Length of Coaching Engagement after Executive Coaching Certification, Business Coach Training, Career Coach Certification, or Life Coach Training

As taught in the Center for Coaching Certification’s executive coaching certification, business coach training, career coach certification, or life coach training the average coaching relationship lasts one year. Some coaching relationships are just a few sessions and others continue for several years. For internal coaching programs, in the program manual provide parameters for the length of the coaching engagement.

Often a minimum time period makes sense because this creates and supports commitment to the process. Additionally, coaching is a process and creating meaningful change takes time.

Ultimately it is important that the coaching is providing value. Whether just getting started or after a period of time, the Center for Coaching Certification’s executive coaching certification, business coach training, career coach certification, or life coach training teach that the key consideration in whether to continue is the benefit the coachee is gaining from the coaching relationship. The International Coach Federation, ICF, Code of Ethics addresses this specifically in Section 3:

19) I will respect the client’s right to terminate the coaching relationship at any point during the process, subject to the provisions of the agreement or contract. I will be alert to indications that the client is no longer benefiting from our coaching relationship.

20) I will 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.

21) I will suggest my client seek the services of other professionals when deemed necessary or appropriate.

In an organization with a coaching program, often there is a goal of creating a coaching culture. This means coaching is happening informally and coaching skills are applied in conversations generally. In this case, the coaching conversations are a part of the culture instead of being formally scheduled.

Scheduled coaching sessions make sense when the coach and the coachee are both aware that the process is providing value. As taught in the Center for Coaching Certification’s coach training, the coaching relationship continues only while the coachee is benefitting.

Measuring Coaching Results After Coaching Certification

Internal coaching programs measure the competencies of coaches and the results of the coaching program. This creates the opportunity for ensuring the appropriate training is in place and defining the value of the program. Coaching certification ensures a clear understanding of the role of the coach and develops coaching competencies. According to the International Coach Federation, the ICF, there are 11 Core Competencies for coaching certification within four groupings:

• Setting the Foundation – ethics and agreements
• Co-creating the Relationship – trust and presence
• Communication – listening, questioning, direct communication
• Facilitating Learning and Results – awareness, design actions, goal setting, accountability

How are coaching competencies measured?

• Assessment following coaching certification – completed by the trainer
• Observation by the coach’s coach – managed through the program administration
• Feedback from the constituency – surveys of coaches, coachees, those working with the coachees
• Coaching 360 – the Center for Coaching Certification has a 360 evaluation of coaching competencies

How are the results of the coaching program measured?

• Qualitative measures include: employee engagement, skill development, enhanced workplace relationships, employee wellness, and company culture.
• Quantitative measures include talent retention, turnover, productivity, and sales (based on the numbers in company reports from before and after the program implementation).

As a best practice, tie the measure to the program goals.

Funding the measure of coaching competencies and program effectiveness validates the program and leads to consistent benefit. It is possible to measure results on a tighter budget. For example:

• Use a survey tool such as Survey Monkey for a qualitative measure.
• Ask program participants to complete evaluation forms and compile results.
• Use company reports on turnover, productivity, and sales from before and after.
• Invite intern students to develop and complete a measurement.
• Work with coaching organizations that will measure results.

The coaching program design and management, as well as coach training for coaching certification, impact the results. Visit http://coachingblog.centerforcoachingcertification.com/ for a full series of blog posts on coaching program design and management.

Executive Coaching Certification, Business Coach Training, Career Coach Certification, or Life Coach Training to Differentiate Between Coaching, Mentoring, Training, and Managing

While these roles are often inter-mingled and misunderstood, a clear awareness of the value and distinctions of each role enhances positive results. In executive coaching certification, business coach training, career coach certification, or life coach training, the Center for Coaching Certification teaches each role is truly unique and distinct, serves a specific purpose, and is handled differently. Knowing how coaching is different and understanding the role is essential for a successful program. What does each do?

Mentor

• Provide expertise
• Gives advice
• Offers input

Manager

• Informs of decisions
• Provides direction
• Gives feedback

Trainer

• Assesses learning needs
• Develops training programs
• Manages learning environment
• Provides information
• Creates learning exercises

Coach

• Elicits the direction and expertise from the coachee
• Provides the process for the coachee to strategize and plan
• Empowers the coachee to make their own decisions and determine actions
• Asks the coachee how it is working and what they want to adjust
• Affirms coachee progress and success

Bottom line: In executive coaching certification, business coach training, career coach certification, or life coach training the Center for Coaching Certification teaches how coaching is different from the other roles in that the coach asks instead of tells, clarifies instead of opining, explores instead of giving direction, empowers choice instead of deciding on strategy or actions. The coach does empower the coachee, serve as a sounding board to give them space to explore, ask probing and clarifying questions to expand and challenge thinking, then asks the coachee to define what they want and how they will make it happen.

Coach Training for Internal Coaches

How important is coach training? As with any type of skilled work or service, training is essential. Coaching is a very specific process and is often misunderstood. Some think coaching is part training, part mentoring, part managing - and in reality it is very different. Executive, Career, Business, or Life Coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” (International Coach Federation)

The American Management Association, in their Global Study of Successful Practices, shared several major findings on coaching programs inside companies, including one on coach training:

Internal training programs are often based on common misunderstandings of coaching instead of being built on ICF’s 11 Core Competencies of a coach.

Specifically, the AMA recommend external training for internal coaches to achieve the best results.

What type of coach training is best?

• Ensure that the training is approved by the International Coach Federation.
  
• Maximize value with coach training that offers CEUs authorized by IACET.
  
• Verify the training is specifically designed to develop the ICF’s 11 Core Competencies of a coach.
  

What are the resources for coach-specific training? In addition to the Center for Coaching Solutions and the Center for Coaching Certification, the International Coach Federation at www.CoachFederation.org provides a list of hundreds of organizations that offer approved training programs.