Are all coach certification programs created equal?

This month I am coming back to a popular topic and talking about coach certification / credential. I’ve covered various aspects of this topic in the past but today the focus is on how to select the right program to meet your goals and objectives.

I realized as I was starting write this that graduations are in full swing and I think there are some interesting parallels between pursuing a degree and pursuing a coach certification / credential. I bring this up as I think the parallels help provide a familiar decision-making framework for selecting a coach certification / credential program.

So, let’s look at the parallels to see what insights can be gleaned. Many, not all, but many ask the following questions prior to pursuing a degree.

• Should I get a degree?
• Which degree?
• How many degrees?
• From what school?
• Will my degree help me get a job?
• How will I use my degree?

Similar questions are, or should be, asked when considering a coach certification / credential.

• Should I get a certification /credential?
• Which one should I get?
• How many certifications / credentials do I need?
• From what program should I receive the required training?
• Will a certification / credential help me get clients, a job or advance in my career?
• How can I leverage my certification / credential?

So, let’s dive into this. Getting a coach certification / credential, just like getting a degree, is an investment in your future. The answer to many of the questions posed above depends on your goals and objectives. Where do you want to be in 3, 5, 10 years? The answer to this question will help guide you through the decision-making process.

If you are new to coaching or even if you’ve been practicing for a while, you may not have clearly defined your goals and objectives or updated them recently. If that is true, it is worth taking the time to do so. When it comes to defining your coaching goals and objectives, some that you might be considering include;

• I want to become a full or part-time coach with my own practice
• I want to continue working in an organization but add coaching skills to be a more effective and valuable employee
• I want to have a second career in coaching after I retire. One that provides more freedom/flexibility
• I want to continue working in my profession but supplement this with a part-time coaching practice
• I want to develop coaching skills to become a more effective leader and advance in leadership positions

Once you have your goals and objectives defined, you are ready to think about selecting a program. When you start researching to see what programs are available, you’ll want to answer these questions about the training program and the organization that offers it, considering your goals and objectives;

• Will you learn the desired / required skills?
• Is the program recognized among peers, clients?
• Will the training program be around / recognized in the future?
• Does the training program have a good reputation?
• Does the organization provide on-going support?
• Does the organization provide continuing education?
• Is the organization growing and evolving with the industry? Keeping up with the times?
• Is the training program accredited – likely to be recognized and meet standards if the industry becomes regulated?

Graduations are a time of great expectations and bright futures and getting a certification / credential should be too. Learn more about this topic by attending our next free webinar. Register here.

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The Business of Coaching

Building a thriving coaching business takes more than just great coaching skills. You also must know how to build a business. For many, this is the hardest part of going out on your own. If you are starting your own coaching business, check out our guide – Making it as a Coach or view our recent webinar Making it as a Coach: Strategies for Success.

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Coaching Fundamentals Program™
ICF Core Competency Hours: 15

Coaching is catching on. More and more people are turning to coaching because coaching produces results. The performance of individuals, teams and organizations are being transformed when coaching skills are developed, used and become part of the culture. If you are intrigued by what is happening with coaching and want to learn core coaching skills, this fundamentals class is for you.

This is a hands-on class that includes practical techniques for trust building, focused listening, evocative questioning, planning and goal setting. The course includes practice sessions that are reviewed by a professional coach who provides feedback on coaching skills and comprehension of the competencies. You will learn the skills and gain the confidence needed to use them. Click on the course name to learn more and register.

Coaching Fundamentals Program™ – Starts June 6

Advance Your Skills

Advanced Coaching Skills Practicum
ICF Core Competency Hours: 12

Are you looking to enhance your coaching skills? Take your coaching to the next level? Or maybe you are looking for tools to help you with your biggest coaching challenges. If any of these apply, check out our Advanced Coaching Skills Practicum.

Take the Fast Track to Your ICF Credential

Fast Track to ICF Credential
Fulfils the educational requirements of obtaining the ICF ACC credential

Develop the skills and set yourself apart by jumping on the Fast Track. Coaching is becoming more and more competitive and yet many coaches have no credential and minimal training. One of the best ways to set yourself apart is to complete the training and earn a coaching credential.

But pursuing your ICF Credential is a big step and commitment. That is why we created the Fast Track to ICF Credential – to streamline the process and make it as convenient as possible.

Benefits of the Fast Track to ICF Credential include;

● FAST TRACK: Takes only 6 months to complete (other programs may take as long as 18 months).

● ROBUST, DISTANCE-BASED LEARNING: We use cutting-edge technology to create an in-person, interactive classroom experience while you participate remotely.

● TOP-NOTCH EDUCATION AND TRAINING: You get world-class instruction from expert coaches with experience in both coaching and teaching.

● FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE: We offer day and evening classes for your convenience, and new classes start throughout the year.

● AFFORDABLE: This program is priced to fit into your budget. Save $495 US / $595 CDN when you register for the package option. Don’t need the package option? You also have the choice of taking separate modules a la carte. We even have a payment plan.

Our next program (evening) starts July 9. Click here to view the schedule

Coaching Resources

We offer many resources on a wide variety of topics to support coaches at all levels. On our website, you can find blog articles, educational videos, webinar recordings and more under Coaching Resources. We are continually updating this section so check back often.

Our coaching guides continue to be very popular and we will be adding to these in 2018. If you haven’t taken advantage of these free resources, you can find them here.

We have several resources available to answer your questions about certification.

Webinars – Visit our webinars page and then scroll down until you find the webinar titles;

• Coach Certification A – Z
• Coaching Certification

Coaching Guides – Visit our Coaching Tools page or click on the link below.

Guide to Coach Certification

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