I believe coaching should be regulated but not by the government. Being regulated would generate credibility for coaches and begin to build trust for their clients and prospective clients. After all, I wouldn't want someone to advise me about, say, finances if they weren't qualified and regulated, so why would a client want my expertise if I had no qualifications or regulations?
Since its inception in 1997, the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) has worked hard to define and standardize the activities of business coaching within the coaching industry overall. They have set ourselves some high goals in the process. One has been to identify and unify our emerging profession. Another has been to create a global body of knowledge, system of credentials and standard of training for business coaches. Throughout, they've been guided by the desire to increase public trust in our industry as it develops.
From 2002 to 2005, WABC conducted a groundbreaking investigation into what defines a competent business coach. Along the way, they collaborated with an acclaimed international panel of business coaches, researched and compiled the competencies of the industry and designed a rigorous, independent (yes, independent) process for evaluating those competencies. The result? A suite of fully certified credentials that aspire to set the gold standard for business coaching. These credentials are led by the Chartered Business Coach™ (ChBC™), the first ever chartered designation for our emerging profession.
WABC has put this valuable business coaching research to work for training providers which resulted in an accreditation program. WABC Accredited® sends a strong message to colleagues, potential participants and the public—that you are committed to providing business coaches with specialized training that is credible, reliable and relevant.
The focus is not on the association, nor on the coach; it's on the client. Companies and individuals are becoming more aware of the value of coaching and want to make sure their money is well spend. Our clients should be able to make an educated choice when hiring a coach. Our clients should be able to differentiate the professional coach from the good willing amateur. Regulation by a professional association is absolutely nessecary if we want to increase public trust in our industry as it develops.
Best regards,
Ton de Graaf
Chartered Business Coach
I would like to see coaching move to regulation but first we have to agree on one coaching body that becomes the regulators. The EMCC, ICF, etc are all excellent and rigorous coaching organisations but as long as they are competing for our membership, they can't be totally impartial. Imagine doctors choosing which board's standards they will use for their credentials.
I believe we will get there as coaching matures but right now we have a long way to go to call coaching a profession.
David Dean - 15 years ago
Beware what you wish for, as the recent regulation in psychology has used a medical model from the HPC. Needless to say, regulating occupational psychology in such a way may not be in its best interest? That said, if regulation occurs in coaching I would be very surprised if there are any truly "qualified" coaches as there will be no doubt be a psychology based educational path that many coaches have not followed.
Think on?
Regards, David
Bob Garvey - 15 years ago
We have to be careful that professional bodies are genuinely acting out of good intent and not self interest. The risk is we create exclusivity and not inclusivity. The votes so far look like a self interest vote aimed at building membership and gaining a strong voice in the market. There is always the possibility that I may be wrong of course! But the question of who's interest is being served must be honestly and openly debated otherwise we are calling for an 'us' and 'them' community where the 'other' is kept out by a high wire fence. Can a 'celebration of diversity' community be a possibility?
I think that regulated by the goverment can be the next step but not the only way to do it. I do hope International Coach Federation still will be in front for the work. ICF are 15 years old and have about 18.000 members world wide. ICF exam coaches by a written and an oral exam and are non-profit organization on 3 level. Every one can apply for exam there.
I believe coaching should be regulated but not by the government. Being regulated would generate credibility for coaches and begin to build trust for their clients and prospective clients. After all, I wouldn't want someone to advise me about, say, finances if they weren't qualified and regulated, so why would a client want my expertise if I had no qualifications or regulations?
Since its inception in 1997, the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) has worked hard to define and standardize the activities of business coaching within the coaching industry overall. They have set ourselves some high goals in the process. One has been to identify and unify our emerging profession. Another has been to create a global body of knowledge, system of credentials and standard of training for business coaches. Throughout, they've been guided by the desire to increase public trust in our industry as it develops.
From 2002 to 2005, WABC conducted a groundbreaking investigation into what defines a competent business coach. Along the way, they collaborated with an acclaimed international panel of business coaches, researched and compiled the competencies of the industry and designed a rigorous, independent (yes, independent) process for evaluating those competencies. The result? A suite of fully certified credentials that aspire to set the gold standard for business coaching. These credentials are led by the Chartered Business Coach™ (ChBC™), the first ever chartered designation for our emerging profession.
WABC has put this valuable business coaching research to work for training providers which resulted in an accreditation program. WABC Accredited® sends a strong message to colleagues, potential participants and the public—that you are committed to providing business coaches with specialized training that is credible, reliable and relevant.
The focus is not on the association, nor on the coach; it's on the client. Companies and individuals are becoming more aware of the value of coaching and want to make sure their money is well spend. Our clients should be able to make an educated choice when hiring a coach. Our clients should be able to differentiate the professional coach from the good willing amateur. Regulation by a professional association is absolutely nessecary if we want to increase public trust in our industry as it develops.
Best regards,
Ton de Graaf
Chartered Business Coach
I would like to see coaching move to regulation but first we have to agree on one coaching body that becomes the regulators. The EMCC, ICF, etc are all excellent and rigorous coaching organisations but as long as they are competing for our membership, they can't be totally impartial. Imagine doctors choosing which board's standards they will use for their credentials.
I believe we will get there as coaching matures but right now we have a long way to go to call coaching a profession.
Beware what you wish for, as the recent regulation in psychology has used a medical model from the HPC. Needless to say, regulating occupational psychology in such a way may not be in its best interest? That said, if regulation occurs in coaching I would be very surprised if there are any truly "qualified" coaches as there will be no doubt be a psychology based educational path that many coaches have not followed.
Think on?
Regards, David
We have to be careful that professional bodies are genuinely acting out of good intent and not self interest. The risk is we create exclusivity and not inclusivity. The votes so far look like a self interest vote aimed at building membership and gaining a strong voice in the market. There is always the possibility that I may be wrong of course! But the question of who's interest is being served must be honestly and openly debated otherwise we are calling for an 'us' and 'them' community where the 'other' is kept out by a high wire fence. Can a 'celebration of diversity' community be a possibility?
I think that regulated by the goverment can be the next step but not the only way to do it. I do hope International Coach Federation still will be in front for the work. ICF are 15 years old and have about 18.000 members world wide. ICF exam coaches by a written and an oral exam and are non-profit organization on 3 level. Every one can apply for exam there.