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Digital coaching: A conceptually distinct form of coaching? 47
of digital media differs based on whether technology is embodied, or used as
a means to interpret information, or as an interaction with the technological
»other« (note that different human-technology relations may co-exist). The
relation between coach/client and technology is not only shaped by the fixed
capabilities of digital media but quite likely also by experiential factors. Carl-
son and Zmud (1999) and subsequent empirical studies (a.o. D’Urso & Rains,
2008; Timmermann & Madhavapeddi, 2007) demonstrated that user experience
with a medium can affect their perception of the medium’s richness. As users
accumulate experiences with a medium, with the topic and with an interlocu-
tor, they develop knowledge bases that allow them to encode and decode rich
messages and communicate effectively (Carlson & Zmud, 1999). This suggests
that it is possible to adapt to the media in use and to develop strong relation-
ships, despite limited sensory cues (Walther, 1992).
Adapting to mediated coaching practice means not only becoming famil-
iar with media and developing an understanding of their capabilities and their
boundaries but potentially also developing enhanced coaching skills, both lis-
tening skills and language skills (Kanatouri, 2018, 2020). Whilst these core skills
are common to any form of coaching, the digital coach compensates for the
limited sensory cues by developing, for instance, a heightened awareness for
the clients’ tone of voice, speed of speaking, silent moments, choice of words, or
by developing strong reading, writing or verbal language skills, and using clear
and descriptive language. Even though the technical quality of digital media and
their design can play a role in making them more »transparent« and a seamless
means to the coaching experience, it is also up to the coach’s skill to overcome
some of the challenges added by technology, such as the limited sensory infor-
mation and lack of physical proximity. A coaching practice that is adapted to new
media makes methodologically structured use of coaching contents (Geißler, in
Vorb.). This is achieved by the coach’s expertise and skill, whether the medium
involves pre-defined coaching contents, thus, it incorporates coaching exper-
tise and methods, or it is content free but requires the coach’s method and skill
in order to effectively guide the client’s reflection and problem-solving process.
In both cases, the coaching methodology and skill are used to shape the media
in use and to structure the coaching process.
The differences in digital coaching experiences that result from the coach-
ing pair’s relation to the medium, from the challenges and complexity added
by technology and from the need to adapt core coaching skills in order to over-
come challenges, point us towards re-thinking the meaning of digital coaching
as a conceptually distinct form of coaching practice compared to traditional,
face-to-face coaching; a form of practice where the mediated experience alters
Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY-NC-ND 4.0
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book Coaching im digitalen Wandel"
Coaching im digitalen Wandel
- Title
- Coaching im digitalen Wandel
- Editor
- Robert Wegener
- Silvano Ackermann
- Jeremias Amstutz
- Silvia Deplazes
- Hansjörg Künzli
- Annamarie Ryter
- Publisher
- Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- German, English
- License
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-666-40742-0
- Size
- 15.5 x 23.2 cm
- Pages
- 166
- Category
- Technik