Coaching : Ethical Practice

I have always been a bit of a rebel in my younger years. More recently I have questioned governing bodies and their “rules” along with often hefty subscriptions that were not inclusive to all. I had to really dig deep to look at the governing bodies that most aligned to my own core values. I became a member of the ICF many years back, almost accidentally and attended a few of their chapter meetings in Johannesburg, South Africa.

I will admit I was not attracted to stay, I felt very out of my league as a young brown Coach/Consultant, in a room full of blonde, silver grey men and women. I allowed the membership to lapse and went on my merry way into the world of Business Coaching and Consulting. I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish I could have predicted the future of Coaching and know that the world certainly needed more Coaches of color and that the ICF would also embrace this. Fast forward, here I am today with CCC completing a Coaching course that is accredited by the ICF, which is the credentials I was looking for.

For those not in the know, ICF stands for International Coaching Federation. The web tutorial covered its history and continue refinement of ethical practice in the Industry of Coaching. It is what gives us credibility as Coaches. The ethical practice focuses on the Coaching Core competencies and in a large way officiates Coaching as a recognizable profession across all industries.

The ICF who currently monitor these standards ensure that there are guidelines, standards and Coach specific training accessible to Coaches. The ethical practice also speaks to continuous learning for all Coaches as more research and work around Coaching is done. ICF also has processes in place that review Coach credentialled training programs. These speak into the level that one can attain as a Coach, i.e ACC, PCC or MCC.

The current Core Competencies start with coaches demonstrating Ethical practical to their client within the framework. There are clear boundaries and its important as a Coach to understand these. It is similar to many other professions in that sense, and there are some very obvious rules around client confidentiality and working with integrity and honestly at all times, with all stakeholders and sponsors. It is in the Being of a Coach. A Coaches ethical practice means he/she is sensitive to the client at all times, to how they may identify themselves, their socio economic background and life experiences. Language is critical, Coaches need to be aware of their language to all stakeholders with respect, understanding, curiosity and compassion at all times. The boundaries I mentioned earlier are around understanding the role of a Coach and when it might be necessary to refer a client to a Councilor, Consultant, or even Psychotherapy where appropriate. A Coach should also be affluent with the ICF Core competencies, as listed below, their core values and Code of Ethics.

The ICF core competencies also talk about the Coaches Mindset, Establishes and Maintains all Agreements, Cultivates Trust and Safety, Maintains Presence, Listens Actively, Evokes Awareness and Facilitates Client Growth.

I look forward to journeying deeper into each of these and re-affirm my learning and understanding.