Have you heard the news? The organization formerly known as the International Coach Federation (ICF) has a new groove, and is re-branding as the International Coaching Federation (also ICF). The change replaces the word “Coach”, with “Coaching”. Now at first glance you might think: “yea, so what?” Does adding an “ing” really change up the game? I say yes. In changing the word “coach” from a noun to a verb, they are putting a new spin on their mission and involvement with coaches. Let’s talk about that, and what it means for you as a coach.
What is the ICF?
“The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification and building a worldwide network of trained coaching professionals.” (See their About page here)
As of December 2019, there were 29,803 ICF credential-holders, and 500 credentialing applications were approved in December 2019.
The ICF offers three tiers of credentials to coaches: Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC), each with increasing requirements and levels of experience. They offer continued education opportunities, a directory of coaches, volunteer opportunities, and community opportunities globally and locally.
What’s new?
In January 2020, the ICF changed its name from the International Coach Federation to the International Coaching Federation.
From the ICF statement:
“This is more than a new name. This marks our transition to a new way of serving coaches, coaching clients, our communities and the world as we accelerate the pursuit of our vision: ensuring that coaching is an integral part of a thriving society and every ICF coach represents the highest quality of professional coaching.”
There are now six unique family organizations within ICF, each with its own governing board. These are the ICF organizations:
- Professional Coaches
- Credentials and Standards
- Coach Training
- Coaching in Organizations
- Foundation
- Thought Leadership
“ICF changed from International Coach Federation to International Coaching Federation as an extension of a strategic move to better serve more constituents–including clients, organizations, and others who coach that might not be professional coaches.”
What’s the opportunity here?
A Word Change
Let’s talk about the word that is changing in the title, from coach to coaching. If we look at the basics of these two words, one is a noun and one is a verb. Sure. So what’s the implication there of changing the operative word in the title of the organization from a noun to a verb?
Merriam-Webster Definitions
Coach, noun: one who instructs or trains.
Coaching, verb: to act as a coach.
There are a few distinctions here. The noun form implies “being” the coach, being the one delivering the coaching and identifying with the label of “coach”. The verb form implies “doing” the coaching, being someone who “acts as” a coach, and does coaching. The verb form doesn’t necessitate the label of being a “coach”. It implies that it can be anyone who is doing some form of coaching. While the word “coach” implies a clear label, the verb version of “coaching” implies transience; wearing the role of a coach in the moment. This opens the field to include a broader range of coaching that may occur.
The Coaching Continuum
This differentiation now includes professionals and individuals who are not professional coaches by trade, but “do” coaching as part of their lives and work. In changing this word, and opening the field to be more inclusive of people who do different shades of coaching and who don’t necessarily define themselves as a “coach”, the ICF can service a wider group of professionals and widen the lens through which they develop and nurture coaching in the world.
The coaching professional landscape is sometimes described as the “Coaching Continuum”, to account for the range of coaching modalities employed by professionals. Everyone from a full-time coach practitioner and self-employed business owner, a human resources and talent development manager using coaching skills in their role, to a leader at a company using coaching skills in their leadership style, falls under this umbrella.
There are lots of ways people utilize coaching approaches. Therefore, in moving beyond the title of “International Coach Federation” to a more inclusive “International Coaching Federation”, the organization is able to better represent, advocate for, conduct research and participate with coaching in the world on a more nuanced, broader scale.
In the 2016 ICF Global Coaching Study, 64,100 individuals were surveyed, and 53,300 (83%) identified as coach practitioners. Another 10,900 (17 %) identified as managers or leaders using coaching skills. The 2019 Study will be released in mid-2020, and I expect the number of managers & leaders using coaching skills to increase to reflect the growing market.
Coaching isn’t a regulated industry, which means anyone can call themselves a “coach”. Anyone in any position can use coaching approaches, with or without training, which obviously comes with a lot of pros and cons could easily be its own post. However, with that being the case, the organization that exists to serve and grow coaching is bigger than strictly the individuals who self-identify as “coaches.”
What Could This Mean for the Coaching Industry?
So, with this public expansion of the realm the ICF is committing to serve and represent, what’s the opportunity for you?
Time will tell, as the ICF releases more information and we see the directions they take this. However, I’d say this is a positive for coaching, both as an approach to working with and developing people, as well as for people who have made it their profession. The potential impact the ICF can have in developing coaching in the world is only expanded through this new direction. It opens the lens to more information, research and opportunities to share the benefits of coaching with more people.
This shift could also lead to a greater understanding of coaching in the marketplace. It could mean more opportunities to bring coaching to organizations, and more community among professional coaches looking to scale coaching to wider communities through shared focus and experience in local and global ICF chapters.
I think this is a natural next step for the coaching industry. It is a step that really embraces the direction coaching is already heading, rather than fighting to keep it small and kept only for full-time coaches. It is an exciting time to be looking at coaching, and this decision to re-focus the ICF is an encouraging signal of the expanding market.
If you are a coach and have your ACC, PCC or MCC credential with the ICF, or if you have a paid membership to the ICF, then you are a part of the ICF Professional Coaches organization.
As a member of the ICF you will still have all of your member benefits, credibility of being a part of this organization, and community.
What are your thoughts on the ICF updates? What do you interpret this to mean for coaching industry? I’d love to discuss!
Thinking about applying for your ICF credential? Read more about the credential application process here, and reach out if you are looking for mentor coaching for the mentor coaching requirement for ACC or PCC. You can learn more about Mentor Coaching for your ICF requirement with me here.
