Our 10 key tips for online coaching

Many of us now spend our days in a constant stream of virtual meetings, and it can be easy to transition from one meeting to another with very little time to pause. As a result of this, we may find ourselves on automatic pilot, distracted or trying to catch our breath as we arrive for the next meeting.

While online coaching sessions mean that we can connect to more clients in different locations, there is a need for us to be intentional in the way we create, hold and facilitate the virtual coaching space.

This blog aims to help you step back and consider how you are creating the most impactful online coaching environment — so that your client can experience the same felt impact as though you are with them physically.

Your mindset is your first key consideration — what’s the same, and what’s different?

If you are new to online coaching, the first thing to consider is what you imagine to be the same, and what is different from coaching face to face.

Your own perceptions and beliefs about online coaching will impact how you work with your client and what is available to you. So as a first step, explore these and test out their validity. Your mindset will be one of the key barriers to being yourself and using experiential and creative techniques when you hold a session online, so you may wish to practise online with a peer a number of times so that you can become comfortable and congruent with using these in virtual coaching sessions.

This is the key reason our coach training courses include both face to face and online coaching, as it helps to challenge our participants’ views on working in this way and what is possible. There are of course some key differences and many similarities to the way you would hold an effective face-to-face session.

Now, let’s take a look at our ten key tips for coaching online.

1. Prepare your location

It is important to consider the location you are using for your virtual coaching session — so that you can be relaxed and free from distractions. Is it best for you to coach them from the same place you are delivering your other work? Is there somewhere else you could sit in your house or at work, which would be different from your other conversations? Is your location conducive to you being a coach? Is it inspiring for you?

There may of course be conversations to be had with loved ones at home in order to ensure you are free from interruptions — so that you don’t need to worry about the door opening at a critical moment in a session!

It is also important to consider the view that the client will see of you and the room that you are in, especially if you don’t want to be distracted by them potentially seeing something in your background. If you are using a picture as a background, or filters, test these carefully. Do they interfere with their view of you? (For example, if you move at all, will you disappear into the picture or blurred background?)

It’s also worth reflecting upon your own energy patterns; if you are a morning person it may be better to avoid booking a session later in the day and vice versa. This is of course something you can discuss with your coachee, to find the best time for both of you.

2. Prepare yourself

Before coaching online, test the platform that you will be using and get to know its functionality (e.g. sharing screens, posting resources or models, use of whiteboards etc.). In our practice, we use Zoom, which we find to be reliable, cost-effective and feature-rich, it also does a great job at limiting any background noise for you and the client.

In Zoom (and similar apps) you can turn on a ‘speaker view’ so that your coachee will appear large on the screen and most importantly, you can also hide your self-view and avoid seeing your own image during the session.

Closing down other applications will support your presence and the transmission speed too; using a good webcam, microphone and headphones will help ensure good sound and vision.

We also recommend preparing any equipment that you may need for the session in advance — e.g. models which can be shown on the screen, or emailed over to the coachee; a desktop flip chart and pens in case you want to draw.

Coaching from home may make you feel more relaxed than if you’re in a physical meeting space — so consider what supports you to be in a present and connected state of being before receiving a client online. It can be easy to see the coaching session as just the client contact time; to avoid this you may wish to block out time before coaching the client (to warm up) and afterwards (to warm down). Remember time before and after working with a coachee — not just the time you spend with them — is the whole session.

Eugene Gendlin (the creator of the therapeutic process called Focussing) said “Contact before contract,” meaning we need to come into a strong contact with ourselves as coaches before encountering the client. Building in some time before the session to prepare is paramount as this creates supportive conditions for the container you are creating for our client, and enables you to be in flow (a state of relaxed concentration). 

Our ‘3 part breathing space’ exercise (MP3) can help you achieve presence before an online coaching session.

3. Prepare your coachee

For some coaching clients, online coaching may initially be daunting and create a level of anxiety; others may assume it will be just like another virtual meeting in their day, and so will come straight into the coaching session without preparing.

It is important therefore to contract with your coachees about their experiences of working online and the similarities and differences with being in an online coaching session. Without this, some clients may think that as with other meetings it is okay to join from a public space (or even when travelling).

As part of your initial conversations with your client, you may need to take time to ensure that they feel comfortable with the platform you will be using. It is easy to assume they will understand how to be — but you might need to educate them on what will help them to be present in the session e.g. closing down applications, wearing headphones to support confidentiality, turning off their mobile phone and MS Teams messages etc.

To support any experiential or creative work that you might do, you can also ask your client to have a journal, paper and pens ready.

Just as you explored your chosen location, it’s good for your client to do so too. Is it possible for them to undergo coaching somewhere different from where they work? When they are at their desk, they may find it hard switching off from their role or to avoid distractions. How about they sit looking out of the window or sit in their garden? Is it possible for them to go for a walk whilst you are coaching them?

Your client may arrive for a coaching session from another virtual meeting and so is still in a mode of “doing”. This can sometimes ‘contaminate’ the coach and it can be easy to get drawn into the task at hand. 

These initial moments are vital in reconnecting with the client: remember that underneath everything, an ability to create an authentic and trusting online relationship is the critical ingredient for success. Facilitating a short grounding exercise can help them shift mental gears, let go of their day so far and step into the seat of the coaching client.

A lot has happened for you and your client since you were last together, so it is important that you connect as human beings before moving into the coaching space. Help put them at ease and get present for the conversation before moving into contracting.

4. Plan for potential challenges

We encourage you to plan for various challenges that can occur when coaching virtually. Examples include:

• Loss of broadband connection — ensure you have your client’s telephone number in case you need to switch to a telephone. Discuss this with them so they are comfortable when this happens. When working creatively, you can spot contract for this to remind them before moving into a visualisation exercise or using physical space in their room.
• External interruptions such as deliveries or loud noises outside (building or gardening work etc.) – ask your client if there are any potential interruptions they are aware of at the start of the session.
• Family members or pets at home – it is likely that when working at home, the coachee will have other people or animals in their house. This sometimes causes anxiety about potential interruptions so encourage the coachee to ‘metaphorically include’ their energy. We find that this helps both the coachee and the coach relax.
• Poor broadband speed — this can mean that web cameras can’t be used. If your client is off camera, we would encourage you to switch off yours too, so that you can work solely with the voice and things are equal. When working with voice, we encourage you to regularly check in with the coachee, as you cannot see their internal processing (emotions). Questions that can help here include “What are you aware of?” and “What are you noticing as we discuss this?” Or check-in with them during long pauses: “What is happening for you now?” Consider ‘spot contracting’ with the coachee — be explicit that you will be asking them to report more on what is happening for them during the session than you might have previously.

5. Session Contracting

While you are going to cover all the usual aspects of the session contract — confidentiality, time, how you will work together, challenge — you will also need to contract for the potential challenges you have planned for:

• Confidentiality – what is your stance on the use of AI tools within the session? At Catalyst 14, we do not allow their use due to security and confidentiality concerns.
• How you will manage the unexpected, like interruptions and loss of connection.
• How you will use models online — e.g. you may wish to share a model on your screen that the coachee can draw on using a whiteboard facility. Or they may prefer you to email the model to them, so they can print off and work on it on their desk.
• How you will use creative techniques online — for example, “I am going to give you more time between my questions as I cannot see you (i.e., if coachee is standing or moving in the room and are off camera) and I am going to pause you from time to time to see if you are ready for the next question”. If you are going to use a visualisation exercise such as ‘Wisdom with Hindsight’ and the coachee has their eyes closed, you can remind them that if either of you lose connection, it is fine, you will simply re-join the session again and pick up where you left off.

6. Learning to adapt techniques 

Coaching online means it is likely you will need to adapt any creative or experiential techniques you use. For example, the client may show up for a session in a meeting booth with limited physical space to move.

To have impact as a coach it is important to practise so you can learn how to adapt the techniques you use when coaching face to face. For example, rather than inviting the client to go and stand in a different place within the room, you could ask them to turn their chair to look left or right.

Being coached yourself virtually is an important part of your learning here, as this will build your congruence with the effectiveness of using the same techniques online.

7. Trust the process

Remember to trust the process; transformational coaching is built from the strength and honesty of the relationship between you and your client. 

Pay attention to what is happening between you and your coachee, and listen with all of your senses in the same way you do when you are face-to-face. If you are feeling lost during a session just remember to go back to the process; you own it!

8.  Trust yourself

Be fully present and trust all the skills and strengths you have, and your intent of supporting the other person’s learning and development.  

Nearly everything you do when you coach face to face is available to you when coaching online. You are still your greatest instrument when working online. Remember: we are wired to connect, and just because you are working virtually does not mean you will not attune to your coachee. Our experience shows that, once you relax and are fully present, you will be in flow with your client and can access your emotional, intuitive and embodied knowing in the same way.

9.  Be mindful of energy

When working virtually, you might experience yourself using your energy in a different way. Things might feel more intense, and you may notice that you have to work harder to stay present.

So, take a break during longer sessions, and get some fresh air (weather permitting) — your client will appreciate the break too.

During these breaks, you and your coachee can stretch and breathe or grab a drink. Or you could invite them to stand up with you and move half-way through the session, or look away from the screen for a period of time.

10. Get the endings right

When running a virtual coaching session, you may wish to contract with the coachee to ensure that they have space between the coaching session and their next virtual meeting (to replenish their energy).

However, clients may still not have this time before their next meeting, and unlike in-person coaching — where coachees have to leave the room and move physically to start their next meeting — it is likely that they may be leaving their coaching session to go straight into another meeting. In view of this, it is important to build enough time into session management — to ensure the client can leave a coaching session well and move into the next part of their day.

Especially when working at depth, in a transformational space, where the client is likely to touch their emotion, intentionally use the time at the end of the session to support them to leave the coaching session in an adult ego state.

Remember: you own the process, so use the time proactively to ensure you have enough time to fully wrap up the session and close it down well. Statements like “we have ten minutes to go, so let us move into reviewing your learning and actions from today’s conversation?” can help here.

I hope the above tips support you in your virtual coaching practice and help you make the most of coaching virtually. 

You can learn more about Catalyst 14’s online coaching courses here

Note: this is the first in a three part series – in the next two posts, we will share tips for coaching face to face and then for coaching outdoors.