Coaching Credentialing - a valuable indicator of quality, or a global cash cow?

“It’s just a money making machine”

“The [insert any one of the Coaching Associations] make the requirements too narrow and exclude good coaches”

“I don’t want to be an accredited coach - they don’t allow coaches to give answers”

These are just some of the accusations I have heard levelled at any one of the coaching associations in the last couple of months. Making me wonder, is it really worth the hassle of accreditation? The logging of all and every coaching interaction of the last four years (and the frustration of coaching before that not being “counted”). The 125 hours of formal coaching training. The 10 hours of mentoring, not to mention the faff of transcribing an hour long coaching session (thank you AI but I can’t wait until my voice is more recognisable?!). A 90 minute exam which proved more thought provoking that I anticipated (ie challenging and I did wonder if I had undercooked the preparation for it!). The 5 Day EMCC Challenge I willingly undertook to know more about the organisation, what they stood for and whether I wanted to be accredited by two associations.

Whilst I was working in house, I’ll be honest. I couldn’t be bothered. I engaged in self development of my own coaching skills, at my own pace, in my own way, and was confident and happy with the coaching interventions I was offering. When launching How Consulting I wanted the “badge of honour” and to give comfort to those engaging with me that I know what I’m doing.

But has it been worth it? I’ve resolved that it 100% is - and here is why.

Accredited vs non-accredited coach?

Are you being coached at the moment? Do you like your coach? Do you feel you are getting closer to your goals? Then brilliant - crack on! But are you being coached? Or consulted to? Or trained?

Mostly, that is semantics. If they are helping you, then they are probably achieving what you want. But what if you are missing out on more?

I have known plenty of people excitedly tell me that they have found a great coach - and gone on to tell me all the wisdom that coach has shared with them. How the coach has told them something is a good or bad idea. Whilst I’m sure much of it had have been valuable, that isn’t coaching. Coaching is about partnering with our clients, whereby the clients lead the discussions - they themselves unlock their own solutions, we don’t provide them. Through structured, purposeful conversations and guided self reflection clients can find the answers within themselves. It is a creative and thought provoking process. And when it is done well, it gives clients a new level of confidence and competence which I have rarely seen gained during training or consulting alone.

I was listening to my mentors podcast this week, and Marie summed up beautifully what happens when we give the answers. We discount our client’s resourceful nature. By giving an answer or solution (which feels LOVELY by the way - who doesn’t like to help someone out?!) we imply they don’t have the answer. When our clients know their situation better than anyone, why would we impose our own view? All it can really achieve is to diminish the clients feelings of ability and potentially guide them in the wrong direction.

So what does this have to do with whether a coach is accredited?

The route to accreditation is a very thorough one. It embeds in anyone who undertakes the process the principles of coaching, psychological principles to support the practice of coaching and also holds people to a code of ethics and professional standards. That matters. Coaching is not a protected title. Anyone could wake up tomorrow and call themselves a coach. But with an accredited coach you know that person has dedicated themselves to their ongoing development and upholding themselves to high standards. Which means you are much more likely to receive the kind of high impact coaching which I think everyone can benefit from.

Last week I started a coaching relationship with a highly educated, successful senior lawyer. At the end of it, I asked what they felt they had got out of our hour together. Their answer: “I already feel less crazy”. It was a lovely lighthearted moment at the end of quite an intense session unpacking difficult working relationships and dynamics. And it showed a result that could not have been reached by me telling the client that it wasn’t them, it was the other people. From me telling them it was a toxic environment. The client only felt better about the situation because they had explored new perspectives due to the coaching techniques we navigated throughout the session.

Should you sack your coach who isn’t accredited?

What if your coach isn’t accredited but has said they’re certified? Ultimately, coaching, training, facilitating, consulting are all in the support and helping industries. I’m a big believer in sticking with what is working for you. But know what you are getting - and understand what else could be helping you become the Bee’s Knees.

Would you like a no-string conversation about coaching? I am always happy to answer questions and talk about this topic. You can book a time in my diary through this link.

Does my diary look mega free?! That’s because I prioritise these calls over and above most other things - the genius of reclaim. If there is something in the diary which can be moved e.g. research and design, it will be. Just to reassure anyone who thinks I must be sipping cocktails on the beach everyday..!