Core Competencies – ICF Global
The following eleven core coaching competencies were developed to support greater understanding about the skills and approaches used within today’s coaching profession as defined by the International Coach Federation: Core Competencies
Code of Ethics – ICF Global
In line with the ICF Global core values and definition of coaching, the Code of Ethics is designed to provide appropriate guidelines, accountability and enforceable standards of conduct for all ICF Global Members and ICF Credential holders: Code of Ethics
Coach Certifications
ICF Global site - search for coach certification programs
https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/find-education
Reach Your Goals
What about people who are already doing great in their lives. Why would they need a coach?
They might not need a coach. But it is helpful to find out: Are they doing what they most enjoy? Are they tolerating anything? Is life easy? Are they going to be financially independent within the next 15 years? Do they have what they most want? We’ve discovered that, often, people need to expect more out of their lives. A coach can help in this process.
Tell me more…
A personal coach does just what an athletic coach or music teacher does, only in a more complete and bigger way. A coach challenges you and takes the time to find out what winning in life means to you. A coach is your partner in living the life you know you can accomplish, personally and professionally. A coach is someone to hold you accountable for your life, to make sure you really do live up to your potential.
No matter where you are in life, there is always a desire for more. More success, more money, closer relationships, a deeper feeling of meaning in life, etc. It is the nature of people to want to attain more, become more, be more, and we all struggle with how to get what we’re looking for.
Most people believe that “hard work and doing it on your own” are the keys to finding the life, success, money, or happiness that they seek. They believe that a price must be paid to attain what they want, and often that price is poor health, not having enough time to enjoy life, strained family relationships or lessened productivity. The saddest part is that, even though this effort may result in more of something, it is often not the something you had in mind, and they are back where they started, or worse, further from their real intentions.
Athletes and performers know about this trap. They know they need someone else, a trained someone else, to help them set goals, discover real needs, and work effectively toward ultimate goals of excellence. So, they are willing to hire a coach or a teacher. No serious athlete or musician would expect to progress very far without one.
What happens when you hire a coach?
You take more effective and focused actions immediately. You stop putting up with what is dragging you down. You create momentum so it’s easier to get results. You set better goals that you might have without the coach.
What Direction is Right for You?
Why has coaching become so popular?
Many people are tired of doing what they “should” do and are ready to do something special and meaningful for the rest of their lives. Problem is, many can’t see it or, if they can, they can’t see a way to reorient their life around it. A coach can help them do both.
People are realizing how simple it can be to accomplish something that several years ago might have felt out of reach or like a pipe dream. A coach is not a miracle worker (well, they are, sometimes!) but a coach does have a large tool kit to help the Big Idea become a Reality. Fortunately, people now have time and resources to invest in themselves in this kind of growth.
A coach can work with you on many levels:
Spirituality. Many coaches are spiritually based — even the ones who coach people from companies like IBM and AT&T. America is getting spiritual quickly. (Our working definition of spirituality? How connected you are with yourself and others.) The coach helps the clients to tune in better to themselves and others.
Types of coaching specialities available:
- Career/Transition/Retirement
- Executive/Corporate/Leadership/Organizational
- Small Business/Financial
- Health/Wellness/Spiritual/Creative
- Family/Life/Relationship/Singles/Dating/Teen/Mid-Life/Senior
Why does coaching work?
Synergy between the coach and client creates momentum. Better goals are set – ones that naturally pull the client toward the goal rather than goals that require the client to push themselves to the goal. The client develops new skills, and these skills translate into more success.
It works!
Professional coaches:
- Help people set better goals and then reach those goals
- Ask their clients to do more than they would have done on their own
- Focus their clients better to produce results more quickly
- Provide the tools, support and structure to accomplish more
Does the coach work on personal goals or business/professional goals?
Both, actually. And, with the line between personal and business life blurring in the 2000s, the coach is the only professional trained to work with all aspects of you.
Where does the coach focus with an average client?
We focus where the client needs us most. And, we tend to weave in getting the client’s Personal Foundation strengthened, helping the client beef up their Reserve, and helping the client set goals based on their Personal Values.
How long must I commit if I start working with a coach?
Most coaches ask for a three to six month commitment but usually let you stop immediately if coaching is not working for you right now. Some coaches ask for a written agreement or contract. In a corporate coaching relationship, signed contracts are usually a good idea.
What does it cost to hire a coach?
Coaching costs vary broadly. Some coaches offer hourly rates while others offer monthly or package rates. Talk with some coaches in the domain you’re seeking support in to find an investment level that is most appropriate for you. Coaching packages often include three or four sessions per month anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes long. Executive coaches charge more, and some clients work with a coach for an hour or two a week.
Coaches Listen – Learn More About Coaching
What is the basic philosophy of coaching?
We’re all discovering what we really want and that we get can what we want faster and easier by having a coach who’s been there and who can help us.
Why do people decide to hire a personal/professional coach?
- They want more
- They want to grow
- They want it easier
How is coaching different from Consulting? Therapy? Sports coaching? A best friend?
Consulting. Coaching is a form of consulting but the coach stays with the client to help implement the new skills, changes and goals to make sure they really happen.
Therapy. Coaching is not therapy. We don’t work on “issues” or get into the past or deal much with understanding human behavior. We leave that up to the client to know and figure out while we help them move forward and set personal and professional goals that will give them the life they really want.
Learn more:
Critical Distinctions Between Coaching and Psychotherapy
Critical Distinctions Between Coaching and Psychotherapy (summary)
Sports. Coaching includes several principles from sports coaching, like teamwork, going for the goal, being your best. But, unlike sports coaching, most professional coaching is not competitive or win/lose based. We strengthen the client’s skills vs. help them beat the other team. It’s win/win.
Best friend. A best friend is wonderful to have. But is your best friend a professional who you will trust to advise you on the most important aspects of your life and/or business?