Is AI a Better Coach Than Me?

Is AI A Better Coach Than Me?

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John: Angie,

Angie: John.

John: do you know what? The other day I was having a bit of a moment. I'm just wondering if the AI is coaching better than I am. I don't know if it was an existential crisis or just Tuesday, but who knows?

Angie: Oh, well, I'm gonna say this. If AI can coach, can it also roll its eyes at clients who want like the quick fix? Because that's my main skillset. Not really, but you know what I mean. I.

John: Absolutely these, these human elements that I think we both know that realistically AI is on coaches' minds and maybe some of us are comparing ourselves secretly to chat GPT and the likes and perhaps pretending we're not, but we're a bit worried about where things are going in the coaching industry. I thought it would be good for us to have a chat about.

lah, blah, blah, blah, blah. [: 00:01:00

John: I think, I think there's no doubt, there's no doubt that, um, people are using AI as a substitute coach or, or just as a coach. Uh, I, I have been doing so myself at various points. Um. And, and I think it's is natural that people are gonna do that. So are we, are we competing? Am I doing that instead of working with a human or just 'cause it's quick and easy?

John: I, I think there's a, there's a lot to it, right?

know, minutia. So, you know, [: 00:02:00

Angie: Like for me it's more administrative. Um. Otherwise, I personally do not use it in my practice.

John: Yeah.

Angie: Damn it.

John: Yeah, I think it's a better, a better guide to things than a, than it is a creator. And I think, um, one problem that I think there is with, with AI tools, which, which I think coaches, coaches often end up facing as well, is this whole thing of, um, a lot of people come to you wanting, wanting the fix, wanting the solution, and they want you to give it to them.

actually prompt these things [: 00:03:00

Angie: Listen, you know, remember Dr. Spock

John: Dr. Spock or Mr. Spock.

Angie: well, I always called him Doc 'cause he was Dr. Spock. Right. But I, Mr. Spock, Jesus. You know, this is what happens when you partner up with a geek who knows everything about all the things. Okay. Then, oh, was it Dr. McCoy? Yes, it was Star Trek reference. Was it Dr. McCoy?

John: Dr. McCoy. Yeah. Dr. Spock

Angie: See, I'm not as far off the mark. Okay. Don't bust my chops early in the morning. Cheese.

John: know I'm a nerd. What do you expect?

t? The human element, and it [: 00:04:00

John: Here's, here's what five top coaches in this area say on this subject. Um, yeah, I mean, it, it, it's not always the most helpful thing, but, you know, you're gonna get some answers for sure, but you might not get properly what you need. And, and this is something that I've, that I found with AALS as well.

on in our lives or help with [: 00:05:00

John: But we can't follow them all. We can't keep track of all of it ourselves because our brains are not computers. They don't, we, we don't work that way and, and so. We still have to work with the human elements and, um, maybe AI tools will develop more along that path as, as things progress. I, I don't know. But in terms of sort of acting or engaging in a human way with people, it's, it's not there.

John: It's a good tool still, but it is, it's not there. Even, even though some people, I'm sure some people are having relationships with their AI and things like that, it's, you're gonna hear about it and people will, but I do think that is more, that is, there's, there's other stuff going on there, uh, and is somewhat dissociative.

John: I think there's psychological issues going on there. Most of us are not. We recognize this is a computer, it's not a being.

Angie: Remember that [: 00:06:00

John: Oh, I never saw it, but, uh, yeah, it was the, the guy falls in love with an AI, I think, or

Angie: He does. And this was, I don't know how long ago at the time I remember thinking, Ooh, creepy, right? And now there's other movies that are like, oh, I have this new robot in the house and it does everything and it babysits my child and. I'm not saying those things are impossible. Walt Disney, you know, if you went back 9, 19 74 or five and went to Walt Disney World, everything there was futuristic.

ren't going to be right more [: 00:07:00

Angie: They were just my opinion. Um. But like where do you see AI from? Where you can, right? Everything changes all the time, but from today's perspective, what do you see as an advantage? Or where does AI fit into a coaching practice?

r ideas around into, and so. [: 00:08:00

John: What, what am I missing? You know, AI can, to some degree give you. Of that, uh, and can help you in some of your decision making processes. What we don't really want for it is for it to be making decisions for us. You know, I think we maybe talked about this in sort early days of coaching kind of thing, the sort of savior complex.

hought processes to AI tools.[: 00:09:00

John: I think, I don't think that's a, I don't think that's a healthy thing. So where it can be good as a tool, as a co-pilot, as a reference, um, as a structure guide, as a sort

Angie: Right. Organizational things.

John: Organizational, what am I missing? Admin tools, especially for people who like iga, are not always good with the practical elements of things.

John: It can help to keep you on track, but it can only help that and it can't do it for you. What, what do you think?

Angie: I have to tell you what I just did while we were talking. While you were talking. I should say. I went into chat, GPT, and I just put in, can you coach me on my marriage? I just threw it in there. This may or may not make it to the actual what we put out there, and it

John: Sorry, Angie, it's beyond help.

Angie: Right. No, you're good. No, no.

d your marriage. To set this [: 00:10:00

Angie: This is not going to help me in my marriage, but it does present. What's the primary challenge or tension that you're experiencing? So like you were just saying, to your point, this could be a great way for a coach to deliver a great session. Right. If John came to me and said, my husband and I we're really, Angie, we're having some real issues.

pull this up, right and say, [: 00:11:00

Angie: Honestly,

John: Sure, sure. Below. I mean, I

Angie: face right now, I don't think he's digging what I'm doing, but

John: then, and I'm thinking

Angie: up what I'm laying down.

John: thinking about things, um, here, here's what, here's what I think, and here's my take on this. If I was gonna approach. Chat, GPT for help with my marriage, which I, to be honest, I wouldn't, um, just doesn't feel appropriate to me. What I might do instead though is ask it what are the kinds of questions or, uh, points of that a relationship.

now, again, you can get more [: 00:12:00

John: Save you a fortune, save you a fortune, and save you a lot of time in reading various texts, textbooks, or searching for YouTube videos or whatever else you might spend in just trying to find the places to get started. Um, I would be much more keen to empower myself. I don't, I'll share this with you. I'm, I'm, I'm working on book and, um, and I'm using AI as a tool to help me edit.

John: Uh, I don't want it to create the book. Uh, I want it to help me spot what I might be missing. Um, cut stuff that doesn't need to be there, um, uh, and make it. More easier to scan and, and, and more readable, but still very much intent on keeping my voice. I don't want the book written for me, but it's a really helpful, it's a really helpful tool in my editing process.

D editors or say, all right, [: 00:13:00

John: But, um, I certainly wouldn't want it doing the work for me.

Angie: Absolute. Listen, I think it kind of come, this is just a smaller perspective, you know? And you have yourself, we've gone through training, right? We've worked for companies where this is our program. You're gonna deliberate pro like session by session in its way. And that's fine because I think there's great value in that.

lf and your client. And that [: 00:14:00

Angie: So I don't, I would say to people, like, if you want to, and you said the word tool, right? If you want to use AI chat, GPT or anything else as a tool. Then certainly you should do that to enhance what it is you're already doing and capable of doing as a coach and how you do that. I mean, you know, I think we could go on and on and how, how, you know, for me it's administrative, it's, you know, cut through the, the nonsense for me, um, et cetera, et cetera.

nevers and the always, but. [: 00:15:00

Angie: I have no idea. Maybe we are gonna be living like the Jetsons and the Starship Enterprise. I don't have any idea.

John: But yeah, look at, look at it this way. Uh, I think a, a number of coaching companies, I, we can potentially use something like BetterUp Coaching as an example because they, they are ultimately a tech company and, um. And so it may, and I think they even have projects I've heard from some of their coaches.

the waters a little bit. Um, [: 00:16:00

John: There are some things that AI tools won't allow you to do, but do they have appropriate coaching boundaries? No. Do, do they, uh, know when to when to help you empower yourself or when to just give you the answer? No. Um, you know, do they know when to pause and let you think or sit through an uncomfortable silence?

John: They absolutely do not. Uh. Maybe they will get there at some point, but that is not where the technology is right now. And these are some of the reasons why it's just not going to, uh, you know, not just not gonna replace good coaching. Um, you know, there's. You said about a while back, about the coach who, uh, oh no.

somebody who launches into a [: 00:17:00

John: Um. AI will, will do those things. It does. It doesn't have those boundaries, those nuances, the social skills. Maybe it will at some point.

Angie: Yeah, listen, there's so much unknown and honestly, I'm gonna say this, I am excited about it. If you told me even five years ago, and I AI's been around a lot longer than that, but I think I even made this reference way back. I was, you know, I. In in more of the sales arena in terms of training, coaching and things.

Angie: And I remember like sitting down in this room, this company that I was working for, had this, this giant, like all the people are there, presentation. And I remember on the giant screen in this ballroom of a hotel, boom, boom, boom, boom, like crazy intense music. And the, the words, block letters, social media.

time, right? But introducing [: 00:18:00

le didn't or resisted social [: 00:19:00

Angie: I, I just wanna say for the record, John's camera just froze and he just looked like he, he had this look like he just ate a pickle covered in lemon juice, the way his face froze. It was very, very handsome. Still but fun to look at. But so, do you know what I mean? Like definitely embrace it for what it is and utilize it, because why wouldn't you?

Angie: But in terms of, I, you know what, let me be sarcastic if I might.

John: of course.

Angie: might, I mean, not me I ever sarcastic, but

John: It's what we're here

Angie: think AI can only replace coaches who are, fill in the blank. I wanna say this. You say it for me, John.

a bad joke, but it's a joke. [: 00:20:00

Angie: I don't even, I, I don't know.

John: Without the right prompt, they'll just tell you what they think you want to hear,

Angie: I love it. That is, there you go. And that unfortunately, if, if that stung a little bit, you probably need to rethink yourself for a minute and what type of coach you are. But I think it's hilariously true, right? It's hilarious. That's a great one.

John: Yeah, it's not gonna make it into my act, but, uh, but yeah, absolutely it is. Uh,

Angie: Well, it could maybe in a different way.

John: If I ever do comedy for coaches, I'll let you know, but, um,

Angie: Oh, that's great. You should do that. Oh.

ave come up in, in our chats [: 00:21:00

John: Um, so, so there's a number of ways in which I think coaches still have a role to play. And, and, and this one came up in a conversation with one of my friends, um, last week of, um, if you are on a, if you are using AI for some kind of coaching and you maybe want productivity coaching, and you've set up this program and you set up your check-ins and all this kind of stuff, how accountable do you really feel to an AI.

really only, it's like, like [: 00:22:00

Angie: I love

John: so what, so what screw you toothbrush?

John: You know, it's like, so what? Um, it, it's just, it's just a prompt at the end of the day. Whereas if it was a person who was watching me and making sure that I brush for two whole minutes every single time I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna do it depending on who the person is. Uh, I think we feel a higher level of accountability and connection with people, certainly than we do with, with machines or, um, uhis at this time.

actually would've, you know, [: 00:23:00

Angie: For the things that I'm not great at that I resist. Um, and even sometimes if I throw an idea in, I'm just like, curious, I wanna brainstorm. John's not available. We're on, you know, different time zones when I'm sitting there contemplating my navel, he's asleep. So, um, that doesn't help. But at the end of the day, it really can like, get some of the creative juices flowing.

Angie: So there are benefits to it. I'd love to hear like, who is, is anybody using it? And to what if you are. To what degree or extent are you, are you utilizing it and are you seeing success with it? Is it helping or has it not really been a big help?

You can actually go away and [: 00:24:00

John: Go and play with this, which is especially relevant for people who coach in very specific areas. If you're a marketing coach, a business coach, if you're a speaking coach, I mean, you, you can give people specific tools that they can do some work with that may help to speed up there. Processes or guide them whilst you are not around to be there for them 24 7, which is definitely a good thing for, for us and protecting our time.

John: Um, but yeah, de definitely the there. How could you bring these things in, in a way that enhance your offering to your clients rather than replace the stuff about you that isn't really replaceable.

Angie: Absolutely. I mean, there's a differentiator there and you need to be able to discern between that, you know, it's what's on this side and what's on this side, and that's a great way to, I think that's a great way to say that.

pefully does. Uh, but it's a [: 00:25:00

John: Boundaries is gonna make a big difference. And always thinking about how we are empowering and helping people rather than doing everything for them. We don't want to be. Do you remember that film, Wally, where people are so lazy they have to be kind of floated around all the time? Yeah. Yeah. We don't wanna become that.

John: I hope that we, that everything is done for us and

Angie: No.

John: our whole life is leisure time and cocktails and burgers and nothing else. It's like, that would be so boring. Uh, so unchallenging and, uh, yeah, not, not sure that the, the world really wants that. We always want growth. We always want development. We always want to improve or better things, I hope.

John: And, uh, so yeah,

ything is, you know, pushing [: 00:26:00

Angie: Like, remember the time when, so don't even get me started. We'll talk about that another time. I need to get off, I need to jump off the soapbox, but anyway.

John: Look, I think this has been a fun and informative chat and, and definitely raises some key elements about ai and we'd love to hear your thoughts and where you're using it, where you've been challenged with it. And get in touch with the show. You'll hear from us shortly and how to do that.

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