Your quality
assurance
The coaching gold standard
Graduated from an International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH) program delivered by Coaching Development and covering 125h of coaching training and practice, today I pursue the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential
The ICF definition of Coaching
The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as:
“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
Or
“An ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their life, careers, business or organisations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance and enhance their quality of life”
The ICF description of a coaching session
A Coaching session described by the ICF…
“in each meeting the client chooses the focus of the discussion, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. This interaction creates clarity and moves the client into action. Coaching accelerates the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where the clients are now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future, recognising that results are a matter of the client’s intentions, choices and actions, supported by the coach’s efforts and application of the coaching process”
The eight core competencies an ICF coach embodies
A coach accredited by the ICF:
Demonstrates ethical practice – Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching
Demonstrates integrity
Abides by the ICF Code of ethics
Respects confidentiality
Maintains directions with other support professions.
Embodies a coaching mindset – Develops and maintains a mind-set that is open, curious, flexible and client centred
Engages in ongoing learning and development
Appreciates client autonomy
Develops reflective practice.
Establishes and maintains agreements – Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans and goals. Establish agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session
Agreement for coaching relationship
Agreement for overall coaching plans and goals
Agreement for session goals and objectives.
Cultivates trust and safety – Partners with the client to create a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely. Maintains a relationship of mutual respect and trust
Creates a safe, supportive environment
Respects whole person of the client
Acknowledges the work of the client in the process.
Maintains presence – is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident.
Maintains full focus on the client
Demonstrates curiosity
Manages emotions
Creates space for reflection.
Listens actively – focuses on what the client is and is not saying to fully understand what is being communicated in the context of the client systems and to support client self-expression.
Engages in holistic listening
Reflects back to ensure shared understanding
Integrates understanding of the client to support communication.
Evokes awareness – Facilitates client insights and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy
Asks questions to elicit new insights
Shares observations to support new learning
Supports the client in reflection and reframing.
Facilitate client growth – partners with the client to transform learning and insights into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process
Facilitates learning into action
Respects client autonomy
Celebrates progress
Partners to close session.
