Over the holidays, I talked to a new coach whose plan for 2014 included launching his new coaching business. He has spent the last few years chipping away at courses to become a certified coach through his chosen coach training program. He spent money, time and energy completing several courses and planning to establish his coaching business. As he received the certification from his coach training program, he began looking toward applying for his ICF credential. It was then he discovered that his training did not likely qualify him to apply for an ICF credential. He called me as he was reeling from this realization and trying to make sense of his situation. He wanted the ICF credential and had expected to get it with the training he received. He was stunned that after all of what he had put into his training, he wasn’t likely to receive the ICF credential he wanted.
What were his options? Well, he can certainly proceed with setting up his business without the ICF credential. But he wants the ICF credential because to him it represents credibility and approval according to professional industry standards. In the past, he has worked as a licensed counselor and in the same way that his counseling credentials are important to him, so are coaching credentials.
I’m hearing similar stories, more and more frequently. After taking several courses over the last few years from one training organization, a woman who consulted with me last fall decided to “start over” and in a couple of weeks will start new classes with a completely different program that will lead her to ICF credentials.
I will say, as I most always do when I talk about this subject, that not all coaches need ICF credentials. But for those that do want training that leads to credentials known as the “gold standard” of the profession, there are Christian coach training programs that will lead you there. If you are looking for ICF accredited, approved or aligned training that is taught within a Christian context, it is available!
Please learn what you need to know about ICF credentials before you choose coach training so you can make informed decisions that will get you to that vision of where you want to go. For more information, please read my previous post: Professional Coaching Credentials: What You Want to Know.
It grieves my heart when people end up on a path of training that doesn’t lead them to where they think it will. That is why I’ve revised The Complete Guide to Christian Coach Training annually. And the 2014 edition is available now here.