How to Get the Most Out of Virtual Coaching
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Get the Most Out of Virtual Coaching
Lead with heart, ground with truth, grow with intention
For busy executives, virtual coaching can feel like a gift. No commute. No rushing across town. Just you, your coach, and the space to show up as the whole person that you are, not just the title. Space to breathe, reflect, and connect with the leader you truly want to be.
If you’re like many leaders, you might also wonder… Can virtual coaching really be as effective as in-person?
The short answer? Yes, absolutely.
The longer answer? Virtual coaching becomes truly powerful when both you and your coach bring a little extra heart and presence to the screen, blended with strategic steps.
Because coaching isn’t about the room you’re in. It’s about the YOU who shows up.
👀 What Virtual Coaching Actually Looks Like
Virtual coaching is real-time, face-to-face sessions over Zoom, Teams or another video platform. Just like in-person coaching, we talk, explore, get real, and create clarity and momentum together.
Also like in-person coaching, the real transformation happens between sessions. In the moments where you choose to pause, breathe, act intentionally, or lead from a more grounded place.
Whether meeting virtually or in-person, you and your coach co-design:
- Insight-to-action practical steps
- New routines for self-leadership
- Practices for alignment and resilience
- Habits that support the leader you want to become
The structure doesn’t change. Only the medium does.
🤔 What’s Different About Virtual Coaching
In person, your coach can see everything – posture shifts, breathing changes, micro-expressions and so on. It reveals more of what’s going on, beyond the words you’re saying.
Over video, those cues take more presence, heart, and practice to notice. A skilled coach will hear what you’re saying AND what you’re not saying, even over video.
And sometimes, we open up more easily online because we’re in our own space, hopefully feeling grounded and safe.
From a heart + strategy approach, we can see this as:
- Heart – Showing up with compassion, curiosity, and emotional presence
- Strategy – Ensuring structure, accountability, and forward movement
Both matter, and heart always leads.
🎯 Can Virtual Coaching Be Effective?
Yes. Very.
An interesting effect of the pandemic is that we now have a global, real-world experiment showing that meaningful connection can happen through a screen, and that the connection largely depends on how we show up as human beings.
What we’ve learned, from research and leaders in the trenches, is that virtual coaching can increase:
- Goal clarity
- Emotional regulation
- Leadership presence
- Work-life balance
- Confidence and resilience
And with more and more of us comfortable using virtual tools, online coaching now feels natural, accessible, and emotionally safe.
Approached with intention, virtual tools don’t dilute the coaching experience. In some cases, they can even enhance it.
✅ Key Benefits of Virtual Coaching
Flexibility & Freedom
Access coaching from anywhere, on your own time – across timezones, between meetings, or from a quiet corner that feels like you.
Efficiency
No travel, no logistics, just meaningful connection and genuine transformation.
Confidentiality & Comfort
When you’re in a space where you feel safe to drop your masks, you show up more authentically.
Aligned with Modern Leadership
Virtual coaching supports the skills leaders need most: emotional intelligence, presence, self-regulation, and heart+strategy decision-making.
🛠️ How to Create the Best Environment for Virtual Coaching
To get the most out of your sessions:
- Choose a private, comfortable space
Find a spot where you can drop your masks, feel at ease, and be real. A meeting room, home office, or parked car can work really well. Open cafés, not so much. - Prioritize a strong connection
If the wifi is glitchy, pause. Reschedule. Honor the human connection.
- Sit back from the screen
Let your coach see your face, shoulders, and breath. Your energy tells the full story. Back from the screen, you can also stay present, not tempted to multitask.
- Mute distractions
Turn on do-not-disturb, silence notifications, and close apps. Your nervous system will thank you.
- Ground yourself before the session
One minute of deep breathing or a good stretch can help you reset and focus inward.
- Come prepared
Notes, reflections, insights… this is your time. Be fully in it, not toggling between browser tabs.
Small steps can make a big difference. They create conditions for deeper listening, stronger insight, and more powerful breakthroughs.
🌀 Hybrid Coaching Models
Many leaders opt for a hybrid model: virtual for rhythm, in-person for depth.
This mirrors how many organizations operate today. They connect virtually for rhythm and efficiency, then come together occasionally for deep collaboration, connection, and inspiration.
A hybrid model can give you:
- Virtual consistency & flexibility
- In-person immersion
- A rhythm that supports busy schedules and global realities
Even when distance is an issue, a hybrid model can be possible through in-person workshops, retreats, or intensive one-on-one sessions where either you or your coach travel.
💭 Final Thought
Virtual coaching isn’t “less than”. It’s evolution. It’s an impactful way to partner with someone who works in a way that truly works for you.
When you show up with presence, openness, and heart, the screen disappears. What remains is truth, alignment, strategy, courage, clarity… the real you leading from the inside, out.
If you’re ready to explore virtual or hybrid coaching, we would love to support you.
Let’s co-create a version of your leadership that feels aligned, powerful, and deeply human. Connect with us.
