Loved the questions Billy! Especially the last one… to evolve through tme or to pin it down now? I think we could probably pin it down now with the research that is already in existence… but, I’d be careful to use research that is based on observing of actual coaching rather than “what coaches say about coaching”. A lot of research is based on what coaches say about coaching and because I did a study that correlated what coaches said with what their clients said, I noticed some discrepancies that could only be ironed out by observing coaching in action.

Kerryn Griffiths
http://www.reciprocoach.com

One of the things I really appreciate about the ICF’s new definition of coaching is how inclusive it is. It allows both continuous evolution of coaching methodologies and wide diversity of practice to match the diversity of client’s needs.

I guess when you’re referring to using best practices you are talking more about defining the standards: how we do it. The definition itself simply describes what it is. Is that right?

Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.

One interesting thought that comes to mind since I began engaging in coaching and is still on my mind, is: “In defining coaching, would defining it based on principles of ‘best practices’ be the way forward? How could we reconcile the various ‘disagreements’ on the definition of coaching? If we are unable to reconcile, and that ‘reconciliation’ is not logically the right thing to do, should we permit the definition of coaching to evolve through time, or is it our accountability and responsibility to accelerate the definition process?

Billy C H Teoh
Malaysia.

Yes the code was severely updated at the end of last year after extensive research, international vetting, dissection, review, and approval. I served on the ethics committee from 2003-2008 and on the code review team as scribe and change tracker for this latest change. I have posted a summary of the process over at Co-Active Network http://coactivenetwork.com/webx/.59bfbf27/1

With respect to the definition of coaching. In 2006, when we started this code revision process, there had been growing unrest with the “official ICF” definition of coaching. Common complaints were that it was too long, it was myopic, it did not necessarily reflect what coaches were actually practicing. In 2004, Dave Buck, owner of Coachville, in his myths of coaching set out to redefine coaching as we new it. And shake it up he did. He said “Coaching is inspiring an individual or a team to produce a desired result;
through personalized teaching, expanding awareness, and designing environments.” Clean, simple, bold, and elegant – coach-like definition.

Upon review of the ICF website we found no less than SEVEN different “official” definitions of coaching none of which were less than a paragraph long. We took these definitions, gathered about a dozen more commonly used definitions of coaching including Mirriam Webster’s. We referenced several research reports on defining coaching and one in particular, which I’m forgetting its source, on what a definition of coaching needs to include. The amalgam was presented to and vetted by the full committee, the international advisory panel, the board, and several committees. Ultimately the new definition is that vetted version massaged slightly by the ICF lawyers. In all several hundred sets of international eyes found common ground in this new, one sentence definition.

In addition to the new formal definition. We further defined what is coaching, what is a professional coaching relationship, and what is an ICF Professional Coach.

Matthew Rochte
Coach for Seasoned Coaches
http://www.CoachingIntentionally.com

> So would a coach who coaches him/herself have a fool for a client? And is it a good idea to coach yourself?

Fool, no, but missing out on the opportunity to become great and truly serving their clients to the best of their abilities.

Coaching is like the Jo-Hari window – you don’t know what you don’t know and you need someone to shine a light on things – to stretch, to grow, and challenge.

>We’ve had an ongoing (and quite fascinating) discussion here at the Commons about whether self-coaching is even POSSIBLE. (Read comments)

Yes if you only look at the basic skill set and the see it as a set of questions. ie. What is it, Where do you want to go, What’s needs to happen to accomplish it, How is it going, What is it now etc.

More complex issues like nuances and the art of coaching – certainly are more challenging. nuancing your own nuances?

>Coach, do you have a coach?

YES

> Have you always worked with the same coach?

No, over the past 18 years I’ve had dozens of them. Sometimes I circle back. Several I have fired. Longest I’ve ever worked with one coach I think matches the longest I’ve ever worked with a single client 18 months.

> Do you use a different coach for different goals/issues/challenges/areas of your life?

Absolutely. At one point in 2005 when I was running Life Coach Alliance, LLC (a national coaching company of 50 associate coaches), maintaining my own coaching business, while serving as the president of the Minnesota Coaches Association – I had four coaches simultaneous. Each with their own skill set, expertise, style, and satisfied very different needs.
At that time I had a voice coach to literally help me find my voice in leadership. I had an equine coach who worked with me on leading herds, teams, and myself. I had business coach to keep me focused and on track on each of the businesses. Then I had a life coach to help me hold it all together, have a life, and be me.

This was in addition to two peer coaching circles I was involved in.

> Do you have MORE than one coach at a time?
I have tended to always have at least two at any time. One to work on a specific area, interest or focus with a coach with specific expertise or experience in the subject and then another to as a business coach, life coach, and/or mentor coach.

> Do you pay ‚Äúretail” for your coach, or is there a professional courtesy from coach to coach – or perhaps a deep discount on the cost?

I pay their going rates. I walk my talk. If I expect people to pay my rates I am honoring the value I see in my own coaching. Does this mean I pay the same for each, no, and that is because people valuate their services differently. Also when working with multiple coaches simultaneously, you tend to meet less frequently with each, but more in aggregate.

For years I was involved in a round-robin/coaching circle where we each paid $200 which is a lot lower than my “rack rate” for my own coaching, but since we were all at the same level and we were all paying the same, the price was irrelevant – what mattered was the quality of the coaching.

> Do you offer this service to other coaches?

Absolutely. It is now the majority of my coaching business. I am a seasoned coach of seasoned coaches – meaning that I frequently work with PCCs, MCCs, senior coaches (5+ years of coaching exp). I’ve been coaching for 18 years, been trained formally through four coach training programs and informally through probably a through a half dozen more – not to leave out all the learning that comes from other coaches. We focus on the art of coaching and on integrating new concepts and layers to their coaching – stretching their skillset and making it an artform. Spiral Dynamics, Integrated coaching, flow, Arbinger, etc.

I also work with newer coaches as a business coach/consultant/teacher as I am versed in business structures, strategic and tactical planning, intellectual property, ethics, finances, etc – having run several successful companies.

>If the answer is no, then why not?
>cost, scheduling,etc?

IMHO these are mostly excuses and I throw back the following questions:

Do you truly believe that coaching is worth what you are charging?
Do you truly believe that coaching is an investment in your life, business, trade, etc?
Do you truly believe that coaching has an excellent ROI?

IF you are not paying for your own coaching
1) You don’t have a business, you have a hobby
2) You are being inauthentic
3) You need to get a job while you build your cash reserves to invest in your coaching business.

> Finding times that work can seem overwhelming.

Only if you don’t put your big rocks in first. Take care of the business and yourself first.

> But shouldn’t coaches – of ALL people – have regular coaching?

In general YES

> Suppose cost/time/whatever/ wasn’t a factor.
> Would you jump at the chance to be coached?

Here is where I depart from my above comments. There are times when you need to process and integrate what you have learned and that can be days, weeks, or even months between coaching sessions. So do you always need to have a coach – no. Access to one when you and acting on it when you want one – yes.

> Would you be willing to offer reciprocal coaching to a colleague?

Yes, and I say this with a severe caveat – we must equally find equivalent levels of value in the relationship, though not necessarily of the same kind of value. I have two coaches that I have been triad with for going on four years. We each are at different coaching levels, and very different styles and approaches, with very different backgrounds. These differences, to me are of great value to me, while to one of compatriots my bredth and depth of coaching is of value to them. We do 2 on 1 coaching or coach/client/observer coaching or simple group download and brainstorm depending on what we each need from our monthly call.

It makes it terribly awkward if we are not truly skill level matched and/or value extraction matched. For that reason I tend to do reciprocal coaching only with seasoned coaches.

Thanks for letting me share and having this tremendous and important discussion.

Matthew Rochte
Seasoned Coach for Seasoned Coaches
http://www.CoachingIntentionally.com

Thanks for sharing the link to your study. It does open lots of questions for me about coaching standards and how we (all coaches) can clarify our understanding of exactly we do that leads to the best results for our clients.

The IAC is very interested in studying this issue further and we are open to working with researchers who could help to validate and refine our standards.

The IAC Coaching Masteries (http://www.certifiedcoach.org/learningguide/masteries.htm) were written by an international team of coaches, mainly based on their own experience of what worked in the best coaching they had received.

Angela Spaxman
President, International Association of Coaching
http://www.certifiedcoach.org

Thanks for the heads-up Chuck – I hadn’t noticed the change in ethics… I’m interested to know where the ICF draws their definition of coaching from… you don’t happen to know by any chance? Or anyone else?

I find the definition interesting as I conducted a broad literature review and my definition of coaching from research that was available just over a year ago looked like this:

“Coaching is a goal-directed, multi-faceted process for enhancing people, work and life.” (Griffiths, 2008)

I have noticed in the past that there seems to be some conflict between what the ICF says about coaching and what research suggests. In fact, I wrote a paper for the International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching about “Regulating the regulators” (http://www.business.brookes.ac.uk/research/areas/coachingandmentoring/volume/volume6_num1.html) to start questionning this.

After taking a close look at what the ICF says and what actual research suggests, I’m careful about what I accept point blank and always ask, “Yeah, but where did it come from?” first… and then I decide in what context I’d like to accept the information… to be honest, right now I’m not so sure about the definition…

Billy, your comments were very practical and helpful. I think it’s something we all work with… walking that fine line between generating the answers and giving the answers… I do consistently experience however, that when I “tell” it is certainly less powerful than when they discover… I experience this as a coach and as a client.

And Claire, I’m interested in the point you, and others have made about, “If I don’t pay for coaching, how can I expect clients to?” I have paying coaching clients, and it’s part of the way I earn my money, but there is a little part of me that wonders, “What if coaching were one day something we didn’t pay for?” I guess this question relates to the discussion above about “coaching” our loved ones… although with the new ICF definition, it wouldn’t appear to be “coaching” anymore…

Hmmm… it’s all making me think a little deeper about the things we’re encouraged to just accept!

Kerryn Griffiths
Global Reciprocoach Coordinator
http://www.reciprocoach.com

Thanks to Kerryn for highlighting this fabulous discussion to me!

I actually work as a coach for coaches, and as a coach supervisor, so for me it’s absolutely key to my integrity that I can answer yes to receiving – and paying for – regular support.

I have both a peer coaching relationship, where we co-support each other, and a paid coach and a paid supervisor.

I’ve used different coaches, depending on my needs at the time. That said, I’m someone who always feels that there is something on the table worth discussing and finding out more about – I am always amazed when people say they don’t have anything to be coached on!

Part of why I pay for my coaching and supervision is that I know it makes me feel more authentic in my work with clients – how can I expect them to pay me for my investment in myself and my skills, when I don’t expect the same from my peers?

I just added supervision and have been interested to see the discussion ranging on this – I think this shows the new-ness of supervision as a term, and in differentiating it from therapeutic supervision. I’m excited to be part of that journey!