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Is this a possible solution to Coaching as a Profession: Licensed? Registed? Chartered? Regulated?
Here is a place to start the dialogue – everyone can add ideas in the comment box below.
What would the purpose, mission, vision be for such a registry?
For coaches?
- To provide an inclusive and non-partisan global registry where coaches are able to highlight their talent, experience and expertise.
- To promote self-regulation for the industry.
- To foster credibility and transparency for coaching.
- To enable coaches to locate and collaborate with other coaches who share similar interests, specialties etc.
- To attract clients.
For potential clients?
- To provide truth and transparency about professional coaching.
- To create client education and understanding about the coaching field.
- To foster respect for professional coaches.
- To have access to a universally recognized list of coaching professionals who promise to deliver coaching ethically and honestly.
- To offer a forum for open and honest client feedback and arbitration for unresolved issues between client and coach.
What should the registry include?
- A list of 30,000 professional coaches worldwide, who agree to honor and abide by a shared Code of Ethics
- An overview of the coaches’ missions and professional profiles, which would include their business background, education, coaching experience, credentials, coach training, specialties and fee schedule
- Practical consumer information – including geographical location, time zone, language, contact information, coaching delivery preferences (phone, skype, group coaching, twitter coaching, in person, online, etc) and client testimonials
- Coach’s photo, website and email/other contact information
- The registry should also offer the ability for clients to transparently comment/rate/praise/complain about/question their coaches and comment about their coaching experience(s)
- And in cases of alleged fraud or misconduct, there should be simple steps for mediation by an objective arbitrator
Is this a good starting place?
Is it possible for this seed of an idea to grow into a United Nations/Better Business Bureau for coaches and clients — to end the crendentials controversy, and to unite (and advance) the wide world of coaching?
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There are 5 Responses so far...
I’d love to see a really active and useful international registry for coaches, some central hub, preferably something based outside the US.
I also think that there needs to be some way to effectively and swiftly self-regulate members of the coaching profession. Recent experience in my training program pointed to the need for some kind of admissions screening to ensure that coaches have sound mental health before working with clients. Coaches who are unethical or diagnostically personality disordered do need to be prevented from practicing. Training programs aren’t currently equipped to identify and refuse admission to such individuals, nor are they financially motivated to do so.
Questions that come to mind:
How would what you are proposing be different from the listing registry that’s already part of ICF?
How does merely listing coaches end the controversy about credentials? Isn’t that controversy more about standardized and regulated education, with proper licensing requirements?
I’m not at all in favor of coaching becoming mired in any bureaucracy similar to what has happened to the counseling field, but there does need to be more gate-keeping. To my mind, the least objectionable and most easy mechanism for this would be:
1. a globally accepted body that sets and monitors standardized, accredited training / no untrained coaches
2. documentation of training in order to be on any registry
3. perhaps a requirement of a certain number of documents hours of experience to stay on the registry within some specified time period
I’d hate to see governments get into licensing coaches, but that is coming in the US, and it won’t be to coaches advantage if there isn’t a politically astute and very vocal professional organization that can demonstrate that coaches can regulate themselves.
My 2 cents
~ Deah Curry PhD, CPC
Thanks, Deah – Here are some possible answers to your questions – I’m sure other readers will weigh in too – ICF’s registry only lists ICF accredited coaches, correct? This new listing would be open to any practicing professional coach. All training, credentials, experience would be accepted and listed – some coaches would have more, some coaches would have less – some coaches may only have experience, say a former retired CEO who now coaches other CEO’s on strategy and management techniques – which is why testimonials or client referrals should be a requirement.
I love it! I particularly love the opportunity for clients to comment on their experience for other clients to see. That is the ultimate regulation. I picture it like the ratings given to sellers on EBay or Amazon. I have come from consulting, an unregulated industry, and have seen the results of anybody being able to hang out a shingle, so to speak. Today, consultants have a very poor reputation, and I would like to see a different fate for coaching. Bring it on!
Interesting development while I was away for the week. If I am searching for a coach I would use the “Registry” to evaluate for more options and have more choices, so that I can at least make an informed decision and find the ‘coach-coachee fit’. What implications and consequences could emerge for coaches and coachees/clients, if such a ‘registry’ materializes?
I believe the “Registry” creates more abundances and opportunities, both for the coaches as well as the coachees/clients. The “Registry” works best if it can be ‘self-regulatory’, yet operate on ethical principles. It should not be viewed as ‘replacing’ other existing ‘registries’; but more of an independent, non-biased, supplementary ‘information highway’. Would that be acceptable?
Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.
Linda
I just got around to reading this post and I LOVE IT! While I support the ICF for what they have become as a membership organization supporting the profession of coaching, I also support the IAC, AOC,WBCC, EMCC, etc etc…People interested in coaching can flock to whatever group they want. My former profession of Psychologist has many subgroups to belong to other than the APA. SO I love the idea of a neutral and global registry. Who would create it? What would compel coaches to register…What would be the “entrance criteria”? Would it have a place for consumer ratings? like EBAY, or Amazon? Not sure we could rely on honest comments…some could be mean spirited and surreptitiously “placed there” to
hurt someones business instead of being authentic. However, I am intrigued by the fact that such a registry would not really matter what level of experience, or trainining or letters after ones name if they are “qualified coaches” How would that be determined or is it truly ‘buyer beware’?