updated icf core competencies
professional mastery
Updated ICF Core Competencies
my perspective & understanding
I have been consuming a lot of material both audio and video over the last month that shares information about the updated ICF Core Competencies (that have been appended below in its original format with my contribution to each of the themes) and I thought it would be meaningful to share my understanding with the larger coaching community that I feel fortunate to be a part of.
At the outset, I would say that I truly appreciate that the ICF has updated the core competencies, I find that they are simpler to understand and is more inclusive as it embraces the landscape within which the coachee operates. The core philosophy of coaching a client is based on the understanding that the coachee (sometimes referred to as client or leader) is whole, complete and resourceful in my view is now being extended to the client’s world as being connected, creative and collaborative, depending on the perspective with which it is viewed.
The Coach’s role, therefore, is to be more inclusive of the key components of the client’s world both in terms of the influence they have on the coachee as well as the impact the coachee may have on them, as a result of the coaching journey they go through.
While the essence of the updated Coaching Competencies, is the same as it has been since its first creation in, I believe that the specificity and at the same time the expansiveness of coaching has been enhanced with this update. There are 3 broad areas, that have been given emphasis:
1.
Personal and Coaching Mastery for the coach, which was earlier implied has now been stated
2.
The EcoSystem within which the coachee operates has both been acknowledged and included, specifically within the coaching engagement
3.
The focus of the relevance of each coaching session, within the context of the entire Coaching Journey, has been reinforced
I find that this has expanded the relevance of coaching as a professional and personal developmental tool to explicitly offering coaching as a powerful modality of transformation for the individual, the organization and the community if the coachee is willing to operate within this space of inclusion and expansiveness. The agenda of coaching, therefore, continues to be driven by the client the possibility of coaching is extended to heal the world.
As a Coaching practitioner, I would recommend that we commit to the following:
1.
Our continuous education both from a coaching mastery perspective as well as, in my own view more significantly personal mastery. This would translate not merely in enrolling for more and more learning programs, it is important to stay ahead of the learning curve however it is even more important to integrate our learning to the lives we lead, embodying our learning such that what we say and do is congruent to what we believe in. This I have found is possible and meaningful when we experiment and discover our own personal process that serves as our GPS and ensures we stay on track on our chosen path. For me, it is my spiritual practice of prayer and meditation and journaling.
2.
Educating all members within our field of operation which included the coachee’s world both from creating greater awareness about the Coaching possibilities and including all stakeholders by articulating their roles within the coaching journey, becomes our prime responsibility as a Coach practitioner. I would extend this to now begin to support the stakeholders to play their roles and make their participation in the coaching journey mandatory, linking it to both the measurement and meaningfulness of the coaching journey for the leader being coached and its impact on the ecosystem. Coaching though will continue to be most impactful when offered in a personalised one on one format, the systemic involvement and engagement, is now a necessary condition for it to be gratifying for all who are making an investment of their time and money. I would like to share here that when I use the term stakeholders, it is not limited to coaching within the corporate context alone. Although the bulk of my coaching is within the corporate context, I still have a couple of individual coaching clients and therefore the way that I view stakeholders, therefore includes the key members of the family, the friends and the fraternity within which my client resides.
3.
I have shared on several forums that terming coaching as an intervention is a term I have vehemently resisted and revolted against. I have on my own replaced it with orchestration and gone on to share liberally that Coaching to me is a Divine orchestration. I find that with the updated ICF Core Competencies, this expression of coaching will now be more commonly used. As a practitioner of coaching it is a beautiful invitation for both the coach and the client to embrace coaching as a spiritual process. The lines between whether we are offering life coaching or leadership coaching not get blurred to include both, given the emphasis on coaching being a generative journey where a coach hold the importance of each session, within the context of an empowering journey that the coach is partnering their client to courageously walk on. In my perspective, that is a journey back to source, the coaches own understanding of source – their brilliance, their magnificence, the essence of who they truly are.
While coaching as a profession will continue to be a personalised offering that is client-centric, as a Coach Practioner, I would say that with the core competencies, having evolved, our role is enhanced as a Active Observer, who serves the client as being an awareness meter, an accountability partner and a timekeeper all rolled in one.
ICF Core Competencies – updated on 14 November 2019
Foundation
Demonstrates Ethical Practice
Definition: Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching
- Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with clients, sponsors, and relevant stakeholders
- Is sensitive to clients’ identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs
- Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients, sponsors and relevant stakeholders
- Abides by the ICF Code of Ethics and upholds the Core Values
- Maintains confidentiality with client information per stakeholder agreements and pertinent laws
- Maintains the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy and other support professions
- Refers clients to other support professionals, as appropriate
Embodies a Coaching Mindset
Definition: Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centred
- Acknowledges that clients are responsible for their own choices
- Engages in ongoing learning and development as a coach
- Develops an ongoing reflective practice to enhance one’s coaching
- Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others
- Uses awareness of self and one’s intuition to benefit clients
- Develops and maintains the ability to regulate one’s emotions
- Mentally and emotionally prepares for sessions
- Seeks help from outside sources when necessary
My Understanding
There continues to be an importance on ethics, which is the core foundation of the coaching profession and the addition of embodying a coaching mindset lays emphasis on the journey of a coach and how the coach chooses to actively and consciously engage in their own personal and professional development, such that the coach embodies the coaching mindset as a way of life and not limit it to their coaching session.
CO-CREATING THE RELATIONSHIP
Establishes and Maintains Agreements
Definition: Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans, and goals.
- Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session
- Explains what coaching is and is not and describes the process to the client and relevant stakeholders
- Reaches agreement about what is and is not appropriate in the relationship, what is and is not being offered, and the responsibilities of the client and relevant stakeholders
- Reaches agreement about the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship such as logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality, and inclusion of others
- Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to establish an overall coaching plan and goals
- Partners with the client to determine client-coach compatibility
- Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session
- Partners with the client to define what the client believes they need to address or resolve to achieve what they want to accomplish in the session
- Partners with the client to define or reconfirm measures of success for what the client wants to accomplish in the coaching engagement or individual session
- Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session
- Continues coaching in the direction of the client’s desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise
- Partners with the client to end the coaching relationship in a way that honours the experience
Cultivates Trust and Safety
Definition: 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.
- Seeks to understand the client within their context which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs
- Demonstrates respect for the client’s identity, perceptions, style, and language and adapts one’s coaching to the client
- Acknowledges and respects the client’s unique talents, insights and work in the coaching process
- Shows support, empathy and concern for the client
- Acknowledges and supports the client’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, and suggestions
- Demonstrates openness and transparency as a way to display vulnerability and build trust with the client
Maintains Presence
Definition: Is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident
- Remains focused, observant, empathetic and responsive to the client
- Demonstrates curiosity during the coaching process
- Manages one’s emotions to stay present with the client
- Demonstrates confidence in working with strong client emotions during the coaching process
- Is comfortable working in a space of not knowing
- Creates or allows space for silence, pause or reflection
My Understanding
The emphasis on this bucket is really on the word ‘maintenance’ which is the shift from the previous articulation and this in my view is significant on two counts as its implication is on coaching being a journey and the maintenance of agreement, trust, safety, and presence is symbolic of the ability to sustain the changes that arise during the coaching engagement such that it is integrated into the being and doing of the client. The coach on the other hand by embodying these qualities of being inclusive (through the agreement)trustworthy and vulnerable (through trust and safety)and authentic (through presence) has the potential to inspire the client by role modeling and offering congruency to their belief and behaviour.
communicating effectively
Listens Actively
Definition: 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
- Considers the client’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating
- Reflects or summarizes what the client communicated to ensure clarity and understanding
- Recognizes and inquires when there is more to what the client is communicating
- Notices, acknowledges and explores the client’s emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues or other behaviours
- Integrates the client’s words, tone of voice and body language to determine the full meaning of what is being communicated
- Notices trends in the client’s behaviours and emotions across sessions to discern themes and patterns
Evokes Awareness
Definition: Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy
- Considers client experience when deciding what might be most useful
- Challenges the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight
- Asks questions about the client, such as their way of thinking, values, needs, wants, and beliefs
- Asks questions that help the client explore beyond current thinking
- Invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment
- Notices what is working to enhance client progress
- Adjusts the coaching approach in response to the client’s needs
- Helps the client identify factors that influence current and future patterns of behaviour, thinking or emotion
- Invites the client to generate ideas about how they can move forward and what they are willing or able to do
- Supports the client in reframing perspectives
- Shares observations, insights, and feelings, without attachment, that have the potential to create new learning for the client
My Understanding
The way these competencies have been presented shed light on the role of the coach within the coaching relationship as being one who listens more and evokes awareness that arises from their ability to listen generatively and choose questions that are supportive of the client’s creative exploration. I see the movement to more minimalistic coaching where the coach holds the space for the client to share freely and openly and through their sharing and verbalisation the client finds the answers they are seeking and lays the path for their forward movement. The coach’s contribution is significant in their ability to honour this exploration, with greater silence and depth of understanding through the power of unconditional positive regard for the client’s evolution
CULTIVATING LEARNING AND GROWTH
Facilitates Client Growth
Definition: Partners with the client to transform learning and insight into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process.
- Works with the client to integrate new awareness, insight or learning into their worldview and behaviours
- Partners with the client to design goals, actions and accountability measures that integrate and expand new learning
- Acknowledges and supports client autonomy in the design of goals, actions, and methods of accountability
- Supports the client in identifying potential results or learning from identified action steps
- Invites the client to consider how to move forward, including resources, support, and potential barriers
- Partners with the client to summarize learning and insight within or between sessions
- Celebrates the client’s progress and successes
- Partners with the client to close the session
My Understanding
The deliberate inclusion of this competency and the deliberate dropping of designing action, planning goals and managing progress and accountability in my view is surrendering to the higher energy that exists within us and all around us. It is the powerful letting go of control and embracing acceptance of what is, with the objective of cultivating learning and growth. Reframing this esoteric understanding to a more practical application, it is the ability of both the coach and the client to recognize that coaching is a process that supports reconnection with the innate brilliance that exists within the client, this reconnection creates new insights that serve the client an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve into their full potential.
read more
Insights
I Am A Back To Source Coach
personal mastery I Am A Back To Source CoachEngaging in the study of Indian Scriptures under the guidance of Sadguru Maa Samvidanad Sarswati, has been a profoundly transformative experience for me, filling my life with immense joy, peace, and contentment. As I delved...
Coaching Elements
personal mastery Coaching ElementsAll the work that I bring through Back to Source Coaching, is through the Grace of my Sadguru Maa Samvidanand Saraswati and I dedicate this to Her too. From my understanding of ancient wisdom, I have understood unequivocally that...
Oh The Places We’ll Go
professional mastery Oh The Places We'll Go2015 is the year when I discovered that Coaching was my calling, not just my profession. In 2016, I received the huge honour to co-facilitate a program, that I considered my Home Coming, with my teacher and mentor Peter J...
Consciousness & Coaching
personal mastery Consciousness & CoachingAs a Leadership Coach, I work with several senior Leaders across industries and cultures, the common questions they ask me are,How can I manage complexity?Is it possible, at this age and stage to reinvent how I think?Do...
Source
personal mastery SourceI read an article online that had the tag line – ‘Everyone needs a Personal Board of Directors’ and that triggered a thought, “Do I have one?” As I reflected at my life and the contributions made by the many Masters, Mentors and Magnetic...
The Beginning
personal mastery The BeginningThe study of the Indian Scriptures for a novice like me, at the lotus feet of my Sadguru Maa Samvida, has bought me immense joy, peace and contentment. I began to question – What if people can use contemplate practices to help them...