Anyone can just wake up one day and call themselves a coach. Yes, there is something fulfilling about that, but it will bring along problems with it as well. When there are no standards that are objective or somewhat consistent, there will be a risk of coaching being seen as poor quality which would eventually lead your team to suffer as a whole. Overall, clients would then have poor experiences associated with coaching which will further result in actual professional and gifted coaches missing out on opportunities that could actually change someone’s life. This is why having some form of coaching certification is highly recommended.

Having a coaching certification is important for both individual coaches and for the industry as a whole. The majority of practitioners and leaders who leverage coaching skills and abilities believe that coaches should be accredited. There should definitely be some formal coaching certification program that should have been completed. Having a coaching certification to your name will enable other coaches to ensure that they should always have their client’s best interests put first. Also, in order for them to not unintentionally cause harm to their clients.

A great way to start off your coaching journey is to invest in obtaining your ICF, this is a certification that can address all things coaching. ICF stands for the International Coaching Federation, it is known to be the global standard of excellence. The ICF coaching certification is one of the main and key credentials used by the coaching industry to retain a high quality. Within the industry, ICF is made up of credential holders which are members of a self-regulating community of elite coaches who hold themselves and the coaching industry responsible. If you are an ICF member, you should be following rigorous education and practice requirements, which ultimately prove your dedication to coaching brilliance. This type of coaching certification will demonstrate that you have completed the essential training to be a competent coach. Additionally, the certification can guarantee that business, life, and executive coaches are fully qualified, as well as dependable professionals who follow a strong code of ethics through establishing standards, skills, and competencies for coaching certification.

If the coaching program you are considering is ICF accredited and has been thoroughly assessed by industry professionals to make sure that it meets or exceeds the highest ICF criteria that there is. There are multiple pathways you can take when becoming a certified coach, and a lot of different academies, businesses and frameworks which can also help those who want to become certified. Simply, coaching certification is there to build and maintain creditability, help further expand the community as a whole, level up in your career, gain confidence and so much more. Once you are a coaching professional, earning your certification is a great addition to your title. You will be able to have a certification to back up your claims as a professional who understands the inner workings of the coaching business.

When you obtain a coaching certification, other students will be encouraged to deepen their mastery of coaching and improve their competence and presence as a coach and professional practitioners.