When I started coaching, a few years back, I was a firm believer that coaching effectiveness was bound to a necessary face to face interaction between coach and coachee. It is true that in-situ interaction does bring in its fair share of advantages, among which the possibility to visually “observe” the eventual silences of the conversation and “read” subconscious communication patterns such as body language or facial expressions. Yet, it does carry along some drawbacks, inclusive of visual distraction, for both the coach and the coachee, and sometimes, the apprehension we might have toward the look or judgment of others upon us; which goes against the focused and non-judgmental nature of coaching.

1. Benefits of Telephone coaching.
By Patrick O. Courtois
When I started coaching, a few years back, I was a firm believer that coaching effectiveness was bound
to a necessary face to face interaction between the coach and coachee. It is true that in-situ interaction
does bring in its fair share of advantages, among which the possibility to visually “observe” the eventual
silences of the conversation and “read” subconscious communication patterns such as body language or
facial expressions. Yet, it does carry along some drawbacks, inclusive of visual distraction, for both the
coach and the coachee, and sometimes, the apprehension we might have toward the look or judgment
of others upon us; which goes against the focused and non-judgmental nature of coaching.
With the internationalization of my client base, intimately linked to the frequent international
relocations imposed by my work, I came to interact, more and more frequently, with distant clients,
primarily by telephone. What was initially a plan B thing to punctually accommodate existing face to
face clients has now developed into a full-blown approach of its own, with a significant increase of
“distant” clients preferring the flexibility and advantages of telephone coaching.
Coaching, in general, and action learning, in particular, has to be a focused process. Telephone
coaching does enable a total concentration, from both coach and coachee, on what is essential:
COACHING and nothing else. Visual distractions are removed from the interaction, enhancing the
effectiveness of communicating the message and information across.
From the comfort of your own safe heaven. Coaching sessions are usually short, compared to training,
for a particular reason: INTENSITY. Coaching is a self-reflective process requiring a sustained effort
during the entire session, to analyze, reflect upon, and formulate actions toward a particular, or several,
situations. It may not always be possible or convenient for clients to arrange their own schedule during
work hours, where on-going work related issues and distractions might affect their level of
concentration and, overall, their level of implication toward the coaching process. By making their own
arrangements, in terms of setting for the telephone sessions, clients also guaranty the CONFIDENTIALITY
of the relationship, where no one will have to know the content and details of their coaching session.
Opening up. Coaching is a very intimate process where apprehensions on the coach’s look or judgment
upon the client can have an impact on the depth and quality of the coaching relationship. The unusual
blend of anonymity and intimacy that comes from telephone coaching helps clients to more fully open
themselves to the coaching process. No TRUST, no effective coaching. We all, somehow, apprehend the
look of people, whom we are regularly interacting with, upon us (supervisors, employees, family
members, friends, ...), since we are generally bound to regular social interaction with them. The
perceived social or emotional “impact” of a stranger on the other end of a line, whom we might never
meet, is generally lesser.
Coaching is not training. Coaching is not about telling the client what has to be done, it is rather,
through active communication and a structured action-centered philosophy, to enable and help clients
formulate their own solutions to situations they perceive as problematic or complex. Clients should
expect the coach to be an equal partner with whom they will be able to bring in as much, to the
relationship, as they receive from it and telephone is a great equalizer.

2. Find the RIGHT coach. While the coach’s background is an important factor when selecting a coach,
CHEMISTRY between coach and coachee is what makes a difference between a productive and an
unproductive relationship. Coaching is about interpersonal communication, plain simple. Would you
undress in front of someone who does not make you comfortable? Most likely, not. The same goes with
the intimacy of the coaching process. Telephone coaching enables you to connect to the right coach, the
one with whom you feel a real connection with, the one with whom you feel you will be COMFORTABLE
working with, without been limited by geography.
Time efficiency. There is absolutely no travelling required for telephone coaching, no advance planning,
no traffic stressing jams… The opportunity is there to fit the client’s coaching into the busiest of
schedules, when the kids are in bed, during a lunch break or between meetings. Additionally, look at the
bright side, no transport, no emission: completely environmentally friendly.
I am currently working with coachees located in the US, Europe and Asia, some of whom I have never
met in person, until now. Yet, despite the distance, telephone coaching enables us to efficiently work
together and achieve optimum results, coaching after coaching, with the added advantage of flexibility
and convenience. And all it takes is a good phone line!
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Patrick Courtois (博阅明) is the Director & Principal Consultant at Ming Bai, a consultancy
specialized in Organizational & Individual Development. As a trained Consultant, and
Coach, Patrick operates between Europe and Asia, and brings forward over 13 years of
international consulting and people experience to a clientele of multinationals, SMEs and
individuals. Keep in touch with him at www.ming-bai.com