It started by accident. Some of my clients struggled to “fit” our coaching sessions into the working day, and when they did, it sometimes felt routine with too much clock-watching. Then, of course, there are executives striving for a strict 9-to-5 work-life balance, or clients whose employers are more eager for them to be coached than they are themselves. All of this can commoditise the coaching experience—something that does not work for me and should not work for clients.
So initially, I started offering sessions outside of regular working hours to change the dynamic. Then, I began consciously breaking away from the “normal” coaching environment to better support those clients who needed something different to help them focus and address their specific needs. I passionately believe that coaching sessions should not be ‘another business meeting’.
Normal Is Fine, But…
Coaching within the typical 9-to-5 schedule is common and often very effective – I do a lot of it. Business environments, regular timeslots, and structured agendas can be efficient for both coachee and coach. But coaches and coachees should really consider what would be most effective, not necessarily what would be most efficient.
Some leaders, balancing packed schedules and high-pressure roles, can inadvertently treat coaching sessions as “just another meeting” in their day. But for coaching to truly impact personal and professional growth—and, in business speak, to deliver a compelling ROI—leaders may benefit from exploring coaching outside of typical business hours, settings, and delivery models.
What’s the Objective?
In part, coaching is about fostering self-awareness, creating new perspectives and building new habits and skills. Coaching sessions are investments – time, money, emotions, intellect – in your professional and personal wellbeing.
At a very micro level, after a good coaching session you should ‘feel’ different, your state of mind changed and your motivation different. Coaching sessions at preset times, sandwiched between work tasks or undertaken in the workplace are not always the best way to bring about results, irrespective of the skills of the coach or the willingness of the coachee.
Practicality and Work-Life Balance
It is not easy to break out of the ‘corporate day’. It has been designed for many good reasons. Add in the drive for a work life balance, and more people (especially since COVID) are seeking to concertina their work into defined work times.
This plays to many views of ‘efficiency’, respecting private lives, even to an extent circadian rhythms. However, work life balance (or workflow which I prefer) shifts all of the time, and coaching above many ‘work related’ activities is about investing in your personal development – why then not invest some of your personal time into it. In addition to giving you flexibility and more time for ‘business’ during the ‘business day’, it also means that you might be in a more receptive frame of mind to really take advantage of coaching.
Furthermore, you cannot really separate the personal from work, however hard you try. The Iceberg coaching model tells us that many issues that need to be ‘addressed’ with work have roots in personal or emotional issues. Dedicating personal time is entirely appropriate, although granted some of the best coaching and mentoring is done in the pub with friends.
A Favourite Coaching Question: “And What Else?”
How else can we build flexibility and different stimuli into business coaching? Here are a few approaches that work well for my clients:
When?
- Early mornings for early birds, when the mind is fresh.
- Evenings, when a more reflective mindset can emerge.
- Weekends – perhaps more of a stretch, but if you’re already sneaking in work, why not invest in your personal development outside the work setting.
Where?
- Walking meetings – in person or even by phone. Fresh air, natural light, and nature are well-known stimulants. My dog also tolerates the interruption to his routine.
What Medium?
- In-person sessions are ideal, but virtual coaching via Zoom or Teams offers flexibility.
- Phone coaching on the move is coming back into vogue.
Cadence
- Regular sessions are valuable for building new habits and skills, but many clients benefit from ad hoc/on-demand coaching—quick touchpoints to process issues as they arise. I’m available to my clients 24/7 because sometimes a sounding board or fresh perspective make all the difference.
- Platforms like Teams chat facilitate immediate coaching, and even WhatsApp can be a tool for succinct guidance.
Moving Coaching outside normal work hours and settings can be both pragmatic, and also very fruitful. Give it a try. I have not found a client yet who would like to combine coaching with fly fishing, but I live in hope…………
