Read this before you choose a training provider

Coaching can be one of the most transformational interventions that you can have (Wang et al, 2021; De Haan et al, 2023) however in an unregulated marketplace standards are not always consistent.

Like many people I decided to train as a coach after being coached and having some training in my role. "Coaching" has become an in demand leadership skill and whilst managing teams I learned the basics and was blown away by how using coaching approaches improved my relationships and my teams performance.

In seeking out a qualification I became overwhelmed relatively quickly : there were so many acronyms and different offers. I'd had some advice, from trusted sources, to go with the ICF (International Coaching Federation) which was a great starting point.

The growth of the coaching industry and the growth of coach training providers:

The coach training industry has grown considerably since it's inception with the ICF itself being established in 1995 with the intention of creating professional standards and recognition.

Although many coaches continue to operate independently without any formal accreditation the industry has changed in recent years. The COVID era saw many people re-brand as coaches especially with what seemed like infinite financial rewards and freedom in every instagram post of another coach-influencer. As the market was flooded by coaches people became more discerning and for many this meant accreditation was a marker of credibility. This has been most evident in the USA where organisations have said they won't work with coaches without the ICF badge.

Due to the increasing demand for coaches and the need for accreditation many coach training providers have sprung up. In fact, in some corners of the internet it felt like everyone was suddenly teaching their own certification. Some of these are excellent.. some not so much.

Accreditation of what and for whom?

As coaching becomes more popular there have been more and more accreditation bodies who have popped up many of whom are operating "for profit" and approval is as simple as paying the fee. This means people are investing money in courses which may not allow them to get the accreditation they desire.

If you're looking for a coach training provider I'd recommend looking at the ICF, EMCC or AC : The ICF and EMCC are the most prominent players and ideally your training will be accredited by all 3.

Accredited providers can vary in quality so make sure you do your due diligence looking at who is training and their credentials as well as the curriculum and student feedback. It's a stamp however it doesn't always tell the full story.

What to look for : ICF

One of my bug bears is where people are not transparent in their marketing : it's not good for the industry! I've had lots of people come to me and say they've done an ICF accredited coach training however when you've scratched the surface it's a CCE (continuing coach education) and they need to do mentoring and recordings on top which is a bigger financial and time commitment. Many providers offer these qualifications and are transparent and open about it : they offer interesting courses which can be a great supplement to initial training or they can be offered as a part way plan (we do this with many organisations). The key thing here is transparency.

If you want an ICF accredited training check it's a Level 1 or Level 2 (these are professional, practical qualifications so these numbers don't correspond to other qualifications in the UK) and ensure it's on the ICF website and listed: if it's not and it's a newer qualification it may be in the process of being uploaded. I would always ask!

To get through the ICF process the provider at this level has to submit recordings of their students coaching with feedback, all trainers have to be at a certain standard and processes need to be followed. It is a robust process and now they also take into account student feedback and listen to recordings every year which means providers have to maintain standards.

What else I'd look for

There are so many ethical training schools out there who work hard to maintain standards and deliver training. I'd really consider looking at the values of the school you're considering working with and see how you fit in. We are obviously biased at Optimus and believe we offer a fantastic program. I hope that this post prompts people to understand more about the market place : it's partly written as every week I speak to people who in some cases have spent tens of thousands of £ or $ for training and are then coming to us for the ICF accreditation as they want to work in organisations or as associate coaches or have the badge for their own credibility and piece of mind.

My advice is always do an accredited training first : build your foundations and have those in place then you can do additional training when you've established your basics if you want.

I know some people will argue with me about the need for accreditation as they've been doing what they're doing for decades: some of our students fitted this profile and the great thing is they always share the transformation personally and professionally. I believe if as an industry we all looked at accreditation we'd support the professionalisation for all and help raise the profile which could help new people joining the industry no end.

If you want to hear my podcast episode where I talk more about my views you can here https://www.optimuscoachacademy.com/the-coaching-hub-podcast/listen-to-this-before-you-do-a-coach-training-course