Interview with Andrew Maho

Andrew Maho is a professional coach, PCC certified, trainer and supervisor. He has founded Lykeio, a coaching school that aims at promoting an integrative coaching vision.

What was your first reaction when you were first told you about Wave?

My first reaction was: other companies have tried it before and it feels like an utopia. At the same time, I was excited because part of me wanted to believe in Wave, which is trying to bring together the two worlds I'm most passionate about: mathematics/technology & coaching. I also knew and trusted Adri Falcon as a great visionary and I couldn't help but wonder: what if Wave is the big breakthrough?

How is Wave different from any other coaching offers that exist today?

• It is not live coaching
• It is all in written mode: it requires structure of thought, which actually serves the coaching process
• You have a team coaching you
• It is not just technology and pre-automated scripts either: you also have humans designing content for you
• It relies on data
• It is accessible 24/7: completely tailored to when the client wants to interact and offers full flexibility

Why do you believe in Wave’s radical approach?

I believe it is possible because you have a human team coaching the client and that team is supervised. There is a real care in tailoring the experience to each client: it is not a scripted approach.

What would you say to people who feel that coaching is profoundly human and that technology should not be part of the mix?

Some studies have shown that a fully virtual coach powered entirely by artificial intelligence can be, in some aspects, more effective because there was no fear of judgment from the client's perspective. It proves that technology may bring something to interpersonal relationships. It is not all black and white, like “technology is bad, humans are good”. Not having someone facing you is also interesting. Coaching is here to help you develop your autonomy, so not having someone in front of you could be considered as a way to foster autonomy.

Why do you think coaches should be interested in participating in the movement Wave is creating?

I find it very intellectually challenging to be able to read a client’s case, come back to it. It is something you can hardly do in live coaching, where it's rare to make recordings of your coaching sessions. You also get to see a lot of different cases. Above that, being a part of an adventure that might seem like a utopia allows me to feel both challenged and audacious.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Coaching can be seen as a skill development and long-term learning approach. It sometimes relies on duration and repetition, that is exactly Wave’s methodology. The process helps you to train your ability to step back, with a routine, thus anchoring change in the long term. It makes coaching with Wave a great asset to help you develop your self-knowledge and soft skills in a sustainable way.