Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) Augment or Destroy The Coaching Experience ?
Geraldine GAUTHIER MCC
Master Certified Coach (MCC) | Empowering Coaches to Empower Others | Top Voice | Weekly Insights on Personal Growth
Imagine?the?year?2030.?Sarah,?a?thriving?executive?in?her?mid-40s,?is?navigating?a?crisis.?She’s?been?wondering?whether?to?venture?into?entrepreneurship?or?cling?to?her?high-ranking?corporate?position.?Sarah?reaches?out?for?help.?Instead?of?connecting?with?a?human?coach,?as one?might?expect,?she?engages?with?an?AI?system?-?GoMasterBot,?an?AI-based?coach.
The?interaction?is?smooth,?efficient,?and?even?includes?elements?of?humor.?GoMasterBot?anticipates?Sarah's?emotional?responses,?reads her facial expressions, offers?data-based?feedback,?and?generates?personalised?suggestions.?It's?the?epitome?of?a?well-structured?coaching?session,?without?human?involvement.?The?session?ends,?and?Sarah?is?left?contemplating?the?guidance?she's?received,?feeling?surprisingly?reassured.
Reflect?on?that?for?a?moment.?
Feel?the?chill?creeping?up?your?spine??Or?perhaps,?you're?intrigued?by?the?possibilities??Whether?you're?alarmed?or?excited,?it’s?evident?that?the?fusion?of?AI?and?coaching?is?no?longer?a?distant?fantasy,?but?a?rapidly?approaching?reality.
In?the?wake?of?AI's?unexpected?arrival,?particularly?the?advent?of?ChatGPT,?I?found?myself?deeply?concerned?about?the?Future?of?Coaching.?Conversations?with?my?peers,?both?within?and?outside?the?coaching?community,?ignited?intense?debates.?
Will?artificial?intelligence?(AI)?augment?or?destroy?the?coaching?experience??And?as?a?coach,?should?I?be?worried?about?thelongevity?of?my?career?
Denial?and?Fear
I?noticed?a?divide?among?those?I?spoke?with.
Some?firmly?believed?that?AI?could?never?replace?the?essential?components?of?coaching,?such?as?empathy,?intuition,?and?the?human?touch.?They?insisted?that?coaching?would?remain?unscathed?by?the?rise?of?AI.
On?the?other?hand,?there?were?those?who?saw?AI?as?the?future?of?coaching,?capable?of?transforming?the?entire?landscape?and?threatening?our?profession?as?it?exists?today.
A?Shift?in?Perspective
Rather?than?clinging?to?denial?or?succumbing?to?fear,?I?realised?the?importance?of?embracing?AI.?I?began?to?see?the?opportunities?it?presented?and?the?ways?in?which?I?could?adapt?in?the?face?of?change.
AI's?Impact?on?Coaching
1. ?Behavioural?Analysis
AI's?ability?to?analyse?human?behaviour?patterns,?such?as?speech,?body?language,?and?emotional?cues,?can?provide?coaches?with?profound?insights.?This?deeper?understanding?allows?us?to?identify?areas?for?improvement?and?tailor?our?approach?to?each?client's?unique?needs,?leading?to?more?impactful?and?personalized?guidance.
2. ?Virtual?Coaches?(CoachBots?like?GoMasterBot)
Have you tried being coached by ChatGPT? That's very interesting. We?see?emerging?available?on-demand?virtual?coaches?offering?real-time?feedback,?answering?questions,?and?providing?insights?based?on?data?analysis.?These?virtual?coaches?make?coaching?accessible?and?convenient,?ensuring?support?is?available?whenever?and?wherever?it?is?needed.?While?the?interaction?may?be?transactional,?their?availability?and?efficiency?on?some?topics?cannot?be?denied.
3. ?Yearning?for?Authentic?Human?connection
As?AI?continues?to?advance,?a?remarkable?phenomenon?is?emerging?–?a?collective?yearning?for?authentic?human?connections.?Many?individuals?are?recognizing?the?value?of?genuine?human?interaction?and?the?profound?impact?it?can?have?on?our?well-being.?As?coaches,?we?have?a?unique?opportunity?to?foster?these?connections.
4. ?Bridge?between?the?AI?advancements?and?the?fundamental?need?for connection
the?very?presence?of?AI?can?trigger?feelings?of?anxiety?and?uncertainty?in?individuals.?The?rapid?advancement?of?technology?and?the?potential?consequences?it?may?bring?can?leave?people?feeling?overwhelmed?and?disconnected.?This?is?where?coaches?can?play?a?vital?role.?By?offering?a?safe?and?empathetic?space,?coaches?can?help?individuals?navigate?their?anxieties,?manage?their?mental?health,?and?find?solace?in?the?presence?of?another?human?being.
5. ?Ethical?Issues
AI?raises?important?ethical?considerations.?Issues?such?as?data?privacy,?algorithm?bias,?and?the?potential?loss?of?human?connection?must?be?carefully?addressed.?We?must?be?vigilant?in?ensuring?the?responsible?and?ethical?use?of?AI,?maintaining?the?trust,?privacy,?and?well-being?of?our?clients.
What other impacts on coaching can you see?
Embracing?the?Future
To?prepare?ourselves?as?Coaches,?we?must?take?proactive?steps:
1. ?Develop?AI?Literacy
Get curious about the future, play with AI apps, understand how to properly prompt, discuss about new possibilities. Stay?informed?about?emerging?technologies?relevant?to?coaching.?This?knowledge?equips?us?to?understand?their?capabilities?and?potential?implications?for?our?coaching?practice.
2. ?Emphasise?Emotional?Intelligence
While?technology?plays?a?vital?role,?let?us?not?forget?the?enduring?importance?of?the?human?element?in?coaching.?By?enhancing?our?emotional?intelligence?skills,?we?deepen?our?understanding?of?our?clients'?needs,?emotions,?and?motivations.?By?staying?attuned?to?the?emotional?needs?of?our?clients,?we?can?provide?the?invaluable?human?touch?that?AI?cannot?replicate.
3. ?Build?Strong?Communities
Engage?in?conversations?with?fellow?coaches,?attend?networking?events,?and?join?professional?coaching?associations.?By?collaborating?and?sharing?insights,?we?can?navigate?the?evolving?coaching?landscape?more?effectively.
What else?
The?future?of?coaching?will?undoubtedly?be?influenced?by?AI. As?coaches,?we?have?a?choice?to?make:?resist?or?embrace it now!
Share your thoughts in comments. I
Geraldine - augmented by AI.
Marketing, Communications & Engagement Leader | Brand Strategist l Leadership Development Facilitator (APM) I Change Maker
3 个月The eye contact, warm smile, non-verbal cues and empathy of the one-to-one relationship will be missing. For the rest, it will be quite good :-)
I Help Global Leaders Power International Teams | Cross-Cultural Leadership Speaker
1 年Interesting questions Geraldine GAUTHIER Do you want to have coffee with a bot? If yes, then AI Coaching might work for you. For the rest, a real person whom you trust and feel comfortable being with will still be the first choice. The same can be said to other areas of social connections such as friendship and companionship. We can try to replace humans with machines. But humans still need humans to feel human.
Creative Intelligence Researcher, Creative & Somatic Intelligence Expert, Prodigy Cultivator, Futurist, Systems Thinker
1 年This does not worry me.? AI is about mass general answers.? People seeking coaching are the most sensitive.? People who are forced into coaching will opt for AI. But the most sensitive are spatial learners and AI will never give them the depth, breadth and mirroring they need.?
Parenting and Teen Coach | Certified Life Coach
1 年Thanks Geraldine ..insightful and relevant ????
Head of Marketing, TransformationX
1 年Indeed I’d spent my whole morning thinking about the possibilities of AI related to coaching! So when I saw your post I actually wondered if AI was reading my thoughts ?? Jokes apart - very insightful post. AI is here to stay but so are humans - especially in coaching.