When I was first introduced to coaching, I worked with people who had little or no formal training from a coaching organization. I didn’t know the difference at the time, so I thought it was great to work with someone who could walk me through a process, give me homework, tell me what to do. There is no doubt that they were helpful in their own ways, but what I experienced was more akin to mentoring and advising than coaching.
I turned to experts to find out more about coaching. The organization that came up in several of my conversations was the International Coaching Federation (ICF). ICF is arguably the most widely recognized global training and credentialing body for professional coaches with a history that reaches back over 50+ years.
Through my alma mater, I enrolled in a coaching certificate course designed and taught by ICF Master Certified Coaches (MCC). These accomplished MCCs teach ICF Core Competencies and the university added Core Coaching Constructs to further enhance the educational experience. We had rigorous homework, participatory classroom lectures, supervised practice and written and oral exams.
I am now an ICF member and adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics, a requirement for members. In addition, in order to even apply, I had to attain a particular level of coach-specific training over a minimum number of hours.
So, when you work with me, you can be assured that your coach is trained and held to a set of professional standards. You will experience a client-driven process that is goal and outcome focused and it’s all about you.
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