With the goings-on in the world today, the demand for professional coaching has dramatically increased. If you are sincerely considering to become a professional coach — be it a life coach, external executive coach, or internal coach for your company — it is important that you be formally trained first.
Below are a few helpful criteria that can help you screen and select the best coach training program you rightfully deserve:
Accreditation by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This is a must as the ICF is the recognized global authority of coaching, and it offers the only globally recognized, independent credentialing program. To verify if the program you are attending is legitimately ICF-accredited, visit https:/coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/find-education.
Credibility and Experience of the Course Master. Faculty credibility is one most critical factor to consider. Best if you go for courses facilitated by a recognized coaching guru with global exposure and long years of coaching experience (e.g. 20 years or more) as an ICF-Master Certified Coach (MCC). Do not fall for celebrities, greenhorns or even self-proclaimed master coaches. Spend time to always do some careful background checks before you decide. You may verify the course master’s coach credentials here: https://coachingfederation.org/find-a-coach.
Course Delivery. The manner of how the course is being conducted matters a lot in your growth and development as a professional coach. Choose courses that will provide you with strong theoretical foundations based on ICF global coaching standards and provide you ample opportunities to build and sharpen your skills through supervised real and live coaching exercises, internship, and feedback. Coaching is a skill, and skills can be honed only by practicing them with the proper guidance and feedback of a coaching guru.
Practicum and Mentor Coach Supervision. Go for a course that provides you actual real-life opportunities to practice and grow your coaching proficiency via a practicum, not classroom role play sessions and video showings alone. A course that provides you a personal mentor-coach that will: a) handhold you during your actual coaching practice; b) listen to your coaching conversations; c) give you feedback and directions; d) not give up on you until you are ready.
Continuing Personal and Professional Development. Choose a course that is truly dedicated to your continuous growth as a coach and as a person in general. A course that will offer you support after the training and give you opportunities to learn new things from experts and other coaches, discover more about yourself, hone your coaching skills, and do reflective practice.
These are some key factors that you can look into when choosing a coach training program. Your choice of program can define how you will be able to start your coaching practice so make sure to spend some time to do your homework.
Benchmark’s “Accelerated Coach Training Program (Foundational Course)” is led by Benchmark’s founder, ICF Philippines’ Chapter founding president and the Philippines’ FIRST ICF Master Certified Coach, Julius Ordonez.
Benchmark Consulting’s decades of experience in coaching has already produced hundreds of practicing professional coaches all around the world, many of whom are ICF-credentialed. Join the roster of highly qualified and competent coaches who are transforming thousands of lives!
