The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

Coach development

Ideally you are a coach who is serious about wanting to provide the best possible coaching for your clients. I have provided coach development for professional coaches since 2007; both new coaches and those more experienced whether career or executive coaches. You could be an independent coach or an ‘internal’ coach or a coaching business who wants to grow. You’ll find information below to help you decide how I can best support you along your coaching journey.

The development for you as a coach can be mentor coaching or coach supervision else a mixture of both. It can be individual i.e. one to one or within a group.

If you are a group of coaches wanting development then take a look in Group development.

I often get asked - what's the difference between 'mentor coaching' and supervision?

Mentor coaching with me covers:

coaching skills development including at least 3 'observed' coaching sessions with feedback
personal coaching
development of your coaching business

For credentialing requirements for the International Coach Federation (ICF), 'mentor coaching' consists of observed coaching and feedback on the presence or absence of the ICF core competencies in a coaching session. The requirement for credentialing is 10 hours of mentor coaching of which at least 6 must be on your coaching skills.

As an ICF assessor I am clear what constitutes coaching at ACC, PCC, MCC levels. There is huge value in 'observed' coaching - for clients as well as coaches. I have my own coach who provides coaching supervision as well as observes me coaching at MCC level. The challenge for me were the hours to get the MCC accreditation! Slowly, but surely I got there. I was delighted at each stage along the way and I learnt so much each time. Its not just a box-ticking exercise!

Coaching Supervision is reflecting on your coaching clients so you can provide the best coaching to them. It's often referred to as reflective practise. I provide an opportunity for you the coach to discuss your work regularly with someone who is experienced in coaching, supervision, tools and techniques. It's a confidential, non-judgmental space for you as the coach to explore what is going on in your coaching, to discuss what issues come up for you and to have meaningful conversations about these issues. It may also include observed coaching.

For a coach starting off, I recommend an emphasis on coaching skills development and then adding supervision (reflective practise) once you have regular clients.

For experienced coaches, the emphasis will be reflective practise with occasional coaching skills observation. We can all learn something new or we can get into bad habits!

For reference ICF Coach Supervision