Email Coaching

What is it?

Email coaching is aimed at managers, employees and other professionals who, like sports people, want to do their best and achieve their full potential. The focus of coaching is on how to improve life at work, not just performance, but confidence, perspective, work-life balance, better career progression and job satisfaction. It can deal with particular skill improvement areas like how to delegate and manage time through how to tackle immediate issues such as dealing with a difficult colleague or how to approach an important meeting. Think of coaching as just-in-time training, customized to your needs at the moment. It is really no different from the coaching used by professional golfers, tennis players and other sporting figures.

Benefits

• Improved confidence and self belief.
• Better focus on priorities.
• Improved job performance.
• Renewed sense of purpose and energy.
• Enhanced skills to deal with critical issues.
• Improved career prospects.
• Greater control over your own destiny.

How does it work?

Begin by choosing how many email exchanges you want - you can add more later whenever you like.

The next step is to email the coach, setting out your issue as clearly as possible, stating exactly what you would like feedback, coaching or advice on.

The coach responds via email to help you address your issues.

For questions relating to skill enhancement, the coach will offer practical tips and suggestions.

To tackle a pressing issue or make life-style changes, the coach will put more emphasis on helping you make your own decisions but will offer suggestions as needed.

Typical issues

How can I delegate better? A simple technique that many overlook is to sell the delegated task by, for example, showing how it is an opportunity to develop. Instead, they apologetically present it as a burden or chore.

How can I say ''no''? Don't'. Offer help, make it advice or some other form of facilitative help instead of doing the task for them.

How can I contribute more in meetings? Stop thinking of contributions only as statements about the content of the meeting. Focus instead on asking questions such as what are the costs/risks of someone's proposal, or what other options are there and what are their pros and cons.

I have been pushing my boss to promote me, but I'm getting nowhere. Stop pushing and start seeing your boss as a customer. Would you demand that your customer buy your services? What can you do to help your boss be more successful? What is your boss trying to achieve? What can you do to contribute to your boss's success?

Who is the coach?

Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D., Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society.

Over 30 years of experience in executive assessment and coaching in Canada and Britain, having worked in large consulting firms for nearly 10 years prior to starting his own consulting business, the Self Renewal Group in 1994 - a virtual team of 6 business psychologists.

For 6 years was an associate coach on leadership courses offered by Ashridge Management College in the UK.

The author of all the highly regarded content on this website including the articles offered free to download on the SRG page in addition to two management books and a forthcoming book on leadership.

Common concerns

My confidence has taken a beating and I am reluctant to expose myself in this state. How can a coach really help me? The prime objective of a good coach is to help you restore your confidence. One thing that often helps is simply being told that we all have similar feelings of anxiety at one time or another. Getting it off your chest also helps. Then it is about moving from nebulous feelings to specific practical steps you can take to move away from your current state. You might very well find this liberating.

I don't want to get into deeply personal issues. How can I trust a coach and control the focus of our discussions? A good coach has no agenda but to be a sounding board and coach with respect to your issues. You are in control and no areas need be discussed that are off limits in your view.

My colleagues would laugh if they told them I turned to a coach. I would also feel somewhat defeated. Why should I take this step given these feelings? Think of great sports figures. They do not think it is demeaning to use a coach. Why should you? Reframe your work with a coach from fixing a problem to making your potential even greater.

Why not try email coaching right now?

Learn more about Email coaching?

What do you get for this service? Please read our terms and conditions.

Email coaching can be supplemented by telephone coaching. This does not need to entail any extra costs if you have a VOIP phone. We use Skype - free to talk if you have it too.

More on coaching

All pages written by Mitch McCrimmon, Ph.D. and copyright © Self Renewal Group 1996-2010