What ICF Is
As a profession, coaching has come out of the woodwork over the past decades. Since anyone can call themselves a coach (and many people do with no credentials), I felt compelled to share this information. It’s important to clarify what distinguishes coaching, how ethics fit into a coaching relationship, what coaching credentials are, and why they may be important to me and more importantly, my clients.
My Background
Currently, I have achieved the ACC Level Coaching distinction and am working toward my PCC Level. My career path has been long and circuitous. I found my way to coaching through a career in training, development, instructional design, and organizational performance. When I was inside a company, you would have found me in the Human Resources/People Development department. My career began as an instructional designer, creating training for Fortune 100 companies, and then working solely within the Wireless industry. I created many of the technical training programs that were used for new hires and supervisors.
As my career developed, I moved through employee development, management training and eventually oversaw performance management for the US operations. Throughout my career, I achieved many program certifications from internationally renowned training companies such as Behavioral Technology, DDI, DiSC, ODI, TRACom, Center for Creative Leadership and others. These were stepping stones toward coaching.
Although many programs for which I became certified required hundreds of hours of training, content mastery, facilitation and classroom application, none were ICF-recognized. I always felt that coaching was where I wanted to eventually land. However, as a corporate employee, I did not know how to achieve that goal.
After a break in my career and some time off to raise my family, I launched Sane Spaces. My company’s original structure was to provide organizing and productivity services for busy professional women. Over time, I developed some products and continued to consult as a training professional and instructional designer. But I eventually came back to Coaching as my desired vocation. I feel called to this work and am so thrilled to work with others in this capacity.
It’s with great pleasure that I share that I am officially accredited by Coach Approach for Organizers, under the Institute for Applied Coaching as a Certified Organizer Coach (COC) which is an ACC Level Coach in November of 2017, with special training to serve ADHD populations. I am currently working toward my CAOC and PCC (Professional Certified Organizer Coach.)
So in coaching, credentialing is largely based on training. But the key differentiator between coach levels is the actual time in the trenches coaching clients.
Why ICF Is Important
The following information is taken directly from Coachfederation.org
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification and building a worldwide network of trained coaching professionals.
As the world’s largest organization of professionally trained coaches, ICF confers instant credibility upon its members. It is also committed to connecting member coaches with the tools and resources they need to succeed in their careers.
ICF offers the only globally recognized, independent credentialing program for coach practitioners. Credentials are awarded to professional coaches who have met stringent education and experience requirements and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the coaching competencies that set the standard in the profession. Achieving credentials through ICF signifies a coach’s commitment to integrity, understanding and mastery of coaching skills, and dedication to clients.
ICF also accredits programs that deliver coach-specific training. ICF-accredited training programs must complete a rigorous review process and demonstrate that their curriculum aligns with the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics.
Today, ICF is specifically recognized among coaching professionals worldwide for:
- Developing coaching core competencies
- Establishing a professional code of ethics and standards
- Creating an internationally recognized credentialing program
- Setting guidelines through accreditation for coach-specific training programs
- Providing continuous education through world-class events, Communities of Practice (CPs) and archived learning.
ICF Core Values
We are committed to reliability, openness, acceptance and congruence and consider all parts of the ICF community mutually accountable to uphold the following values:
- Integrity: We uphold the highest standards both for the coaching profession and our organization.
- Excellence: We set and demonstrate standards of excellence for professional coaching quality, qualification and competence.
- Collaboration: We value the social connection and community building that occurs through collaborative partnership and co-created achievement.
- Respect: We are inclusive and value the diversity and richness of our global stakeholders. We put people first, without compromising standards, policies and quality.
ICF Definition of Coaching
ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
What Is The ICF Code of Ethics
ICF is committed to maintaining and promoting excellence in coaching. Therefore, ICF expects all members and credentialed coaches to adhere to the elements and principles of ethical conduct: to be competent and integrate ICF Core Competencies effectively in their work.
Together, the ICF core values and the Code of Ethics provide guidelines, accountability, and standards for ICF Credential-holders.
Part One: ICF Definitions for Coaching
- Coaching: Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
- ICF Coach: An ICF coach agrees to practice the ICF Core Competencies and pledges accountability to the ICF Code of Ethics.
- Professional Coaching Relationship: A professional coaching relationship exists when coaching includes an agreement (including contracts) that defines the responsibilities of each party.
- Roles in the Coaching Relationship: In order to clarify roles in the coaching relationship, it is often necessary to distinguish between the client and the sponsor. In most cases, the client and sponsor are the same person and are therefore jointly referred to as the client. For purposes of identification, however, the ICF defines these roles as follows:
- Client: The “Client or Coachee” is the person(s) being coached.
- Sponsor: The “sponsor” is the entity (including its representatives) paying for and/or arranging for coaching services to be provided. In all cases, coaching engagement agreements should clearly establish the rights, roles and responsibilities for both the client and sponsor if the client and sponsor are different people.
- Student: The “student” is someone enrolled in a coach training program or working with a coaching supervisor or coach mentor in order to learn the coaching process or enhance and develop their coaching skills.
- Conflict of Interest: A situation in which a coach has a private or personal interest sufficient to appear to influence the objective of his or her official duties as a coach and a professional.
The ICF Standards of Ethical Conduct
Section 1: Professional Conduct at Large
As a coach, I:
1) Conduct myself according to the ICF Code of Ethics in all interactions, including coach training, coach mentoring and coach supervisory activities.
2) Commit to taking the appropriate action with the coach, trainer, or coach mentor and/or will contact ICF to address any ethics violation or possible breach as soon as I become aware, whether it involves me or others.
3) Communicate and create awareness in others, including organizations, employees, sponsors, coaches and others who might need to be informed of the responsibilities established by this Code.
4) Refrain from unlawful discrimination in occupational activities, including age, race, gender orientation, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability.
5) Make verbal and written statements that are true and accurate about what I offer as a coach, the coaching profession or ICF.
6) Accurately identify my coaching qualifications, expertise, experience, training, certifications and ICF Credentials.
7) Recognize and honor the efforts and contributions of others and only claim ownership of my own material. I understand that violating this standard may leave me subject to legal remedy by a third party.
8) Strive at all times to recognize my personal issues that may impair, conflict with or interfere with my coaching performance or my professional coaching relationships. I will promptly seek the relevant professional assistance and determine the action to be taken, including whether it is appropriate to suspend or terminate my coaching relationship(s) whenever the facts and circumstances necessitate.
9) Recognize that the Code of Ethics applies to my relationship with coaching clients, coachees, students, mentees and supervisees.
10) Conduct and report research with competence, honesty and within recognized scientific standards and applicable subject guidelines. My research will be carried out with the necessary consent and approval of those involved, and with an approach that will protect participants from any potential harm. All research efforts will be performed in a manner that complies with all the applicable laws of the country in which the research is conducted.
11) Maintain, store and dispose of any records, including electronic files and communications, created during my coaching engagements in a manner that promotes confidentiality, security, and privacy and complies with any applicable laws and agreements.
12) Use ICF Member contact information (email addresses, telephone numbers, and so on) only in the manner and to the extent authorized by the ICF.
Section 2: Conflicts of Interest
As a coach, I:
13) Seek to be conscious of any conflict or potential conflict of interest, openly disclose any such conflict and offer to remove myself when a conflict arises.
14) Clarify roles for internal coaches, set boundaries and review with stakeholders conflicts of interest that may emerge between coaching and other role functions.
15) Disclose to my client and the sponsor(s) all anticipated compensation from third parties that I may receive for referrals of clients or pay to receive clients.
16) Honor an equitable coach/client relationship, regardless of the form of compensation.
Section 3: ICF Professional Conduct with Clients
As a coach, I:
17) Ethically speak what I know to be true to clients, prospective clients or sponsors about the potential value of the coaching process or of me as a coach.
18) Carefully explain and strive to ensure that, prior to or at the initial meeting, my coaching client and sponsor(s) understand the nature of coaching, the nature, and limits of confidentiality, financial arrangements, and any other terms of the coaching agreement.
19) Have a clear coaching service agreement with my clients and sponsor(s) before beginning the coaching relationship and honor this agreement. The agreement shall include the roles, responsibilities, and rights of all parties involved.
20) Hold responsibility for being aware of and setting clear, appropriate and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern interactions, physical or otherwise, I may have with my clients or sponsor(s).
21) Avoid any sexual or romantic relationship with current clients or sponsor(s) or students, mentees or supervisees. Further, I will be alert to the possibility of any potential sexual intimacy among the parties including my support staff and/or assistants and will take the appropriate action to address the issue or cancel the engagement in order to provide a safe environment overall.
22) Respect the client’s right to terminate the coaching relationship at any point during the process, subject to the provisions of the agreement. I shall remain alert to indications and perception shifts in the value received from the coaching relationship.
23) Encourage the client or sponsor to make a change if I believe the client or sponsor would be better served by another coach or by another resource and suggest my client seek the services of other professionals when deemed necessary or appropriate.
Section 4: Confidentiality/Privacy
As a coach, I:
24) Maintain strict confidentiality with all client and sponsor information unless release is required by law.
25) Create a clear agreement about how coaching information is exchanged among coach, client and sponsor.
26) Create a clear agreement when acting as a coach, coach mentor, coaching supervisor or trainer, with both client and sponsor, student, mentee, or supervisee about the conditions under which confidentiality may not be maintained (e.g., illegal activity, pursuant to valid court order or subpoena; imminent or likely risk of danger to self or to others; etc) and make sure both client and sponsor, student, mentee, or supervisee voluntarily and knowingly agree in writing to that limit of confidentiality. Where I reasonably believe that because one of the above circumstances is applicable, I may need to inform appropriate authorities.
27) Require all those who work with me in support of my clients to adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics, Number 26, Section 4, Confidentiality and Privacy Standards, and any other sections of the Code of Ethics that might be applicable.
Section 5: Continuing Development
As a coach, I:
28) Commit to the need for the continued and ongoing development of my professional skills.
Part Three: The ICF Pledge of Ethics
I acknowledge and agree to honor my ethical and legal obligations to my coaching clients and sponsors, colleagues, and to the public at large. I pledge to comply with the ICF Code of Ethics and to practice these standards with those whom I coach, teach, mentor or supervise.
As a result, if I breach this Pledge of Ethics or any part of the ICF Code of Ethics, I agree that the ICF in its sole discretion may hold me accountable for so doing. I further agree that my accountability to the ICF for any breach may include sanctions, such as loss of my ICF Membership and/or my ICF Credentials.
Adopted by the ICF Global Board of Directors June 2015.
Summary
One of the biggest reasons I’ve shared this information is to begin to de-mystify Coaching. The ICF Standards of Ethical Conduct are the most widely recognized. If you’re considering a coach, review the Code of Conduct above. The ICF website shows you how credentialed coaches differ from others. Therefore, if you are considering working with a coach to help you take action, then check your coach’s credentials. All coaches should work within an ethical framework. If you’d like to explore coaching with me, please click here to request a complimentary Discovery Call and we can see if we’re a match!
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