Here are a few competency models provided by some of the big names in coaching.
There are a number of prescribed competency models from general categorizations to elaborate manifestos to help guide one’s coaching practice. Here are a few competency models provided by some of the big names in coaching that might help point you in the right direction to at least get started.
We have listed out the basic outline of the competencies described by four coaching organizations. These are not complete but give a feeling of the kinds of skills coaches need to develop. The links will take you to more detailed information.
ICF Core Coaching Competencies
A. Setting the foundation
meeting ethical guidelines and professional standards
establishing the coaching agreement
B. Co-creating the relationship
establishing trust and intimacy with the client
coaching presence
C. Communicating effectively
active listening
powerful questioning
direct communication
D. Facilitating learning and results
creating awareness
designing actions
planning and goal setting
managing progress and accountability
IAC Coaching Masteries
Establishing and maintaining a relationship of trust
Perceiving affirming and expanding the client’s potential
Engaged listening
Processing in the present
Expressing
Clarifying
Helping the client set and keep clear intentions
Inviting possibility
Helping the client create and use supportive systems and structures
WABC Business Coaching Competencies - the business coaching competencies are divided into three areas:
Self-Management--Knowing Oneself and Self-Mastery Core Coaching Skill-base Business and Leadership Coaching Capabilities
Self-Management--Knowing Oneself and Self-Mastery
Knowing Yourself--Self-Insight and Understanding
Acknowledging Your Strengths and Development Needs
Self-Mastery--Managing Your Thoughts Feelings and Behaviors in Ways that Promote Behavior Contributing to Career and Organization Success
Core Coaching Skill-Base
Creating the Foundations for Business Coaching
Developing the Business Coaching Relationship
Promoting Client Understanding
Facilitating the Personal Transformation
Professional Development
Business and Leadership Coaching Capabilities
Alignment
Leadership Knowledge and Credibility
Coach as Leader and Developer of Own Business
Creating and Maintaining Partnerships with all Stakeholders in the Business ?Coaching Process
Understanding Organizational Behavior and Organizational Development?Principles
Assessment
Having Respect for and Knowledge about Multicultural Issues and Diversity
Obviously it may be easy to become lost in the myriad of descriptions of coaching. However one should not lose sight of the fact that coaching is an art-form and there are many ways in which coaches can help.
David Peterson in his chapter “Executive coaching: A critical review and recommendations for advancing the practice” from the 2010 APA Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology provides a useful list to keep in perspective of what contributes to the effectiveness of a coach.
Offering an external independent objective perspective.
Creating space and time for reflection.
Identifying development goals and preparing an action plan.
Sharing ideas tips tools and models.
Facilitating an accepting positive supportive encouraging relationship
Providing follow-up conversations that foster a sense of accountability especially if the person makes a commitment to their coach to pursue a specific action
Simply asking the person what would be helpful to them and responding accordingly.
Asking questions that challenge assumptions and help reframe issues.
Offering feedback and advice including third-party feedback from interviews or multi-rater surveys
Spaced practice and repetition.
Using simple coaching formulas such as the GROW model a basic and popular framework for coaching conversations
Finally one of the most significant reasons that it is relatively easy to be a good coach—and yet one which is virtually never mentioned in the literature—is that coaches get multiple tries.
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