Overview & FAQ

Founded in 1995, the ICF's core purpose is to advance the art, science, and practice of professional coaching. As the leading global coaching organization, the ICF is working toward this goal by setting high standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of credentialed coaches.

Today, the ICF is recognized around the world for:

• Its coaching core competencies;
• Connecting members to a global coaching community;
• Establishing a professional code of ethics and standards;
• Developing an internationally recognized credentialing program;
• Facilitating networking opportunities through local ICF Chapters;
• Conducting and dispensing coaching research;
• Establishing guidelines for coach-training programs;
• Providing focused discussion through Special Interest Groups (SIGs);
• Conducting regional and international conferences; and
• Partnering with strategic and resource partners to benefit members.

The ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. ICF envisions a future in which coaching will be an integral part of society and ICF members will represent the highest quality in professional coaching.

The ICF operates according to a comprehensive strategic plan. This long-term plan was first prepared in 2007 by the ICF Board of Directors in partnership with our members, our global leadership teams, staff, and an association expert.

Included in this plan are ICF's Core Values:

Preamble: We are committed to reliability, openness, acceptance, and congruence, and consider all parts of the ICF community mutually accountable to uphold the following values:

• Integrity: We uphold the highest standards both for the coaching profession and our organization.
• Excellence: We set and demonstrate standards of excellence for professional coaching quality, qualification, and competence
• Collaboration: We value the social connection and community building that occurs through collaborative partnership and co-created achievement.
• Respect: We are inclusive and value the diversity and richness of our global stakeholders. We put people first, without compromising standards, policies, and quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What year was ICF formed? The association was formed in 1995. Local ICF Chapters started to form shortly thereafter and continue to open today.

Who started the ICF and why? The late Thomas Leonard founded the ICF for the purpose of creating a community for professional coaches. While member were primarily throughout North America at first, today members around the globe in over 100 countries.

What types of coaches join the ICF? ICF members specialize in a variety of coaching areas, including Executive Coaching, Life Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Relationship Coaching, Career Coaching, and more.

Do I have to have an ICF Credential to be a member? Coaches do not need to hold an ICF Credential to be a member, although ICF Credentials are recommended. ICF Credentialed members do have additional member benefits.

What are the benefits of joining the ICF? Current members can click here for benefit information. If you are not a member, please click here.

How does ICF define coaching? The ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

Who is in charge of the ICF? The ICF is a nonprofit membership organization. A global Board of Directors is elected by credentialed members to oversee the organization's affairs and paid staff members follow the leadership's direction and carry out day-to-day work.

Is there proof that coaching works? Yes! Please review the materials available in the ICF Research Portal as well as press releases on various research that the ICF has conducted in order to demonstrate return on investment.

How is coaching distinct from other service professions? Professional coaching is a distinct service which focuses on an individual's life as it relates to goal setting, outcome creation and personal change management. In an effort to understand what a coach is, it can be helpful to distinguish coaching from other professions that provide personal or organizational support.

• Therapy: Coaching can be distinguished from therapy in a number of ways. First, coaching is a profession that supports personal and professional growth and development based on individual-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. These outcomes are linked to personal or professional success. Coaching is forward moving and future focused. Therapy, on the other hand, deals with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict within an individual or a relationship between two or more individuals. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past which hamper an individual's emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with present life and work circumstances in more emotionally healthy ways. Therapy outcomes often include improved emotional/feeling states. While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one's work or personal life. The emphasis in a coaching relationship is on action, accountability and follow through.
• Consulting: Consultants may be retained by individuals or organizations for the purpose of accessing specialized expertise. While consulting approaches vary widely, there is often an assumption that the consultant diagnoses problems and prescribes and sometimes implements solutions. In general, the assumption with coaching is that individuals or teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.
• Mentoring: Mentoring, which can be thought of as guiding from one's own experience or sharing of experience in a specific area of industry or career development, is sometimes confused with coaching. Although some coaches provide mentoring as part of their coaching, such as in mentor coaching new coaches, coaches are not typically mentors to those they coach.
• Training: Training programs are based on the acquisition of certain learning objectives as set out by the trainer or instructor. Though objectives are clarified in the coaching process, they are set by the individual or team being coached with guidance provided by the coach. Training also assumes a linear learning path which coincides with an established curriculum. Coaching is less linear without a set curriculum plan.
• Athletic Development: Though sports metaphors are often used, professional coaching is different from the traditional sports coach. The athletic coach is often seen as an expert who guides and directs the behavior of individuals or teams based on his or her greater experience and knowledge. Professional coaches possess these qualities, but it is the experience and knowledge of the individual or team that determines the direction. Additionally, professional coaching, unlike athletic development, does not focus on behaviors that are being executed poorly or incorrectly. Instead, the focus is on identifying opportunity for development based on individual strengths and capabilities.