and agree on steps to reach your outcome. If the session is not heading the way you had hoped, challenge and try to get your point across to drag it to the outcome you want to achieve, Your time, your session - you need to be heard or understand why the path is not progressing as you would have thought.

Communication in online setups can be a little more challenging when the camera is not pointed to you creating a sense of distance. If possible, try to position your camera and your call window in a way that it gives the sense that communication is face to face. This provides a better opportunity for your client to perceive your gestures and non verbal communication. When speaking, make pauses and evaluate if there is a lag that you need to be aware of. If that is the case, be ready to repeat, give opportunities to your party to speak and pace yourself. If needed, you can take advantage of online communication tools like whiteboards or the chat to type something that is not well understood over voice.

Lights. Camera. Action. Reflect how well lit you are. How good is your audio. Remote connection can be even better than in-person with a little thought. Relax your breathing and focus on the outcomes you deserve within the rewards you deserve.

All the same rules apply. Don't make it about the tech. Vary your pace and tone and volume. Mirror and lead. Break and give. Create intimacy through distance and silence. You're in each other's faces, in each other's ears, in each other's homes. You can't see their hands, so sure, there are fewer available signals. And, regardless, being with someone, with their lived experience, and being curious about it, and what's here now– this creates connection and intimacy and trust - whether you're meeting virtually or in person. Sort out your tech. Then let it go. This isn't about the tech. This is about intimacy and connection.

Technology can sometimes challenge virtual sessions, even if they were perfect initially. Or you need to attend to an unexpected interruption. If needed, ask for a timeout to reboot or take the interruption. The key thing is that a distraction can stop your clarity of thought and communication. Clarity of communication is a relative thing. Your coach may ask questions in various ways to make sure they understand you correctly. This should not cause you frustration; it should help you focus on the clarity of what you are saying and whether you can say it more clearly.

During video conferencing, I use interactive Mural whiteboard and Luma human-centric design techniques. Both help visualize ideas and plans, making complex concepts easier to grasp. This involves everyone on the call, ensuring active participation. With Luma and Mural, you can conduct: -Brainstorming sessions -Goal Setting & Tracking -Empathy Mapping - Role-based scenarios -Journey Mapping -Feedback Loops

Embrace the paper, pen and pencil! Visuals help — clarity of message is at the heart. Connect with your favoured style to collect your thoughts. This is the key. What works for you. What makes you shine as your share. This is the medium. To use. Today.

Have all the tech tools. Fill your boots. Swap your webcam for a fast 50mm fixed lens on an SLR with an autocue projector. Have a wacom pad and digital pen. And. Have a paper journal, scrap paper and a bunch of pencils and coloring crayons. Encourage them to have it too. And please play. Get messy. Have fun. Celebrate just how crappy you both are at this, in a world that defines success through proficiency and mastery and skill.

Schedule time before and after the session to centre and settle for the session. Often, time is re-aligned in session as the client arrives flustered and distracted. As much you can, gift yourself time to centre in advance and settle and reflect afterwards.

You'll get the most out of a coaching session by showing up and being open and honest about who you are, what you want to create, and how you are standing in the way of it. Your coach will help draw these things out, provoke your thinking, and help you be in action more.

When coaching via video, it's crucial to consider the production quality of your setup. Good lighting, clear video, and crisp audio can significantly enhance the quality of your coaching sessions and ensure effective communication. Investing in these aspects not only improves the overall experience for both coach and coachee but also helps maintain engagement and focus throughout the session. A professional setup can elevate your coaching impact and create a more immersive and effective learning environment.

- In Executive coaching, always make the interaction interesting. Do not make the coaching boring. - Always turn on your video so that you can express yourself fully. - Listen, Listen and listen to your client about their problems and advise accordingly. Do not jump on advising without understanding the context. - Prepare ahead of call, read about client, company and their needs. - Clear articulate the actions or next steps client need to take.

A huge benefit of online coaching is that it gives the coachee access to a global pool of world-class coaches from which to chose—and coaches access to clients that they would not otherwise be able to reach—compared to coaching in a "traditional" face-to-face modality.

F O U R W O R D S T O R E A D: Be Kind to Yourself Turn-up to your day like it is your last. Be grateful for the small things around you. When you look closely, you'll see them massive.