Executive Coaching goes Mobile: 4 Reasons to switch to technology-based coaching

I have been blessed by a solid stream of coaching clients since I started my coaching practice in 2005.  It’s not been an easy road – I have worked very hard to promote myself and my services, hone my coaching offerings, earn my reputation, develop my skills and continue my coaching education.  I have done more free talks and workshops than I can remember and networked myself into exhaustion.  And it paid off. My deep thanks to all the people who have  supported and invested in my executive coaching services. My big aspiration has always been, and remains – to work with high impact individuals across the globe; to be a global player in this arena we call earth.  Up until a few months ago, at least 50% of my high impact clients were individuals and teams I met up with at various physical venus in my hometown of Cape Town.  Whilst I was very keen to move these coaching relationships toward a technology-based option, it seemed redundant, considering that I was there and so were my clients.  Until I took a bold step and moved myself physically to another city (you can read more in See you in Santiago).  Now all of my clients work with me via Skype and I attend all of my supervision and other meetings via various technology-based platforms.  And we are all delighted with our new way of working, and with our results.  Here are 4 Reasons why I see great benefit in switching to technology-based coaching;

(1) Save the planet

Many of us talk about ‘going green’, concern ourselves with sustainability and invest in sustainable projects, yet we jump into our motorcars willingly, or insist that others should do so, to drive around and meet up with one another.  We contribute to a growing problem of pollution, carbon emissions, traffic, toll road debates, deaths on the road and sadly necessary high insurance premiums.  It is a delight for me to not be driving at the moment, and it removes all the stress of needing to get to destinations on time, getting stuck behind refuse removal trucks, having to re-feul and so forth.  More than this, I can see how much less stressed my clients are because they did not need to fight any traffic either, to make our meeting on time.  And this allows us both to be centred and present.

(2) Save time, save money

It’s a horrible cliche – time is money – but it’s true.  As an executive or an executive coach, you earn well and may even earn by or charge by the hour or number of project hours.  Sure, we can charge out our traveling time within our project rates, but why pay or be paid to be on the road?  I can substantially lower my coaching fees if I eliminate the additional hour it takes to get there and back. And I’m saving on fuel and, if applicable, flight costs too.  As are you.  And Skype – bless it – is free. Our only cost now is internet connectivity.

(3) It is NO LESS intimate

If you’ve ever experienced a long-distance love relationship, you know that intimacy is not related to distance but rather to your ability to communicate across the distance.  Skype and other technology based platforms have allowed grandparents to connect with grandchildren, lovers to flirt and share sweet nothings, businessmen in India to design websites for businesses based in Peru. And executive coaches and their executive clients can do the same.   These platforms allow the same sense of togetherness and intimacy that my clients and I would otherwise enjoy.  There are many moments online when my clients and I share a tear, or a laugh, or a mindfulness exercise.  Sometimes I’ll pick up my computer and show my clients around my office, and they do the same with theirs.  Just because there is a technology platform between us, we are still two human beings having a human-connection, from anywhere we find ourselves a that time!  For even more on this, here’s a Forbes article about this visual technology revolution; Back to the Future with face-to-Face technology