Benefits of e-coaching
Updated 2024-09-05. Originally published 2011-08-01 on VocationVillage.com
E-coaching means coaching via electronic methods. E-coaching can mean scheduled Zoom or telephone meetings. It can also mean asynchronous email or text coaching, meaning both the client and coach respond at their convenience, not during scheduled meetings.
If you are highly visual, choose Zoom meetings.
If you are highly auditory, choose telephone meetings.
If you prefer reading and writing, choose email or text coaching.
Email or text coaching is the least common method, but is ideal for clients who:
Think most work environments schedule too many meetings.
Prefer writing to speaking.
Want a written record of the coaching conversations.
Appreciate the flexibility of expressing themselves when they wish, not on specific days/times.
Have unpredictable schedules because of business travel, variable work hours, childcare, or other caregiving responsibilities.
Find it difficult to locate a quiet, private space to meet.
All the coaching methods work well for brainstorming career options, making career decisions, creating and improving personal marketing materials such as resumes and LinkedIn profiles, planning and implementing a career change or a job search, getting support through challenging or politically tricky work situations, and improving work/life balance.
Here is an example of how email coaching helped a client with decision-making. We never met face-to-face or talked via telephone. After we worked together, she landed and happily accepted a new job, and she expressed enthusiasm for the email coaching process. I asked her to summarize why she chose email coaching, and what she liked about it. She gave me permission to publish her reply:
“I love email coaching for two big reasons. One is that I can go back through our email string and reread what we’ve discussed. Because of that, I can remember what we talked about and also go back and see how I characterized certain things at those times. It can be really helpful to go back and reread not only what you wrote but also what I wrote. The second is that I can do it on my own time. I can write when the mood strikes, or when I’m having a crisis, and get it all down on paper. You always let me know when you’ll respond and you respond when you say you will—so I know what to expect from our exchanges. Also, it feels like I get a lot from the time allotted. An hour seems to provide for a lot of give-and-take and plenty of feedback to reflect upon. I can see that it might not be for everyone, but I write a lot in my work, and so am good at getting thoughts onto paper. I think that helps make this a good approach for my style. And I might add one more thing … I tend to be a bit of a people-pleaser. In person, I find sometimes I end up responding to cues I think I’m getting from others. By email, I suspect it’s easier for me to speak my mind and really know it’s coming from me.” – Julie M.
Another client has confidentially retained my email coaching services for several years to build her consulting business and to navigate complex interpersonal situations with her corporate clients. She said,
“Email coaching is so convenient. I get immediate feedback while in the moment of completing the business task or communication. Your comments are timely and always right on the mark!”
If you have a question about e-coaching, please contact me.
