Professional Coaching Associations And Accreditation Of Coaches

There are a number of professional coaching associations set up globally with the aim of helping set and maintain standards of coaching, promote good practice, and provide training, development, supervision and accreditation of coaches.

Unlike other professions, such as counselling, psychotherapy and accountancy, coaching is not regulated by legislation. This is partly because it is a relatively new profession and some argue that owing to the diverse types of coaching and approaches used in coaching it is difficult to define ‘best practice.’

However few people who would argue against having ethical guidelines and promoting the ongoing professional development of coaches both of which can only serve to help the development and credibility of coaching as a profession.

So if you are a coach, referring to the professional coaching bodies in your country is a good starting point if you want to understand more about coaching standards, best practice and coach accreditation and development. However do this with the caveat that these standards are set by the organisation itself, are self-regulated and there may be several organisations claiming to be the ‘number one coaching association’ in your country. Also before you rush into paying any membership fees do your research and speak with other coaches to find out what they have gained from being members.

Likewise if you are considering using a coach it can be useful to look at the professional coaching associations. They can help you to understand more about what constitutes good coaching so you know what you can expect when being coached and you may be pointed to a directory of coaches accredited by that professional body. However, do check out what accreditation actually means and also check out choosing a coach, as an ‘accredited coach’ doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best one for you. Also, check out the authenticity of the coaching body - are their aims to improve the standards in the coaching profession or are they just a commercial organisation promoting their own courses?

USA Professional Coaching Bodies

UK Professional Coaching Bodies

International Coaching Federation

Association For Coaching

Association of Professional Executive, Coaching and Supervision

European Mentoring & Coaching Council

UK International Coach Federation

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