One of the more unusual aspects of the executive coaching
profession is that coaches need no specific license or accreditation to join its
ranks. That isn’t true, of course, of
many other professions: lawyers need to pass bar examinations; doctors need to
graduate from approved medical schools.
The International
Coaching Federation (ICF), of which I am a member, manages a formal
certification program. While there are other associations of executive coaches,
some of which have their own certification programs, ICF is the world’s largest
and most recognizable.
The ICF credentialing program is designed to protect and
serve those who contract with, and use, coaching services. It is also designed to measure and certify
the competence of those who have entered the coaching profession, and to
inspire coaches to continue to develop and improve their coaching skills.
While having a credential doesn’t guarantee that a coach is
a good one, it does show a level of commitment to coaching as a
profession. It’s also a significant way
to discern if a coach has professional training and a verified history of experience.
According to the organization itself, ICF accredited coaches
“demonstrate not only knowledge and skill, but also a commitment to high
professional standards and a strong code of ethics.”
To receive the ICF’s designation of “associate certified coach,”
coaches must have received 60 hours of coach specific training, 10 hours of
mentoring with another professional coach, and have completed 100 hours of
coaching others with at least 8 different clients, 75 hours of which must have
been paid for by clients.
To become a “professional certified coach” as the
organization calls them, coaches must have completed 125 hours of
coach-specific training, and 750 hours of coaching others with at least 25
clients, 675 hours of which must have been paid for by clients.
And finally, to reach the highest rung on the ladder, and
become a “master certified coach,” coaches must have 200 hours of
coach-specific training, and 2500 hours (2250 paid) of coaching with at least
35 different clients. They must also
send in two recorded coaching sessions so that their performance can be
evaluated.
Coaches in all three groups must have their credentials
renewed every three years, and must have taken 40 units of continuing education
courses on coaching in that time.
Starting April 1, 2014, all coaches must successfully pass a coaching
knowledge assessment—a multiple-choice, Web based exam that applicants can take
on their home or work computers. The assessment is designed to demonstrate a
coach’s knowledge of ICF’s core competencies and code of ethics.
To date, ICF reports that more than 11,000 coaches have
participated in one of the three coaching programs.
No comments:
Post a Comment