Coaching is growing and expanding rapidly and is here to stay.\u00a0 As a profession or an industry, coaching has grown and garnered increasing levels of attention.\u00a0 In keeping with a multitude of professions, coaching is now at a point where it will successfully self-regulate or, in the United States at least and potentially in other countries, government will step in and regulate it.<\/p>\n
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<\/a> failed to include or adequately address ethics, government tradition, and the consideration of necessity to protect clients.<\/p>\n The International Coaching Federation<\/a> is the leader in coaching and a gold standard for coaches and coach training.\u00a0 ICF is at the forefront for self-regulation of coaching.\u00a0 To this end, the ICF approves coach training programs, publishes the Core Competencies<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n