Areas of expertise

International Coaching Community Standards

These guidelines are for all professional members of the ICC. They prescribe minimum standards of practice to be followed by members, and coaches can provide their services only within the context of ICC standards.

             1. Competence

• Coaches will give their best skills to each of their clients, and demonstrate the core competences in their coaching.
• They will strive to be aware of current best business practices, new technologies, legal requirements and standards as related to the coaching profession.
• They will seek to improve and expand their skills through reading, peer contact and training.
• Coaches will always be aware of their skills, their strengths and their limitations. They will only accept work that they believe themselves competent to perform.
• They will not make claims that they cannot congruently assert. Nor will they claim any skills, credentials or qualifications that they do not hold, nor knowingly allow others to claim them on their behalf, either in written documents or verbal statements. 
  
  2.  Respect for clients 
  
• Coaches will respect the rights of others to hold differing opinions and beliefs from their own. They will not attempt to argue their own beliefs, values or opinions as correct.
• At the beginning of the relationship, the coach will ensure as far as possible that the client understands the coaching agreement between them.
• Coaches will not unfairly discriminate against clients on any basis.
• Coaches will not take advantage of the client personally, sexually or financially.
• The coach will obtain permission from any client before using their names or endorsements as references.
• The coach honours all agreements and keeps their promises to clients.
  
  3. The profession of coaching 
  
• Coaches will respect the rights of others in copyrights, intellectual property, trademarks and patents. They will acknowledge the contributions of others where appropriate. 
• Coaches will not willingly engage in any activity that could bring the profession of coaching into disrepute. If they learn of misuse or misrepresentation of their work, they will take reasonable steps to correct that. 
  
  4. Confidentiality and conflict of interest
   
• The coach keeps the client's material confidential except where otherwise authorised by the client, required by law, or another compelling reason such as imminent harm to others. This material may be verbal in face-to-face session, or by technology such as telephone, computers, or voice mail.
• Wherever possible a coach will not take on professional obligations where pre-existing relationships could create a conflict of interest. If such a conflict arises, the coach will do their best to resolve it within the framework of the Ethical guidelines and Standards.
• Coaches may use client material, in training and written material, provided the client is in no way identifiable.
• I will disclose to my client all fees that I receive from third parties as a result of referrals or advice I give concerning that client.
• Where professionally appropriate, coaches may cooperate with other professionals to help their client better, always with the client's permission.
• When the coach is asked to provide services to a person or organisation at the request of a third party, they will carefully evaluate the relationship between the two and determine that there is no conflict of interest with regard to the coach's differing roles or issues of confidentiality.
• A coach's employer may not be the same as their client (For example when a business engages and pays the coach to coach one or more people in the business). In these cases a coach will clarify in advance with both client and employer the feedback they will give to the employer, the form it will take and the results that the employer wants. They will ensure that these are agreed in advance by coach, client and employer and do not breach the confidentiality or trust of the client. If not agreement can be reached; the coach will decline the work. 
  
  5. Feedback and progress 
  
• Coaches will take reasonable steps to measure their clients' progress. If the client is not progressing, they will discuss this openly with the client as part of the coaching relationship.
• Coaches will create and keep adequate record of their work with clients to meet professional and legal requirements.
• Coaches will refer clients to other professionals when relevant, such as a counsellor, therapist or doctor when they know of a problem that needs such treatment.
• Coaches always seek to avoid harm or danger to themselves, clients or others in their work.
• When there is an interruption to the coaching, the coach will make reasonable efforts to make other arrangements for the client. If the interruption is a long one, this may involve finding the client an interim coach from within the ICC.
• The coaching relationship is terminated by agreement between coach and client, usually at the end of a prepaid contract. If the coaching is terminated by the coach before the end of such a contract, they will repay any fees paid in advance for which they will not be supplying coaching services. If the coaching is terminated by the client before the end of such a contract, the client will pay fees in lieu of notice if previously agreed. 
  
  6. Fees 
  
• The coach will clearly inform the client about the logistics, fees and scheduling of the coaching relationship.
• A coach is free to charge whatever fee they want. They disclose these fees as early as possible in the coaching relationship.
• If there is a problem with the payment of the fees, the coach takes reasonable steps to discuss this problem in advance and decide with the client what to do. If the client does not pay the agreed fees, the coach can take appropriate legal measures to collect them.