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How to Explore with Your Parent Coach

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Cathy Liska

by Tracy Prunty –  https://jottersjourney.com

A coach will serve you best by understanding your intention.  They listen to what you say and don’t say plus notice patterns over time.  Based on this awareness, one of the most significant things a coach does is open up the possibilities through questions.  Questions are tailored to reflect the uniqueness of your family and circumstances.  Each coach has a unique style too. How to Explore with Your Parent Coach

What are possible questions?  Here are a few examples:

  • What is most important for you to focus on during this coaching session?
  • Describe one of your favorite family memories.
  • How is your child unique?
  • How does your child interact and communicate?
  • What are your child’s favorite things to do?
  • What makes your child happy?
  • What makes your child proud?
  • What does your child do well?
  • What are your child’s goals?
  • What struggles does your child face?
  • What have you done that works?
  • What have you done that doesn’t work?
  • With that awareness what will you do?
  • Describe your child’s daily routine.
  • How do your family members support your child?
  • What are your goals for how you support your child?
  • How do you want to feel when you are with your child?
  • What are the challenges you might face?
  • How will you move past the challenges?
  • What resources will you use?
  • What are you learning?
  • How will you use what you learn?
  • What do you want to pay attention to over the next few weeks?
  • What will you do?
  • What is success to you?

A trained coach will tailor the questions to you and what you want to accomplish – these examples are for a sense of the possibilities.

 

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What to Expect from Your Parent Coach

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Cathy Liska

by Tracy Prunty – https://jottersjourney.com

When you start working with a parent coach, they will want to know your concerns and your priorities. You decide what is most important and the coach is your partner to consider options and challenges, develop strategies, and decide how you will move forward. What to Expect from Your Parent Coach

What happens in coaching?  Often it starts with a big picture exploration of what you want in all areas of your life.  This provides tremendous value because you identify competing priorities, influencing factors, and top priorities.  Next is a session that will support your focus, confidence, positivity, and motivation for creating the meaningful changes you want.  Then, on an ongoing basis, you choose what you want to focus on and accomplish in each session.

Coaches have many different ways to partner with you in exploring, reflecting, discovering, and planning.  For example, they may ask probing questions.  Brainstorming and role playing often are helpful.  Some coaches offer assessments. Creating tools and organizing information happens during and between sessions.  Considering the pros and cons may be helpful.  Talking through worst case, best case, and most likely scenarios can be insightful.

Because coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process, a well-trained coach will collaborate with you on how to maximize the value in each session.

 

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About ICF’s Ethics Community of Practice

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Cathy Liska

The International Coaching Federation, ICF, Ethics Community of Practice (CP) is a virtual group of coaches who share best practices, emerging trends, tools, and tips in the area of coaching ethics.

The Ethics Community of Practice delivers professional development opportunities through a variety of different outputs, including webinar presentations from subject-matter experts and facilitated discussion sessions. About ICF’s Ethics Community of Practice

Do the right thing – learn the ethics before there is a problem!  Plus – engage with colleagues, have a safe place to ask questions, and continue your growth.

Sign-up for the Ethics Community of Practice to receive emails about upcoming events at https://gpsd8jrq.pages.infusionsoft.net/

Quarterly webinars on ethics are free to ICF members and available for a small fee for non-members through the Ethics Community of Practice Learning Portal at https://learning.coachfederation.org/professional-development/CP/ethics-cp

Join the Ethics Community of Practice Basecamp discussion for Ethics – email Cathy@CoachCert.com and ask to be added.  Please note: all members of the Basecamp group can see the member list and email addresses.

Ethics Water Cooler – an open-ended monthly conversation about ethical situations and considerations.  Register at https://coachingfederation-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/cc5a2a354af49b977c24e00bf0acd2b8

Additional Links:

Take advantage of the great resources provided to coaches!

 

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Communities of Practice at ICF

Posted on May 16, 2022 by Cathy Liska

The International Coaching Federation provides an amazing, albeit often unknown, resource for members, the Communities of Practice. Learn more at https://learning.coachingfederation.org/professional-development/CommunityofPracticeOverview

Currently the Communities of Practice include: Communities of Practice at ICF

  • Career Coaching – focuses on assisting clients with career/job direction, work/life balance, job search strategies, career changes, and transitioning to retirement.
  • Coaching and Human Capital – focuses on integrating coaching into organizations, performance management, training development, and succession planning.
  • Coaching Science – focuses on evidence-based practice, neuroscience, behavioral science, and current research in the coaching world.
  • Coaching Supervision – focuses on the development of the coach’s capacity through offering a richer and broader opportunity for support and development. Coaching Supervision creates a safe environment for the coach to share their successes and failures in becoming masterful in the way they work with their clients.
  • Ethics – focuses on how ethics impact the coaching profession by exploring ethical dilemmas and discussing best ethical practices.
  • Executive and Leadership Coaching – focuses on methods for coaching C-suite executives, high-level decision-makers and organizational leaders.
  • Health and Wellness Coaching – focuses on health, wellness, and medical coaching. This community caters to coaches who work to educate and support clients to cultivate positive lifestyle changes, address medical and health challenges, promote overall well-being, and engages coaches who work with caregivers and healthcare professionals.
  • Internal Coaching – focuses on the skills, challenges and best practices for coaches working in organizations and internal coaching programs.
  • Life Vision and Enhancement Coaching – focuses on coaching clients to identify and achieve their personal and professional life goals.
  • Team and Group Coaching – focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities of coaching teams, groups, systems, and organizations of people.

A tip: if you are a member of ICF, you may join all the Communities of Practice and receive emails for the upcoming webinars.  This is a great opportunity for continuing education!

 

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Three Phases of Coaching Agreements

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Cathy Liska

An agreement for a coaching relationship is called for in both the Code of Ethics and the Core Competencies of a coach from the International Coaching Federation, ICF. Three Phases of Coaching Agreements

An agreement happens in three phases:

  1. An initial conversation with a client on what coaching is and is not. This often occurs in an exploratory phone call, networking, or when a sponsor provides coaching for employees.  This conversation draws on what is discussed in the first webinar of the Certified Professional Coach program.
  2. A formal agreement for a coaching engagement. In the majority of countries this is a written agreement and where a written agreement is an insult then a formal verbal agreement is used.  The Code of Ethics does note specific points to address.  Graduates of the Certified Professional Coach program have five different examples on the coach login page.
  3. An agreement every single coaching session on what the client wants to focus on, their agenda, their measure of success, and what accomplishing what they want in the session means to them. There are at least four questions toward the beginning of the conversation coaches ask to establish the agreement for the session.

Co-creating an agreement with a client serves the client in terms of clarity on the coaching: process, roles and responsibilities, and what to expect.  It serves the coach in terms of clarity on the partnership and how to best partner in service to the client.  Agreement serves the relationship as guard rails and a guide.

Coach training is an opportunity to explore the conversation used in phase 1, gain examples for formal agreements used in phase 2, and practice establishing the agreement for a session as done for phase 3.

 

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Ethics and Competencies work Hand-in-hand

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Cathy Liska

The Code of Ethics and the Core Competencies from the International Coaching Federation, ICF, work hand-in-hand.  If you want to demonstrate coaching competencies it requires being ethical.  If you are ethical, you are applying the coaching competencies. Ethics and Competencies work Hand-in-hand

For example, the first three competencies speak directly to ethics:

  1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice – to demonstrate ethical practice means learning about, applying, and indeed living the ethics of the coaching profession.
  2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset – acknowledges that clients are responsible for their own choices which requires staying true to the role of coach which in turn is ethical.
  3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements – requires the agreement for the coaching relationship address key points as noted in the Code of Ethics and also calls for the coach to ensure the client is choosing the focus, agenda, and measure of success for the session.

The Code of Ethics includes several points that speak to competency as a coach:

  1. Calls on the coach to explain the nature of coaching.
  2. Calls for an agreement.
  3. Means ensuring there is value for the client which in turn requires competency on the part of the coach.
  4. Managing power differences is a skill developed through coaching competency.
  5. Ensuring quality requires competency.
  6. A commitment to continued development means continuing to upgrade competencies.
  7. Calls for an accurate description of coaching competency.

Coach training, certification, and credentialing all include training on ethics and the competencies as well as the opportunities to practice and develop skills with both the application of ethics and the core competencies of a coach.

 

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Additional Learning Options

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Cathy Liska

In addition to coach training and continuing coach education, because many of us are firm believers in being a life-long learned and value additional opportunities, here are resources: Additional Learning Options

Monthly Webinars including many there are free – the Center for Coaching Certification provides free webinars, includes information on free Assessments 24/7 webinars, and also lists webinars from the various Communities of Practice at the International Coaching Federation (free to ICF members and a small fee for non-members): https://www.coachcert.com/resources/monthly-webinars.html

Podcast – a new one is posted each week: https://www.coachcert.com/podcast.html

Blogs – two new ones each week: https://www.coachcert.com/coachingblog/

YouTube – the free webinar recordings are available here: https://www.youtube.com/user/CtrCoachCert/videos

Websites and articles of interest are listed at https://www.coachcert.com/resources/recommended-reading/websites-and-articles-of-interest.html

Free White Papers on Starting and Running an Internal Coaching Program and on Selecting a Coach are available at https://www.coachcert.com/resources/recommended-reading/white-papers.html

Recommended Reading includes the Coaching Perspectives series published by the Center for Coaching Certification as well as several other great books offered on Amazon: https://www.coachcert.com/en/resources/recommended-reading/coaching-perspectives-series-by-the-center-for-coaching-certification-and-more.html

Assessment Dashboard – provided to all graduates, the dashboard provides many immediately accessible materials on the various assessments as well as a discount for certification in different assessments: https://www.cccassessments.com/Account/AccountLogin.aspx

Engage with Colleagues on Facebook: if you have a Facebook page, like the CCC business page at https://www.facebook.com/CoachingCertification/?ref=ts and then ask to join the group at https://www.facebook.com/CoachingCertification/groups/?ref=page_internal

Engage with Colleagues on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3013346/

ICF – check the event schedule and Community of Practice programs: https://coachfederation.org/ or https://coachingfederation.org/communities-of-practice

Social Media is a great resource for quick inspiration, connecting, and for posts you can share on your social media sites:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachingCertification/?ref=ts

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3013346/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoachProf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachcert/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1MDEUfgr4Qk1dFrY0Yf8zQ

Blog: https://www.coachcert.com/coachingblog/

Podcast: https://www.coachcert.com/podcast.html

Of course, please do visit https://www,CoachCert.com

 

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How to Become a Coach

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Cathy Liska

The gold standard for being a coach is membership in the International Coaching Federation (ICF).   The ICF requires 60 hours of training to become a member.  In addition to membership, the ICF offers credentialing – think about it this way: becoming a member of the ICF is much like getting an associates degree, and then earning a credential is much like getting a degree or masters level degree.

The easiest way to explain the process is these two infographics from the website at https://www.coachcert.com/en/about/faqs/how-to-become-a-coach.html

This shows the ICF requirements:

ICF Requirements

This shows the steps with the Center for Coaching Certification – for the ACC along the bottom arrow and the PCC along the top arrow:

Steps with Center for Coaching Certification

Click each program name here for the program overview, schedule, and application:

Certified Professional Coach: Overview, Schedule, and Application
Certified Master Coach: Overview, Schedule, and Application
Foundational Cohort: Overview, Schedule, and Application
Growth Cohort: Overview, Schedule, and Application
Advanced Cohort: Overview, Schedule, and Application
Mentor Coaching: Overview, Schedule, and Application

CCE Programs:
Science of Positivity: Overview, Schedule, Application
Diversity and Equity in Coaching: Overview, Schedule, Application
Coaching Skills for Professionals: Overview, Schedule, Application

 

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Top 10 Criteria for Selecting Coach Training

Posted on April 29, 2022 by Cathy Liska

What is your top criteria for selecting a coach training program?

To help you select the best coach training programs, we asked business leaders and CEOs this question for their best recommendations. From industry expertise and tactical experience to credibility and good track record, there are several recommended criteria that may help you with choosing a coach training program that best fits your needs.

Here are 10 criteria for selecting a coach training program:

  • Industry Expertise and Tactical Experience
  • Quality of The Training Curriculum
  • A Program That Upholds Your Values
  • Good Online Support
  • Training That Betters You To Help Others
  • Strong Focus on Group and Team Coaching
  • A Program That Colleagues Can Recommend
  • Coaching That Always Instills Optimism
  • Top Certification and Reputation

Top 10 Criteria for Selecting Coach Training

Industry Expertise and Tactical Experience

There’re coaches with industry expertise and tactical experience, and there’re coaches with sound frameworks and proven methodologies. Personally speaking, I value the coach training program that has industry specialization. There’s just more weight in the advice that’s offered from a coach who has been there and done that. The coaches with a specific industry focus are also generally smaller in size, which allows them to dive deeper into training. While it’s helpful to have a generalized coach training program to establish a foundation, the coaches with industry focus seem to help companies get through the challenges that matter most.

Brett Farmiloe, Terkel

Quality of The Training Curriculum

The training curriculum is incredibly important. The subjects that a program covers, and how the curriculum approaches different topics, can all be taught in a variety of ways. Some are more effective than others. It’s important to take a close look at the training curriculum before you settle on one, as it can make the difference between a great training program and a mediocre one.

Nick Santora, Curricula

A Program That Upholds Your Values

In addition to finding a legitimate program that has been approved by a coaching association, it is important to find a program that upholds similar values as your own. Every training program upholds different views on what a coach should be and what a coach should embody. Find a program that aligns with your beliefs to make for a richer and more worthwhile experience.

Kate Lipman, embrace Scar Therapy

Good Online Support

A coach training program is only as good as its online support teams. You should always have access to coaching professionals to clarify subjects you struggle to understand, and an IT team for technical assistance. Without these two support groups, your learning progress faces serious setbacks that make a program ineffective and inefficient, hindering your professional growth.

Roy Morejon, Enventys Partners

Training That Betters You To Help Others

When I was looking for a coach training program, I wanted a program that taught me how to be a great coach. What I received was a program that not only taught me the coaching skills to help others reach their next level but it also taught me how to leverage my natural talents to choose a field of coaching that I was purposed to do. When you find a program that enhances your natural talents while challenging you to grow and learn a new skill set that will help you to change the lives of others, what could be better than that!

Aikyna Finch, Finch and Associates, LLC

Strong Focus on Group and Team Coaching

In business, hiring a group or team coach to help optimize your team’s work flow and enhance overall collaboration can really increase overall quality of work. This is why choosing a training program that prioritizes group and team coaching is essential. The only way to truly improve productivity and efficiency in business is to create a culture of collaboration in the workplace, and this cannot be achieved through individual coaching sessions. Learning how to coach a group will make you a more marketable coach across all industries, as you’ll be able to more confidently help workplaces build a collaborative work culture.

Peter Robert, Expert Computer Solutions

A Program That Colleagues Can Recommend

When selecting a coach training program, I always seek out programs that people within my network are familiar with and can vouch for. The coach training program market is so oversaturated at this point, that purely relying on online reviews and advertising is not enough. When searching for a coach training program, ask your colleagues and mentors for recommendations. At the end of the day, small businesses owners and budding entrepreneurs don’t have the money to waste on less than exceptional coaching training. It’s best not to gamble, and rely on first-hand insight.

Nick Drewe, Wethrift

Coaching That Always Instills Optimism 

The best coaches will express encouragement when complex issues are discussed, and they are able to stay optimistic during situations when no one in the office wants to talk. A good coach has the ability to encourage difficult discussions, which can help get to the root of the matter, and they can make the issue less intimidating. Because they are able to model a more constructive and positive attitude, they can bring team members together and make the difficult topics easier to discuss. They don’t assign blame; instead, they listen to others and try to understand their points of view. This allows all employees to be comfortable, and as a group, the team can uncover the root of a problem or miscommunication.

Paul Moody, ProMoverReviews

Top Certification and Reputation

Does the training program offer appropriate and reputable certification? While many training programs can be informative and helpful, they won’t matter much if the training isn’t paired with appropriate certification. It’s important that the certification you receive is well-recognized and will be well received by companies looking to hire you, so feel free to check with coaching forums and with professionals to discover the reputation of a training program before you invest your time and money.

John Jacob, Hoist

Credibility and Good Track Record

When it comes to choosing a coach training program, there are definitely quite a few factors to consider, especially because you’ll be taking a lot of advice and direction from this individual. But, if I were to pinpoint one of my top criteria for choosing a coach, I’d say credibility first. A background in psychology is helpful, but more than that, it’s important to find a program that had a solid success rate with great feedback from previous individuals who experienced the same form of coaching. A quick way to check into the credibility of coaching programs is to read through their reviews across Google, Yelp, and other online review directories. These should reflect positively on their coaching program.

Nick Cotter, newfoundrTerkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.

 

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The New ICF Journey to Becoming a Coach

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Cathy Liska

With ICF changing how coach training is accredited, the journey to becoming a coach is looking different in the future.  Starting in 2022, organizations can only offer ICF-accredited programs that support earning the ACC (Level 1), PCC (Level 2), or MCC (Level 3) credential or that are continuing education (CCE) for renewing a credential. The New ICF Journey to Becoming a Coach

Because of the popularity of the Certified Professional Coach program as a stand-alone option, the Center for Coaching Certification will continue offering it.  With ICF’s new accreditation policies, participants will choose whether to have a continuing coach education certificate or a certificate for partial hours of a Level 1 or 2 program.  For those who later want to continue and complete the Level 1 or Level 2 certifications, that option will be available.

At the Center for Coaching Certification, you will have the option of using your existing approved or accredited training toward the Level 1 or Level 2 program hours.

FAQs

  1. What if I only want to take the CPC?
    1. The CPC will be available as a stand-alone option with either a CCE certification or a partial-hours certificate. It will continue to offer the CEUs accredited by IACET.
  2. What if I completed the CPC and want to continue?
    1. Graduates of the CPC can enroll in future Level 1 or 2 programs and will be given a discount on the registration based on completed training hours.
  3. What if I took the CPC and CMC and now want to earn a credential?
    1. Graduates of the CPC and CMC will be able to sign up for mentor coaching at the Center for Coaching Certification and roll the combination of the training and mentor coaching into a Level 1 certification.
  4. What if I completed accredited coach training at a different school?
    1. The Center for Coaching Certification does have a policy for transferring credit athttps://www.coachcert.com/resources/about/mission-vision-ethics-core-values.html
  5. What if I completed or am enrolled in one of the credentialing cohorts (Foundational, Growth, Advanced)?
    1. Each of the credentialing cohorts is aligned with current and future ICF credentialing paths so you are all set!

For those who already started the journey to becoming a coach, you will be able to continue.  For those planning to start the journey, the Center for Coaching Certification will continue offering multiple options in terms of the planning based on time and budget.

 

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