Why sometimes coaching is better over the phone

In the past few years, especially since the pandemic, video has become the default technology for engaging remotely. However, with coaching, I’ve noticed some advantages of using the phone instead.

Freedom

Let’s face it, approximately none of us needs more screen time. In fact, I found my way to coaching because of my desire to spend less time staring at a computer screen. When I was working in tech, I used to feel like I was busting out of a literal prison the moment I closed my laptop at the end of a work day.

Even if you’re not as weighed down by screens as I was, I’m guessing you can relate to the feeling of your computer or phone screen having a hold on you. Coaching sessions should feel the opposite of that—totally unrestrained.

With audio sessions, you can get coached while walking through nature. Or on a treadmill. Or while sitting in your car. Or lying down. It’s up to you—you’re free.

Focus

Why are podcasts and audiobooks so popular? I think a lot of it can be attributed to attention. Audio holds our attention in a way other mediums don’t.

I’m constantly surprised by how the information I consume from a podcast or audiobook stays with me. It makes more of an imprint than things I watch on TV or YouTube.

When someone speaks directly into your ears, a connection forms that assists you in remembering. Audio helps you tune in by tuning out distractions, allowing you to have focused, productive, and memorable coaching sessions.

Honesty

No matter how many Zoom meetings we dial into, they can still feel forced. Communicating through video heightens our self-consciousness, which can inhibit our ability to be truly present.

By eliminating the visual component of a coaching session, we lose a lot of the self-consciousness. Not to mention, preparation time—no outfits to pick out, ring lights to set up, or backgrounds to arrange.

We can meet each other honestly, exactly as we are in that moment. This is fertile ground for effective coaching.