The Digital Campfire—Coaching in a Connected World

A new kind of campfire now glows across our world. It has no smoke or sparks, yet it is just as alive. We gather around it daily, often without naming it. I’ve come to think of it as the digital campfire. 

Coaching no longer happens only in cafés, retreat centres, or conference rooms. Now it takes place on video calls, shared documents, and online communities. 

Coaching now unfolds in virtual spaces that were hard to imagine just ten years ago. For Generation Z, the line between physical and digital life is already thin. They build real relationships online, lead teams there, and mentor one another. What is new to some feels normal to them. This asks those of us who coach to pause and reflect. 

• What does it mean to create space for presence, wisdom, and growth in this new world? 
• What does it mean to gather when bodies are far but attention is close? 

Often, we see the screen as a barrier. But presence is not just about being near. It is about attention, curiosity, and care. My reality is as a coach who works with people on screen and can interact with different time zones with ease. 

Additionally, I regularly influence individuals and organizations via digital media, which would have been unimaginable to me only a few years ago. 

The way we connect has changed, but the core work remains. Stories are still told. Courage is still named. To be honest, the more I think about and experience this new ‘digital campfire’, the less I care about where coaching can happen. A better question is where it cannot. Whenever two people meet with intention, honesty, and respect, something meaningful can happen. Whether across a table or across time zones, the connection stays the same. 

From ancient fires to virtual clouds, coaching has always been a relational art. 

The challenge for today’s leaders is not to choose between old and new, but to integrate them, to honor the wisdom of embodied presence while embracing the possibilities of technology. The next generation is already doing this. They host digital campfires daily-gathering, learning, and forming one another in spaces unseen but deeply real. I invite you to embrace this shift, experiment with new forms of presence, and lead the way in creating digital spaces for genuine connection. 

When we hold space for another with empathy and care—face-to-face, on video, or even as avatars—we step into familiar ground. It is the same sacred place where human souls have always been formed. 

The fire still burns. It just looks different today. Let’s gather around it, wherever we are, and actively shape the future of coaching together.