Video is the next best thing to being there

For coaching conversations that require nuance, empathy, and real time interaction, video calls are far superior to phone calls or chat messages. You can read body language, share screens to review data, and build a personal connection that text based communication cannot replicate.

But video coaching only works when it is structured, valued, and respectful of the agent's time.

Structuring a coaching session

Pre session preparation (5 minutes for you)

Before the call, pull the agent's recent metrics: pipeline status, conversion rates, activity levels, and any notable deals (won or lost). Have specific talking points ready.

Opening (3 minutes)

Start with a genuine check in. How is the agent doing? What has been their focus this week? This human moment sets the tone for a productive conversation.

Data review (10 minutes)

Share your screen and walk through their performance data together. Do not lecture. Ask questions. "I noticed your conversion rate dipped this month. What do you think is driving that?" draws out insights that telling never achieves.

Skill focus (10 minutes)

Pick one specific skill to work on. Role play a scenario, review a recorded call together, or workshop an approach to a difficult prospect. Focused practice on a single skill is more effective than broad advice on many topics.

Action planning (5 minutes)

Agree on one or two specific actions for the coming period. These should be measurable and achievable. "Practice the new discovery framework on your next three calls" is specific. "Try to sell better" is not.

Closing (2 minutes)

Summarise what was discussed, confirm the action items, and schedule the next session.

Making coaching welcome, not dreaded

Frame it as investment

Position coaching as your investment in their earning potential, not as surveillance or criticism. When agents see coaching as a path to higher commissions, they welcome it.

Be consistent

Schedule coaching at the same time each week or fortnight. Consistency builds routine and shows commitment. Cancelling frequently signals that coaching is not a priority.

Listen more than talk

The best coaching sessions are 70% agent talking, 30% coach talking. Your job is to ask the right questions, not to deliver monologues.

Celebrate progress

When coaching leads to improvement, acknowledge it explicitly. "Last month we worked on your discovery questions, and this month your average deal size increased by 20%. That is directly connected." This validation reinforces the value of the coaching relationship.

Common mistakes

Making every session about numbers

Data informs coaching, but coaching is about development. If every session is just a metrics review, agents feel managed rather than coached.

Trying to fix everything at once

Focus on one area per session. Agents cannot absorb and implement ten pieces of feedback simultaneously.

Skipping the relationship

Coaching requires trust. If you jump straight to criticism without building rapport, agents disengage. Invest in the relationship and the coaching becomes effective naturally.