During the pandemic, you may have thought that virtual coaching would be around for just for a while, but it’s not – it’s here to stay. You now need to consider how you approach coaching to improve your team’s performance and support their needs in a hybrid work environment.
And as we adapt to the challenges of the new online work environment, here are some of the reasons why hybrid coaching is the future of executive coaching.
Hybrid Coaching is Global
As a certified coach, I put a lot of attention into coaching in the hybrid work environment to help individuals become better leaders. And since the pandemic, it has been a challenge for coaches and managers to execute in-person coaching as specific protocols need to be considered.
There is a need to create a virtual space for an intimate-yet-safe coaching environment where individuals or groups can develop and become motivated in what they do.
Virtual coaching has also helped many companies reach their remote teams locally and internationally; however, in-person coaching is still needed, especially for an immediate response to existing problems.
An illustration of the Coaching Hybrid Model
Face-to-face coaching declined substantially by 74% after COVID-19, while online coaching increased by 57%.
And due to the virtual aspect of coaching in today’s hybrid work setup, it’s easy to lead your local team and your remote team to success through the use of different virtual coaching systems together with the appropriate coaching platforms.
Hybrid Coaching Can Help You Lead Your Team Effectively
While the introduction of virtual coaching has been crucial to most companies, it also has its drawbacks. Here are some of the common virtual coaching challenges:
- Technical issues (webcam, audio, connectivity, and the likes)
- Reduced attention and focus due to distractions
- Communication disruptions
- Different time zones
- Multi-tasking
However, there is still room for virtual and in-person coaching to coexist when you know how to handle these challenges.
Coaching is all about helping people understand more about themselves. Now that coaching has become hybrid, traditional habits have emerged into the virtual space, such as offering motivating engagements, providing feedback, and investigating issues and concerns to manage and lead more effectively.
But what if you don’t have an effective coach, or you find yourself not effective when it comes to hybrid coaching?
Well, here’s an answer to that – hire an excellent coach or partner.
According to the ICF Global Coaching Client Study, 99% of individuals and businesses who hire a coach are “happy or extremely satisfied,” and 96% say they would do it again.
Knowing what makes your team tick is essential for operating a successful business and leading effectively. Now, it’s even more crucial because we don’t see each other as frequently in the hybrid world.
You can also check out our blog about leading effectively in the era of hybrid work to be more effective, fast-paced, and results-driven in the changing landscape of work.
Hybrid Coaching Is Both Energy and Cost-Efficient
As new technologies enable things like virtual whiteboarding, it is now simpler to undertake coaching virtually without thinking about the equipment you need to utilise during the coaching session.
The hybrid workplace can help you feel more comfortable in the virtual world while simultaneously managing the physical world.
Although many people will undoubtedly desire more in-person coaching, the pandemic has demonstrated that virtual coaching is as effective as face-to-face coaching.
Here are some benefits of virtual coaching:
- Being able to have a more flexible schedule
- With no travel time, it provides the opportunity for more coaching sessions
- Increasing business opportunities through virtual conversations without thinking about the meeting place
- Lowering your carbon footprint
- Increasing productivity by coaching a group of people at the same time virtually
While virtual coaching is not always the best substitute for in-person coaching, it still has distinct advantages and is here to stay.
According to a study by BetterUp, it shows that organisations gain a 31% increase in team performance after employing digital or virtual coaching in their operating system.
Hybrid coaching promotes cost and energy efficiency so that you can easily track progress and encourage your team to keep pushing ahead to meet their objectives.
Meanwhile, in-person coaching is still an effective approach in increasing your team’s performance in a hybrid workplace – The Institute of Coaching reports that 70% of those who get executive coaching report increased performance, relationships, and communication skills.
Let’s face it. Some of us have already become accustomed to hybrid coaching, and different hybrid coaching models will likely evolve soon, which will be more efficient than the ones we are currently using.
This can help you and your team locally and abroad to become happier and more productive at work.
Learn more by reading our blog about what a good coach can do for your business to achieve your goals.
Ready to Embrace the Future of Executive Coaching?
Hybrid coaching can help you in various ways to deal with productivity, motivation, and your business growth.
Now, if you’re ready to implement hybrid coaching to your business, or if you need an expert coach or partner, or if you already want to take your business to the next level, schedule a FREE 30-minute coaching session with me and let’s take it from there.
