Generally, when we envision the work of a professional coach or mentor, we may picture an individual who meets with clients in a traditional office setting. Notes are taken, goals are set, and inspiration and sage wisdom are passed along. In contexts like these, coaches are almost always seen to be doing their work in the room, face-to-face with their clients or mentees. But with the pervasiveness of technological tools like voice assistants, there’s nothing stopping these professionals from amplifying the power of their inspirational messages and materials.
Where do professional coaching and the use of voice assistants intersect?
In some shape or form, most industries have found ways to establish an online presence for the sake of accessibility, expansion, and meeting the needs of plugged-in generations. Naturally, professional coaching is no exception. Online coaching agencies and platforms have grown especially popular in light of COVID-19, but there are also plenty of coaching technologies that have revolutionized the conventional structures of these kinds of services.
So, if professional coaches can perform their work remotely and efficiently serve clients using intuitive management platforms, what could mentoring and coaching look like when equipped with the unique power of voice assistants? Across the board, one of the primary responsibilities of professional coaches is to offer motivational techniques, advice, and affirmations. How can the functions of a voice application reinforce the value of these kinds of services?
THE EXISTING INFLUENCE OF VOICE TECHNOLOGY
As we know, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already revolutionizing our everyday uses of groundbreaking technology, as voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are lending us advice on how to drive, what to eat, what to watch, etc. Much to our surprise, real-world personal applications are helping us make better-informed decisions. In itself, the value of a voice assistant to the average user already mimics that of personal coaching. Using the verbal guidance of a knowledgeable source (whether a seasoned professional or AI), users can be pointed towards the most desirable outcome.
THE POWER OF VOICE
Being able to hear and process verbal guidance has a very different effect than any other kind of motivational resource. Not only does employing a voice application for personal coaching mirror that of having a professional directly in front of you, but an emphasis on hearing can often better serve one’s memory. After all, hearing is one of our most vital senses, and it’s crucial for helping us to remember the world around us.
If professional coaches are able to integrate their messages and other material into household technologies like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, the influence of their work could span beyond that of their scheduled sessions.
POTENTIAL FOR PERSONALIZATION
What makes professional coaching distinct from that of other resources (e.g. motivational books, programs) is the personalized experience that clients seek and receive. When a mentor is able to sit down and individually assess one’s situation, goals, and progress, they’re able to tailor a plan and specific action items that will enable their client to get closer to where they want to be in their career, professional development, and/or life. With the seemingly limitless potential of Artificial Intelligence as it’s used in voice applications, clients are able to receive similarly personalized advice based on the information they provide their voice assistant.
AI integrated voice assistants can function just like a traditional coach by helping users to get clear about what they want; set clear and compelling goals; develop action plans to reach them; support clients in taking action; and hold them accountable. Even without a professional mentor in the room with them, clients can progress more quickly in between sessions.
ESTABLISHING ROUTINE & PROMOTING ACCESSIBILITY
Perhaps the most interesting element of employing voice assistants to improve the efficacy of professional coaches’ work is the frequency with which these kinds of technologies are used. As a matter of fact, 2 in 5 adults use voice search once every day. With this kind of regularity and repetition, the messages put forth by professional coaches are bound to instill themselves into the minds of their clients.
Better yet, voice assistants stationed in the homes of clients allow for on-demand access of the services that coaches offer. Seeing as business now functions more flexibly outside of traditional working hours, clients are able to utilize the resources provided through voice applications at any time of need–even if it’s just following up after a live consultation.
Given the wide range of abilities in voice-enabled technology, personal coaching is just one kind of service that can be vastly improved with its integration. Between leveraging the already pervasive use of voice assistants to using voice as a memory tool, these technologies have the capacity to revolutionize the way people work on personal and professional development.