This chapter offers an in-depth discussion of the drivers that compelled the South African creators to develop and establish an innovative, unique e-coaching platform, called the “Laws of Motion”, to host a suite of e-coaching modules that are integrated into in-person coaching interventions, as well as applied in blended e-coaching, mentoring and organisational development programmes.

Because of deteriorating economic conditions in South Africa, individuals and organisations demanded development solutions that are more accessible and efficient; that shorten contact time, are cost effective and scalable; independent of geography, and which can be easily updated and integrated with in-person or group interventions which facilitate shared learning and collaboration.

It discusses theoretical models, elements and aspects of e-learning which formed the building blocks of the design of the e-coaching process of the “Laws of Motion” platform. It discusses how these were adapted to form the e-coaching process. Furthermore, the elements of a typical e-coaching module are illustrated, as well as how blended, multi-module programmes are implemented to incorporate interactions with a coach, groups or on-line collaboration.

In conclusion, it suggests that technology is a disrupter which will challenge traditional coaching and mentoring solutions, which are complex, time-consuming and expensive in the changing economic climate.

1 Our coaching roots – How we came to be

It was the year 2009 and my colleagues and I established “CR Squared People Catalysts”, a coaching, consulting and mentoring organisation, which develops and implements organisational change and empowerment programmes for corporate companies in South Africa. We founded the company with the desire to equip people with the ability to manage and deal with change exceptionally well, by increasing their skills to respond to situations and challenges with candour, resilience and receptivity. We formulated the equation: People Change = CRr2, which is how we derived our company name, “CR Squared People Catalysts”.

Coming from various different backgrounds, my colleagues and I, three coaches and one business consultant, came together to and synthesize our more than eighty (80) years of corporate business experiences of various roles we held as we progressed through life and business. Collectively, we were in roles such as business analysts, change managers, consultants, designers, entrepreneurs, engineers, managing directors, sole proprietor executive coaches, knowledge engineers, systems engineers, technologists and project managers. These roles provided the seeds from which we grew a rich collection of individual, group coaching, mentoring and e-coaching solutions.

As we transitioned into our roles of coaches, consultants, entrepreneurs and mentors, we found that we empathised and resonated with the typical issues, challenges and emotional pains employees and executives face in their daily work. Our clients’ plights included needing to be and feel competent; to work well with others; to adapt to constant change of the uncertainties of business, and or, to step into and hold leadership positions.

Individually we transitioned from being executives in corporate organisations to work with and help employees experience a more fulfilling and empowered personal and professional life. Our coaching skill sets are drawn from formal coaching training, as well as the models and sciences of integral or ontological coaching, behavioural coaching, neuroscience coaching and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Furthermore, new technological trends and developments offered a rich evironment to create new coaching and learning solutions, which can provide economies of scale and at the same time offer solutions that can be aligned with to new evolving learning styles of individuals and offer spaces for individuals to engage, collaborate and create their own unique solutions for challenges.

2 Fuel and damper

To transform the South African economy after the Apartheid era (the years before 1994), the government introduced legislation in 2007 to facilitate empowerment of previously disadvantaged individuals and businesses so that they could participate and have equal opportunities in the economy. Legislated as Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), it was aimed at the almost 80% of the population consisting of black, coloured, Indian and Chinese South African men and women. Organisations adapted their governance and compliance operations to include “Codes of Good Practise (Economic Empowerment). This meant that organisations set out to transform and rebalance their staff complement to be more representative of all the races of the typical South African community.

However, this transformation initiative resulted in white individuals being made redundant, as preference were given to employ, train and promote previously disadvantaged individuals. From a procurement perspective, organisations changed their buying preferences to source goods and services from individuals and businesses that are owned and controlled by the previously disadvantaged communities. While the intention of this transformation tool was positive, its impact on white individuals and businesses were catastrophic, as they had to make way for black, coloured, Indian and Chinese individuals and businesses. As a result of B-BBEE, our company experienced a surge in the demand to coach and develop this niche market of men and women to improve and enhance their self-mastery, communication skills and team leadership competencies. They wanted to equip themselves to step into higher levels of management and assume a broader scope of responsibilities. It deeply influenced our mission and purpose to help our country’s businesses and executives and gave us the opportunity to plough back our collective learning; share our wisdom; help others learn from mistakes we made, and share our understanding and successes.

In addition to the B- BBEE transformation, the global economic downturn that started in 2008 (Zini 2008) had a long term, downward spiral effect on the South African economy, as businesses grappled with the lower demand for goods and services at an declining exchange rate. Economic conditions slowed down with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of approximately five per cent in 2007 dropping to approximately 2% in 2012. Business leaders responded by closing down business units that were not core; staff reductions were made through lay-offs; organisations were restructured to contain costs and a spate of liquidations followed. More than 300.000 workers were retrenched in 2009 (Stokes 2009), which at the time put the unemployment rate at one person out of four out of a country population of approximately 48 million. This trend intensified over the next few years as telecommunications, information technology and financial sectors followed by annually reducing their staff (Staff Writer 2016). We were inundated, and at times overwhelmed with requests for coaching as affected individuals struggled to regain their self-worth and self-confidence in the aftermath of sudden, unexpected retrenchment and, or changes in their employment. Some were offered voluntary severance packages, while others we simply laid off. Skilled, experienced staff, most at the peak of their careers, learnt that their positions have become redundant as a result of their company’s restructuring exercise and poor financial performance.

As the recession became more intense, organisations’ cost containment exercises became even more severe and relentless as business leaders changed their decision making criteria of how to spend their budget, and in some cases, if spending was really necessary develop employees. In addition, we noticed that development and coaching initiatives were traditionally reserved for top executives, as it was time-consuming, expensive and regarded an exclusive perk. In addition to this, technology advanced rapidly, changing the world we live and work in as mobile computing expanded and employees transitioned to using smartphones and tablets in the workplace (Gartner 2011). Mobile phones and tablets became the preferred devices to access the web and businesses rushed to develop mobile channels to reach their clients, suppliers and employees. Mobile centric applications and interfaces emerged as users were introduced to touch, gesture sensitive, voice and video applications, changing user interfaces radically as mobile platforms developed and matured to mobile web technologies (Kar 2012). The “private cloud” phenomenon replaced the need to store information on local devices and users got used to subscribing to services and store their personal content “in the cloud”, making downloadable applications unnecessary. Social media became integrated into the work and private lives as people shared the photos, experiences and opinions connecting and expanding their circle of influence.

The economic, political and technological trends and issues compelled us to design innovative, technology-enabled, financially viable solutions for support organisational development programmes. We expanded our traditional coaching and mentoring programmes to serve large volumes of clients at a time, with stand-alone e-coaching, and integrated, blended coaching and mentoring solutions (i.e. solutions that combined in-person and online, distance coaching methodologies).

3 Designing the e-coaching process – Is on-line better?

In our in-person coaching engagements we found that we attracted four broad types of clients, notably:

  • individuals who have been laid off, or made redundant; typically between 35 and 55 years old, who found themselves in a career crisis, with a need to re-evaluate, reconsider and strategize for the next part of their careers;

  • groups of mentors who are skilled and experienced in their trade; typically 40 to 55 years old, who needed to mentor and coach young, upcoming individuals to transfer the critical skills and know-how and to empower and equip them for to step into their mentor’s shoes and accept higher levels of management and responsibility;

  • large groups of young and upcoming individuals; typically in their twenties, with the need to integrate more seamlessly into the world of business and develop emotional intelligence, personal mastery, teaming skills and leadership skills, and

  • large groups of high potential women employees; typically between 25 and 40 years old, with the need to develop more confidence and organisational political skills to step into higher level of management and leadership.

Characteristics of our client groups were that most were highly motivated to change and take charge of their futures, some spurred on by the possibility of being promoted. There were also those who were driven by dire circumstances to re-evaluate their careers and life purpose to craft a new purposeful path. Furthermore, when we reflected on our in-person coaching and large organisational development programmes, we noticed general theme s emerge for each of the groups of clients that we dealt with. Overall, individuals wanted to perform better at work and have a more fulfilling personal life. The coaching journey themes included addressing a career crisis; understanding one’s personal strengths and gifts; dealing with relationship challenges and issues; ability to manage emotions and conflict; decision making and values that drive decisions; understanding others’ perspectives; strengthening personal foundations; being more successful with money matters, and many more.

The use of internet technology became the obvious avenue to enable the delivery of a series of modular e-coaching journeys. However, the typical coaching process needed to be adapted for on-line use that leverages adult learning processes. The objective was to create a process that simulates a typical in-person coaching experience as close as possible.

The challenges to design and implement e-coaching included the inherent limitations of a web-based, online and distance interface, such as the absence of in-person contact, holding an opportunity to build rapport, as well as the human ability to uniquely and interactively respond to clients’ verbal statements and constantly adapting to individual’s communication, style and situation. However, we decided to draw from the elements that were at our disposal, notably theories, learning models and emerging e-learning technology and methodologies.

Theory without practice is foolish; practise without theory is dangerous. (Chinese expression)

At our fingertips were the “Experiential Learning Theory” (ELT) of David Kolb (1984), Honey and Mumford’s (Mumford 1982) staged learning process, and the VARK (visual-auditory-reading/writing-kinaesthetic) learning style model (Fleming 2001). Neuroscience coaching, even though it is a new field, informed much of the design of the e-coaching process, where we could leverage the ability of humans’ unique, innate skill to “observe self” and engage their prefrontal cortex and limbic brain. This allowed the ample use of pictures, metaphors, telling of stories and providing opportunities to visualise, imagine, strategize and plan. In addition, e-learning and its technologies became part of the organisational learning and training landscape, which enabled us to learn and draw from and incorporate specific elements that fit the purposes of e-coaching.

Furthermore, professional coaching training and experience taught us four best practise s for coaching effectively: firstly to avoid getting involved or become part of a clients’ problem or drama, and details and specifics of answers to questions are not important; secondly to avoid proposing answers or offer options and solutions to problems; thirdly to acknowledge clients as the “experts” of their situation and that they are capable of finding their own unique solutions to achieve objectives, and finally to pose powerful questions to provoke clients to think, feel and react to the issue at hand and create a space for them to see and “hear” their own line of reasoning. These coaching best practices serve extremely well in an e-coaching scenario, especially because a coach’ suggestions or “help” are simply not available. Our conclusions were that an e-coaching interface offered more than enough of the essential elements for effective coaching and it presents a practical and worthy solution that avoids the normal human temptations of getting involved or become in client’s problems or dramas, or the lure of proposing answers or offer options or solutions.

4 An e-coaching model – Adapted from experts

By three methods we may learn wisdom; first by reflection, which is the noblest; second by imitation, which is the easiest, and third by experience, which is the bitterest. (Confucius)

The theory we leveraged include Honey and Mumford’s adult learning process. It starts with stage 1 as “having an experience”, leading to stage 2 “reviewing the experience”, followed by stage 3 “concluding from the experience” and finishing with stage 4 “planning the next steps”. This process was modelled and adapt ed, so that it can be used as an online e-coaching process with the facility to interact with a coach or a group. Figure 7.1 illustrates the adapted process from Honey and Mumford, as an integrated, e-coaching process. It was reduced to three major steps, notably step 1: “discover and explore the topic”, followed by step 2: creating “awareness and create perspective” and concluding with step 3: “reframe and integrate”.

Fig. 7.1
figure 1

E-coaching process of the “Laws of Motion“

(adapted from Honey and Mumford; Mumford 1982)

Full size image

Step 1 (“discover and explore the topic”) involves guiding a user through a topic or theme, allowing them to explore concepts through rich, visual pictures and sketches to illuminate and unpack subjects. The content explores typical challenges and issues of a topic.

The topic introduction is followed by a self-reflection journaling component, which helps the user reflect on their current situation, assumptions and beliefs, as in Fig. 7.2.

Fig. 7.2
figure 2

Example journaling process

Full size image

Reflective questioning guides users to “look within”, finding sources of problems and explore challenges and issues in more detail. Journaling provides opportunities to capture thoughts and responses to questions and requests as private, confidential inputs. Each question, request or statement provides a text entry window that is scrollable, where responses are entered. The journal can be saved, or it can be saved and emailed for safekeeping. The process facilitates discovery of insights and create understanding of situations, experiences and issues, nudging users to reconsider the ways they think about an issue or problem.

Step 2 (“awareness and create perspectives”) is presented through case studies of role model s, who are “real-world-people” examples of individuals who experienced similar challenges and issues. The sources of our case studies came from our own experiences and our clients’ experiences, which we collected over our many years of coaching. Names were of course changed, as the purpose was to highlight the issue rather than name a person. Users have an opportunity to identify with and relate to a “real” person and situation and resonate with the challenges. Case studies illustrate how the “real life” role models engage with a coach in a coaching process, which gives the user a guide and how to proceed with the self-coaching process in step 3 (Fig. 7.3).

Fig. 7.3
figure 3

Example worksheet

Full size image

Step 3 (“reframe and integrate”) further enriches the topic with motivational quotes or inspirational wisdom, presented during the process, inspiring users with rays of hope and good outcomes. The final guided worksheet exercise, Fig. 7.3, facilitates integration and synthesising of new awareness, new connections, decisions and discoveries. The user follows the case study example, guided by the coaching questions and requests. Here the worksheet process poses interpretive questions to uncover deeper meanings such as beliefs, values, assumptions helping users to think and critically analyse situations for the impact and consequences. This process is completed by asking decision making questions that lead to formulating commitments and planning a way forward.

Step 3 concludes by leading users to experiment with their new insights and commitments of the subject through a personal challenge. In this action learning activity, users are invited to try new behaviours so that they can build on what they have experienced or learnt in the e-coaching module. This process is a necessary component to challenge users and create an awareness that coaching is an applied science, which should be integrated into everyday life (Fig. 7.4).

Fig. 7.4
figure 4

Useful stuff

Full size image

Every module offers references and pointers to more resources such as books, downloads and videos, for those who want to delve deeper into the subject, as illustrated in Fig. 7.5.

Fig. 7.5
figure 5

Blended and integrated coaching and mentoring process

Full size image

Existing e-learning platforms provided a valuable reference to help us create our e-coaching process model and design. Although e-learning itself is not suitable for the purpose of coaching, there are elements that we could draw from to build our e-coaching process and platform. These include:

  • a web browser interface, where users access an application driven platform, asynchronously, as, when and from anywhere;

  • the capability to update e-coaching content in real-time, making updates seam-less and immediately available;

  • an intuitive interface, that is practical, easy to use with web browser navigation styles, and

  • content should illuminate the topic or subject with case studies or examples for understanding and to build awareness and insights.

The elements of e-learning such as testing, evaluation and providing instant feedback of comprehension were not suitable for coaching and were not included as part of the e-coaching model, because the objective is to achieve coaching and not training. However, making assessments and measurements are important to measure success and “Return on Investment” (ROI). We make provision for these and incorporate it as additional questionnaires to the e-coaching modules or programmes. It may include personality profiling, gauging behavioural shifts, or measure performance improvements.

Improving personal performance through e-coaching can be achieved by interacting with the visual content, responding to statements and questions through reading and writing and following through by acting on the personal challenge components. The prerequisite however is for individuals to have a personal commitment and be invested in their development.

In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is desire. No reasons or principle contain it or stand against it. (Jan Smiley)

5 The “Laws of Motion” platform – Piecing it together

When we reviewed existing e-learning platform s and web publishing applications, none quite satisfied our specific requirements. We set out to specify, design and establish our own platform, which also meant that we could control adding functionalities and features as and when we needed it as well provide ongoing improvements and changes as new requirements emerge.

Our platform needed a name, and once again we looked towards science, the foundation of our professional development and understanding. An analogy was made between Newton’s laws of motion and how human behavioural change and results are achieved. The “Laws of Motion” came into being (www.thelawsofmotion.net) with the three human laws, with the parallels shown in Table 7.1:

Table 7.1 The human laws of change
Full size table

Functionalities include the display of highly visual, animated and object sensitive web pages that allow users to navigate through the pages of a module; the ability to email journals and worksheets to themselves and to send requests to an administrator for assessment questionnaires where external assessment instruments are used. Users access the “Laws of Motion” platform with a username with an initial password, which connects to the “Laws of Motion” server. Depending on what they signed up for, access will be provided to a single module or a menu of modules. Users then work through the e-coaching content, asynchronously, completing entries to their journals and worksheets, which are are strictly private and confidential. E-coaching is supported by interactive and feedback sessions with a coach, via telephone, skype or in-person, facilitated group development sessions and online collaboration, such as “Facebook”, should this be and agreed working process.

6 In practice

The “Laws of Motion” e-coaching platform offers a range of more than 17, stand-alone online e-coaching modules to choose from, listed in an online catalogue (www.crsquared.co.za). Organisational development programmes, may consist of a selection of e-coaching modules, which collectively aims to achieve the overall programme objectives. These are implemented as blended programmes, integrating e-coaching modules with interactive in-person, group processes and collaboration platforms over a period of time. These implementations prove to be extremely efficient, scalable and effective for large volumes of participants.

A solution may cover a broad development spectrum, which may include improving self-management, interpersonal management and organisational management competencies. Figure 7.5 depicts how online modules are supported by individual and group interactions. For example, each month participants will work through an e-coaching module on their own, which is a prerequisite to joining synchronous, group facilitated coaching or workshop interventions for that month. Participants then use group interventions to re-enforce concepts and understanding, share collectively and connect with others, having explored the subject and having done self-analysis and reflection in advance. In parallel, individuals can access moderated chat rooms or collaboration platforms; have individual “Skype” or telephone coaching and participate in mentoring sessions.

The organisational investment per participant is financially viable and practical, as group contact times are kept to a minimum, while maximising impact and providing substantial “Return on Investment” (ROI).

7 Benefits

E-coaching offers significant benefits to organisations, suppliers of coaching and mentoring services as well as to individuals who wish to use self-coaching to improve their personal development and careers. Individuals have the benefit of selecting topics as and when they need it, completing it at their own pace, as well as not being tied to a specific time and place to meet with a suitable coach. In addition to this the cost is significantly lower than working with a personal coach.

Furthermore, organisations in South Africa and Africa have a huge demand for empowerment and development of staff that are geographically dispersed. They benefit from blended, e-coaching and technology enabled mentoring development solutions that can be scalable to reach all employees. At the same time e-coaching offers an avenue for suppliers of coaching solutions are able to extend their capacity and serve larger target audiences.

8 Appreciation

Human resource managers and business leaders noted that having explicit knowledge of what e-coaching modules and development programmes contain give assurance of the level of learning that informs organisational development processes. Furthermore, individuals find the self-reflecting processes as well as the real life case studies enlightening, assisting them to build and strengthen their personal foundation on which to build the next steps of their life and careers.

9 After thought

We found that embracing the uptake of e-coaching to be somewhat slower than expected in the light of the huge demands for personal and organisational development needs. However, technology is a disrupter (Lowler 2016) of traditional business models and the coaching industry may not be spared from this. Traditional coaching and mentoring solutions are complex, time-consuming and expensive and business models will be challenged to respond to this change to keep in pace with changing economic conditions.