(Published in the Star on 5 Dec 2012)

To stay the course, coaches have to adhere to strict rules regarding their conduct and behavior

Most people can tell that John’s reputation as a coach is as solid as a rock. He is distinctly different from the many self proclaimed or ill-trained coaches out there who do not “live out the coach” in them in both their personal and professional lives. John was serious about being a really good coach. Even though he was short of time and money, he went to the best coaching school, which offers programmes that are accredited to the International Coach Federation (ICF). However, there are many who rather chose the easy way out of either enrolling for a very short course or none at all. These ones unfortunately lose out in the longer term as they are not taught, guided nor made accountable to a reputable coaching body that sets strict rules and guidelines for their conduct and behaviour. However, John is wise as he sees that belonging to a reputable coaching body has far more benefits than liabilities.

In this Lesson 7, we shall examine the reasons why many coaches want to be part of the ICF. It is also to shed some light on the guidelines to the professional behaviour of ICF coaches through its code of ethics and professional standards.

What Makes ICF Attractive?

Coaches like John are attracted to be part of ICF because of its strong coaching brand as it is the world’s leading and most established coaching body with more than 20,000 members today. It is the successful because it “uncompromisingly” demand a very strict and high standard from its coaches in terms of coaching competencies, values and philosophy.

John wants to stand out among others. He wants his clients to know that he is a serious and solid coach. He feels the need to do this as there is no regulatory body in coaching. Anybody can call themselves a coach with or without going through a formal coaching programme.

ICF Ethics and Professionalism

In its ethical code, the focus is on building up the integrity of a truly professional coach in a number of ways. They are required to be fair and respectful to all clients and shall never over claim what they can do. When they do not have what is required, they must be responsible to refer them to other more competent coaches. They also need to be highly disciplined in not getting into intimacy with clients, manipulating them or striking out “shady deals” that involves barters, profit sharing and commissions, etc that can contaminate the coach’s true sincerity and commitment to support the client.

In its professional standards, the focus is on the coach’s professional practices. They are required to set clear parameters on what they need to do (and not do) at all key stages of the coaching relationship from establishing clear and accurate agenda to confidentiality and to even record keeping. It also spells out the need for them to undergo continuous coach learning coaches so that their skill set is continuously being updated and sharpened.

<How to Become Successful Through ICF

The starting point is to invest in an ICF accredited programme to become either an ICF trained or certified coach. There are 2 levels of accreditation: the ASCTH (Approved Coach Specific Training Hours) and the ACTP (Accredited Certified Training Provider). The former is a partial accreditation status where students, upon passing, will still be required to take external examinations conducted by ICF in the United States. The ACTP programme, however, is fully accredited as it allows students to automatically become ICF coaches without having to take external examinations. A search on the ICF website:www.coachfederation.org will provide you with more details on the accreditation status accorded to the coaching schools by ICF.

John enrolled in an established coaching school, which teaches its students more of the “how to” of coaching than the “what” or theories of coaching so that they are immediately ready to coach confidently. John is a member of an established local coaching body so that he has a platform to practice and sustain his coaching skills and interests. He also joins a good coach networking group for cross-coaching, cross-learning and even cross-referring of clients.

He keeps to a life of “living out the coach in you wherever you are and with whomever you meet”. This will spread his good name to all. Coaches like him may start to get clients in some of the unexpected places like while exercising at a recreational park, while reading in a library, or even in an aircraft when they are travelling!

How Much Did You Learn From Here?

1) Why are ethics and professional standards important to the success of coaches?

2) What is ICF and why is it a body that forward-looking coaches want to associate with?

3) What is the focus in the code of ethics for coaches?

4) What are the key elements in the professional standards for coaches to observe?

5) What is the difference between these two: ACTP- and an ACSTH-accredited programme?