Consider Ethics and Core Values to Become a Business Coach and in Career Coach Certification

What is the impact of having a Code of Ethics and Core Values?  I find variety in how these are explained without a concrete comparison.  What are the implications in your career coach certification and training to become a business coach?  Consider this: the Code of Ethics defines rules of conduct toward customers; Core Values are beliefs from which our behaviors and communication develop.
How does each influence people, teams, and companies?  If the Code of Ethics is written by an industry or company, it serves as a teaching tool and guideline.  Often each employee or professional is expected or required to comply with the Code of Ethics.  Core Values might be different because individuals may or may not agree with the values.  So if values are personal in nature, are corporate values simply accepted if required?  Or are values about behavior and communication while at work only?
What is the impact on coaching clients?  If a coach does not subscribe to, consider, or develop a Code of Ethics and/or Core Values, after their career coach certification and training to become a business coach, is the client aware enough to ask?  Whether or not the client asks, the process means there is some education and thought involved, and generally the quality of the relationship is enhanced. 
How does openly communicating these with the client further enhance coaching?

What is Life Coaching Certification and Executive Coach Certification?

The perception of a person with a Life Coaching certification is often mistaken as similar to a friend, mentor, or counselor. The perception of a person with an Executive Coach certification may be mistaken as a consultant, advisor, or mentor. Both Life and Executive Coaching are very different from the other fields. Consider how the perceptions develop, the actual process of coaching, and the difference in experience and effort between Life and Executive Coaching.

Many people have a desire to help and coaching is an uncontrolled industry, so an abundance of “Life Coach” businesses are advertising. The experience people have with these businesses varies. Sometimes it is great – the client feels their coach did a great job. Sometimes it is poor -the client gains a negative impression of coaching, then is sharing those thoughts. Sometimes it is counseling or mentoring instead of coaching, leading to distorted impressions. A quality life coaching or executive coach certification prepares the coach to empower the client to explore goals, moving towards creating what they want in life.

Businesses and individuals are increasingly savvy about the difference between consulting and coaching. As a result, the specific training of the coaches, the coaching model used, and the expertise of the coach are factors in the decision to begin a coaching relationship. The primary reasons for hiring a coach are transition, leadership development, and to serve as a sounding board. 

 

Long-term success results from a well-trained coach who recognizes the client is their own best expert.

Reasons ICF-Approved Coach Training is Vital in Coaching Certification

Coaching is growing and expanding rapidly and is here to stay.  As a profession or an industry, coaching has grown and garnered increasing levels of attention.  In keeping with a multitude of professions, coaching is now at a point where it will successfully self-regulate or, in the United States and in other countries, government will step in and regulate it.

Reasons government is or may become involved include: cases wherein a coach is sued for practicing therapy, state agencies exploring whether coaching fits under mental health, coaches who are untrained or whose training failed to include or adequately address ethics, government tradition, and the consideration of necessity to protect clients.  Earning your coaching certification in an ICF-approved coach training program will reduce the concerns.
The International Coach Federation is the leader in coaching and a gold standard for coaches and coach certification training.  ICF is at the forefront for self-regulation of coaching.  To this end, the ICF approves coach training programs, publishes 11 Core Competencies for coaches, publishes and promotes a Code of Ethics, and has membership requirements that include 60 hours of training, agreeing and being accountable to the Code of Ethics, and continuing education.

Whether or not coaching is regulated, having a Code of Ethics makes sense.  It supports professionalism and credibility for coaching and is foundational to building trust in a coaching relationship.  The Center for Coaching Certification strongly supports ICF-approved coach training because as coaches, the more we discuss and promote the ICF and the Code of Ethics, the more we educate unaware coaches and clients alike.

Life Coach Certification Insights from ICF-Approved Coach Training

Why ICF-approved coach training?  The ICF is the nonprofit membership organization that leads self-regulation for coaching.  The definition of coaching from the International Coach Federation is: “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”  The client is in control and therefore owns the results.
Why earn your life coach certification?  Consultants and mental health professionals offering related services enhance outcomes when a coaching approach is taken or when coaching is offered.  Leaders in the workplace benefit with a coaching approach.  Individuals expand their possibilities with coaching.
Ultimately, coaching is a service focused on the client.  The quality of the coaching starts with the ICF-approved coach training of the coach, the Code of Ethics, and their development of the 11 Core Competencies.  ICF-approved coach training is the gold standard.  Then the coaching relationship itself starts with an agreement about the relationship and the roles of both the coach and the client.  The coach is responsible for understanding who the client is and how they process and decide.  By starting with an agreement, discussing the Code of Ethics and then focusing on understanding the client, the coach and client develop rapport.  Through the coaching process, the coach uses effective communication techniques; the coach listens, asks powerful questions, and reflects back what the client is saying.  The client is given the space to expand their thinking and develop a strategy.  The client chooses their action steps and moves forward toward achieving what they want to achieve.  Life coach certification is rewarding for both the coach and client.

The ROI Case for Becoming a Business Coach or Earning Your Career Coach Certification

Thinking of becoming a business coach or earning your career coach certification? Coaching is the second fastest growing profession in the world according to Ray Williams (and other reports).  Coaching is the new buzz word in companies around the world.  This is because it works.
What is the Return on Investment, ROI, for hiring a coach?  Simply Google coaching ROI and a wide range of studies are listed.  Most cite 500 to 700% ROI.  A few site less and a few site more.
How is the ROI measured?  Many of the benefits of a coaching relationship are qualitative and based on personal evaluation and opinion.  In some studies, participants are asked to place a value on qualitative benefits such as skills developed or relationships impacted.  Then after a coaching engagement they are asked to determine the amount of change and assign a percentage to coaching as the reason for that change.
There are quantitative measures to coaching.  For example, an organization might look at sales numbers, productivity figures, or the cost of turnover and compare from before coaching to after coaching.
Ultimately, the value of coaching goes beyond an initial measure because it has a ripple effect.  Deciding the ROI of coaching is in part measuring and evaluating, and it is in part awareness.  Before starting a coaching relationship, have the client decide how they will measure the ROI. Before enrolling in a program to become a business coach or earn your career coach certification make sure you will get the skills to effectively give your clients a return on their investment.

Using Life Coaching Certification and Executive Coach Certification in the Coaching Process

Marie has earned her life and executive coaching certification and is currently using her skills to coach a CEO named David. Marie is using the whole person approach.
In the opening coaching session, Marie asked David what he wanted.  He shared that in his career he wanted to achieve specific growth and productivity numbers on the job, and he wanted to successfully serve as a mentor for two of the VP’s that had been identified as potential successors.
David also realized he wanted to develop certain skills at work to improve his relationships and enhance outcomes.  David shared his goal for how much of a bonus he wanted to earn.  He listed specific debt he wanted to retire.  David was close to his financial goals for retirement and stated exactly what he wanted next.
Then David talked about what he wanted in his relationship with his wife and with his now grown children.  David set goals for spending time with relatives and friends.  David set specific goals for exercising, weight, and his eating habits.  He explored what he wanted in his spiritual life.  David listed classes he hoped to attend.  He talked about the legacy he wanted to create both at work and with his family.  He described his ideal emotional state.  David said he wanted to volunteer and named a specific cause that was of interest.  He defined what work / life balance meant to him and set goals to create time for hobbies and relaxation.
Life coaching certification and executive coach certification both focus on helping the client achieve their goals.

Coaching Certification with ICF-Approved Coach Training at the Center for Coaching Certification

There are a multitude of coaching models and processes.  Each has value and benefits.  What is essential is that the coach understands the client so that they flex to what works best for them individually. The Center for Coaching Certification teaches an ICF-Approved coach training program which emphasizes the clients’ wishes.
Because the number one indicator of success for a coaching relationship is the rapport between the coach and the client, it is essential that the process creates the opportunity for the coach to get to know their client and for the client to realize they are heard and understood.
A written coaching agreement is called for per the International Coach Federation Code of Ethics.  Ideally this applies to internal coaches as well as external.
The average length of a coaching relationship is one year.  Of course there are coaching relationships that are for just a few months and others that last years.  Often there is a period of regular coaching followed by periodic coaching.  Best practices means determining a minimum time commitment to the relationship and process and then continuing while there is benefit to the client.