Here's how you can enhance communication in virtual coaching sessions with team members.

If it really is a 'coaching' session, it has to be your team-member's agenda, not yours. It has to be led by the team member, you are not in the driving seat. A clear agenda the way you have described will work for an update meeting/a decision making meeting/ a review meeting.... But not if coaching is the agenda.

Una sesión de coaching virtual, debe estar precedida de una orden del día y se debe de compartir a todos los invitados con un tiempo determinado , para que cada uno sepa los temas que se van a tratar, así como el objetivo muy claro de la sesión, para no dejar lugar a dudas.

As a thought leader in coaching, I believe that true communicators prioritize listening over speaking. Mastery in active listening, combined with powerful questions, is fundamental to effective coaching. With over 10,000 sessions under my belt, I’ve learned the importance of encouraging clients to pause, reflect, gain self-awareness, increase learning, and take action. Breakthroughs come from accountability to their actions between sessions. To maintain a balanced dialogue, I use note-taking software to keep my speaking under 20%. Additionally, I frequently use virtual whiteboarding, often inviting clients to draw with me. This collaborative tool enhances the coaching experience and fosters deeper engagement.

It is important to first define the session's purpose and nature. If it is coaching (and lets say not mentoring), the coachee should formulate the agenda and the desired outcomes. They need to determine what a success measure would look like for them for that session. After setting this foundation, communication can be enhanced by being an active listener, avoiding leading questions, and helping the coachee delve deeper. Body language and creating a safe environment where the coachee feels truly heard, all contribute to better communication. Ultimately, communication is greatly enhanced when coaching focuses not on what the coachee says, but on what they are not saying—their actual underlying feelings and meanings.

Whether a virtual or inperson coaching session. The client is the one that set's the agenda. The coach is responsible to bring a clear mindset, free of any biases - personal or otherwise. Meet the client where they are, listen intently, discuss what is being shared in an open and transparent way and support goal development.

The top mistakes managers make in team meetings are: - talking too much. The team member(s) should be doing 50-90% of the talking. - having no agenda or creating all the agenda. It's important for team members to feel part of the conversation so let them co-create or completely create the agenda. - communication is only 7% what we say, so make sure you can see everyone, pick up on body language and what you see, not just what you hear and ensure they can see all of you and they pick up positive and open body language - it's so important!

Una agenda clara da confianza a los involucrados. (planeación). A veces, aparecen "nuevos hallazgos" muy relevantes en la reunión. Incluso, pueden obligar a redireccionar la sesión. Aquí es donde la experiencia del Coach experimentado, debe "iluminar" el camino de la sesión. "Como el bambú, firme pero flexible".

Enhancing communication in virtual coaching sessions with a team member is about creating an environment of trust and openness. Start by —encourage them to keep their cameras on. Don't just talk at them; create a dialogue by asking questions, and actively inviting participation. This is their coaching session - you are simply facilitating. Remember, your energy sets the tone! Make these sessions personal, impactful, and a catalyst for genuine connection!

A diferencia de otras disciplinas como el mentoring o la consultoría, para la realización de un proceso de coaching debe haberse definido previamente una alianza (compromisos claros de las partes) y la definición conjunta de unos objetivos a desarrollar. Sin embargo, la “agenda” de la sesión en particular, puede ser flexible, en la medida en la cual el coach no debería establecer lo que él considera se debe manejar y el orden que debe darle a la sesión, sino que se trata de desarrollar esa habilidad de “moverse” dentro de los objetivos planteados, acorde con lo que el coachee va suministrando, pues recordemos que es indispensable que el protagonista y quien desarrolla la sesión misma, es el coachee y no el coach.

In my work as a leadership development coach, there are only two instances I virtually coach teams: 1) when the client and I are enrolling stakeholders and 2) during team coaching engagements. Key points I use for virtual coaching meetings: 1. Set clear expectations including the agenda, goals, and desired outcomes to keep everyone focused and aligned. 2. Provide clear and concise communication. 3. Follow up after the session with a summary of key points, action items, and any additional resources to keep the momentum going. The key to effective virtual coaching is creating an environment where team members feel comfortable, heard, and motivated to participate.

A escuta ativa é uma habilidade essencial que um coach deve dominar e aplicar com máxima eficácia. É crucial ouvir atentamente, concentrando-se totalmente no que os membros da equipe estão expressando sobre suas necessidades e desejos, sem se preocupar em formular uma resposta imediata. Preste atenção cuidadosa e faça anotações das informações relevantes. Dessa forma, será possível formular perguntas inteligentes e assertivas, capazes de extrair respostas valiosas, permitindo uma compreensão clara de como auxiliar a equipe a alcançar seus objetivos.

En un entorno virtual la escucha activa es un recurso muy valioso. Aunque se tiende a asociar con oír atentamente, realmente va más allá implicando comprender, interpretar y responder de manera consciente y comprometida. En un equipo de trabajo la escucha activa se puede entrenar. Algunas claves que han funcionado son: Eliminar las distracciones para aumentar la concentración y el enfoque en lo que se está compartiendo. Tener empatía con el hablante, ponerse en su lugar y comprender su punto de vista. Demostrar atención confirmando con palabras y gestos, como asentir con la cabeza o parafrasear lo dicho. La escucha activa es clave en la comunicación, a tener presentes por todos los miembros del equipo.

Part of active listening is paying attention to the non-verbal language as well as micro aggressions that show up. This way you may be able to see whether your coachee is happy, sad or even disengaged from the conversation. These cues guide the kind of questions you will ask.

La escucha activa debería ser una de esas habilidades que se evalúen en las entrevistas. Como se mejor en esta habilidad? 1. Escucha más - en otras palabras habla menos. 2. Escucha con atención - suena obvio, pero esto significa que eres capaz de encontrar la idea principal, el mensaje oculto, entre toda la paja. 3. Asegúrate de COMPRENDER - entender no es suficiente. Haz preguntas o parafrasea lo dicho para confirmar que efectivamente estas comprendiendo a la persona con la que hablas. 4. Tus juicios no cuentan - estas escuchando para comprender a las otras personas. Muchas veces escuchamos mientras vamos generando nuestros juicios, pero esto nos aleja de empatizar.

En una sesión de coaching una de las partes esenciales es la escucha activa, el coach debe primero escuchar y de forma activa , lo que quiere decir es que debe hacerle saber a la otra persona que lo esta escuchando, por ejemplo, parafrasear algunas palabras de las mas importantes que están mencionando, por ejemplo "lo que tu me estas diciendo es que se te dificulta la organización de os archivos". Adelante continua y le das el espacio de nuevo , y con esta dinámica lo mas seguro es que en sus palabras encuentren las soluciones.

La escucha activa es un arte que se va refinando con la experiencia y las técnicas. Deben haber sonidos en frecuencias que no escuchamos, pero que cambian el entorno en el que estamos. Hasta los "silencios" tienen mensajes que hay que descifrar. "Podemos demorarnos unos dos años para aprender a hablar y unos noventa y ocho años para aprender a escuchar". Creo que deberían ser más comunes, los cursos que tengan que ver con "escucha activa", incluso, para aquellos que creen que ya tienen la habilidad desarrollada.

Listen empathetically. With an open blank mind. Without any preconcieved notions about your client / coachee/or whomsoever you are listening to. Try Active Constructive responding without words : through eye contacts and subtle nodding of your head to indicate to your client that you are with them, literally and figuratively. Dont rush into your Qns. Take a moment or two. Pause. Use silence effectively.

Active listening is about "Listening To" which includes listening to the members with no prejudice or judgement. What you must avoid is "Listening For". In "listening for" set up, you are expecting to hear a structure, a word, or an expression. You are expecting validation or confirmation of your thoughts. Trust me more than the members, it is a trap for you. Since you are "already always listening" without paying heed to what the member has to say, you will lose the trust and respect of the member and eventually the expected output will be lost for ever.

The leader who can create the deepest impact and add significant value to a team that they are leading, is directly proportional to their ability to practice active listening with each member of the team and the collective whole as well. If a leader is successful in listening actively, they will be able to pick up what the team members are saying (words) and what they are perhaps not saying (their tone and body language). The leader will also be able to sense subtler nuances of what is being exchanged between team members and with their leaders. The only behaviour that leaders should insist on during a virtual team-coaching session is to have every member of the team keep their cameras 'turned on' throughout the conversation.

Clarity and Understanding: Visuals are particularly effective in clarifying abstract ideas or presenting large amounts of data in a digestible format. They enhance comprehension by providing a visual reference that reinforces key messages. Engagement and Interaction: Use interactive features of visual aids to encourage participation and interaction among team members. Allow for real-time annotation or highlighting during discussions to emphasize important points. Accessibility and Flexibility: Ensure visual aids are accessible to all participants by sharing screens or providing downloadable copies. Adapt visuals to suit different learning styles and preferences for maximum impact.

En las sesiones de coaching virtuales debes apoyarte con audiovisuales presentaciones dinámicas, muy claras y precisas de los temas que se están viendo, así como verificar que todos los miembros del equipo lo estén viendo, es mas probable que a los miembros se le graben las imágenes y su significado , que la lectura del texto o incluso las palabras del coach.

Las ayudas visuales ayudan a precisar conceptos complejos para que sean entendidos de manera sencilla. Una gráfica o diagrama, puede ayudar más que una hora de conversación o que 100 paginas de narración. La clarificación de las magnitudes de los datos nos pone en un nivel por encima que el lenguaje posible en una conversación.

I am a visual learner myself and have best communicated with the help of diagrams; visuals; slides and graphs. It is important that leaders are sensitive to the learning styles of every member of their team and provide learning stimuli for learners of every kind - visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. Having said that, visuals have a powerful way of communicating the most complex of ideas. Leaders should be tech savvy to use digital tools such as whiteboards, quizzes, polls, activities, videos and games to enhance the engagement in their coaching sessions. I believe 'a picture is worth a thousand words', and 'a video is worth a thousand pictures'!

Visual aids are aids to "Visualisation". All sounds or words tend to create an image for people to relate to. This is a power of visualisation. If the members are left to visualise and listen at the same time, there are chances to lose the track or the interest in the session. Using the visual aid helps the member to spend more mental space on the words you are saying and faster comfirmation of their visualisation with the visuals you are showing.

Plataformas como Miro o Jamboard permiten crear pizarras virtuales donde todos los participantes pueden colaborar en tiempo real. Las pizarras digitales permiten visualizar ideas, esquemas y flujos de trabajo, facilitando la comprensión y el seguimiento de la conversación. Generar diagramas, gráficos y mapas mentales puede ayudar a clarificar conceptos complejos y mantener a los participantes involucrados.

Al final de la sesión de coaching virtual es importante dejar el mensaje para todos los miembros de que les pareció la sesión , que se podría mejorar, de igual manera que salió muy bien y de debe seguir haciendo en las próximas sesiones. aunado a una minuta de compromisos con nombres y fechas de cumplimiento.

Feedback loop works for both the coach and members. Yes! for both. For the members it works as a reflection as well. The reflection helps in confirming the learning, eliciting new information, evoking the emotions which eventually may lead to a new learning as well. The reflection also show what has been rejected and what has been accepted. For coach,es of course, it is about confirmation of what worked and what did not for the participants and thus helping them to make the adjustment.

Más allá de las dinámicas propias donde se genera retroalimentación, a mi me gusta pedirles a las personas que cierren con una palabra o frase que represente la reunión que tuvimos. A veces, algunos aprovechan para agregar algo más, pero debe ser breve. También sirve para ajustar las próximas reuniones.

Las llamadas con pantalla compartida pueden ser de gran utilidad ya que todos pueden ver el mismo material. Es de gran ayuda familiarizarse con todas las opciones que el software te da, ya que esto puede ayudar a los que no presentan a dar feedback o indicaciones. En algunas sesiones 1 a 1, comparto un documento y tomo nota de las ideas de mi coachee. Esto le permite concentrarse en pensar, y a mi en escuchar. Estas notas se las llevara el coachee y deben ser precisas, claras y concisas para que le sirvan.

Hasta hace muy poco, el conocimiento de la tecnología y plataformas y herramientas eran algo opcional y preferible. Hoy en día, prácticamente es obligatorio, tener conocimiento básico para participar. Estemos motivados o no. Estemos interesados en profundizar en herramientas y plataformas o no. Así, que la pregunta debería ser: ¿tienes el conocimiento mínimo para participar? y si la respuesta es no, entonces, ofrecerla una "rápida nivelación tecnológica".

Most of my work is in virtual sessions, and I am in a profession that requires world-class communication as a prerequisite to creating results. So I can pretty much assure you that if you are convinced that the virtual environment is not a barrier but an opportunity to connect with the other person, you would show up differently in that conversation. You would show up with delight and gratitude at the marvel of being able to see and speak to another human being. This energy would inevitably rub off on the other person as well. And voila! You both will be in sync.

In the realm of virtual coaching, sharing personal stories that resonate with others is a powerful tool for building rapport and trust. By offering relatable experiences from my own journey, such as struggles with managing up and communication, I create a connection that goes beyond the typical "I say, you do" dynamic. These stories not only make the coaching relationship more relatable but also establish my authority as someone who has navigated similar challenges. People who are seeking coaching appreciate knowing their struggles are not unique and value the practical advice drawn from real-world experiences. Authenticity, relevance, and encouraging a two-way exchange of stories foster a collaborative and empowering coaching environment

Enhance virtual coaching sessions with team members by using clear agendas, active listening, visual aids, feedback loops, tech proficiency, and personal touches. Also, integrate interactive activities, encourage open dialogue, provide empathy, manage time effectively, ensure accessibility, and prioritize continuous improvement based on feedback. These strategies promote engagement, collaboration, and effective communication in virtual environments, also brings in much need trust and safe space to allow vulnerability.

I would agree that all points above are valid. On top of that I’d emphasised the value of trust, which then creates the secure environment when a coachee (or coaches in team or group coaching) feel(s) safe to think aloud and share their feelings. The coach is responsible for setting this, and for recreating the sense of safety if lost. Sometimes in corporate coaching the manager of a coachee has his own vision for the employee’s development, not always fully accepted or even understood by the person in question. For establishing communication the coachee needs to find his purpose for change. Only if he “buys” it for himself, the communication can be effective, not formal, but honest and authentic.

Three aspects that I would like to add would be # Q & A # Summarisation # key takeaways or actionable steps In Virtual coaching sessions it is important to have an interactive dialogue by including a Q& A session at the end of the session followed by a brief summarisation of the points covered during the coaching session to ensure that everyone is on the same page and have fully understood the agenda/talking points of the meeting . Last but not the least the team members should be able to mention their key takeaways and come up with actionable steps that they can execute before returning to the next session.

The way to have effective communication in virtual coaching session is to begin with clear agendas (business order and schedule), provide active listening, support visualisation through visual aids, allow participants to reflect through feedback loop, use tech proficiencies, and give a personal touch to the interaction with the participants. Open sharing, engaging activities, time management, reinforcement through post session materials, and providing accessibility are the additional components that promote collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking and congnitive stimulation among the participants.

Apart from having a clear agenda, establishing and communicating session norms is key to prevent unnecessary interrupted, time wasting and distractions. I usually start off my sessions by outlining that I'll give the clients/participants time to introduce themselves but they are required to respond to questions asked right away. I'll share that I'll be taking notes and that they can ask questions at the end. If questions are burning, they can be written in the comment/chat section. With this, anxieties are managed and the session flows seamlessly.

To further enhance communication in virtual coaching sessions, integrate emotional intelligence (EQ). Some practical steps: - Begin some sessions by checking in on how team members feel and encourage them to express any concerns. - Use active listening techniques to show empathy, such as nodding and summarizing their points. Incorporate short, mindful breathing exercises to help manage stress and improve focus on the moment. - Provide feedback on emotional cues noticed during discussions, helping team members become more aware of their own and others’ emotions.