ICF Credentialing

2. Credentialing Compass
Conversation
George Rogers
ICF Assistant Executive Director

3. Excellence in Coaching?
Think about a time when you delivered or
observed excellence in coaching…….
What was happening?
What did the coach say/do?
What was the outcome for the client or
organization?

4. The Opportunity for ICF
Our goal is for ICF to deliver a best in class
credentialing program. By offering robust,
consistent, fair, credentialing processes we will:
• Provide an assurance of quality to clients
• Motivate coaches to continue their professional
growth and competence.

5. Transformations
• The ICF Credentialing program is constantly growing and evolving
to reflect current best practice in professional coaching to allow for
the continued growth in applicants and to improve the Credentialing
experience for candidates.
• The changes being shared today are an effort to ensure that the
program continues to be relevant and valuable.
• The Board considered many perspectives and engaged in thoughtful
and robust discussions as each of these changes has the potential
to impact the future of coaching.

6. Credentialing Data
• 21,000+ individuals hold one of the three ICF
Credentials (MCC-820, PCC-8097, ACC-12164)
• 5,500+ applications per year
• Last month 4,304 requests for information or
assistance + 132 hours of live chat + phone calls
• Supported by 6 HQ staff, about 180 assessors,
RST members, and Chapter leaders

7. Training Programs data
• 242 ACTPs
• 383 ACSTH
• 1068 CCE applications

8. Credentialing and Accreditation
Policy Changes

9. Communicating Change
• Beginning this year, we are moving to an annual
announcement schedule for Credentialing and
Accreditation changes. All upcoming policy changes will
be announced in February of each year.
• Changing to an annual announcement schedule will
make it easier for coaches, trainers and other
stakeholders to plan efficiently and prepare well for the
changes ahead. It will also prevent any unexpected
“surprises.”

10. Mentoring hours for ACC renewals
Immediate
For Associate Certified Coaches whose ICF Credentials expire December 31, 2018, or
later, the 10 hours of Mentor Coaching required of Associate Certified Coach renewal
applicants can now be applied toward the 40 hours of Continuing Coach Education
required for Associate Certified Coach renewal. Mentor Coaching hours will now be
counted toward Core Competencies.
This means that Associate Certified Coach renewal requirements will be as follows: 10
hours of Mentor Coaching; at least 30 hours of Continuing Coach Education (with at least
11 hours in Core Competencies and at least 3 in coaching ethics).
It is important to note that no more than 10 hours of Mentor Coaching may be counted
toward required Continuing Coach Education in a renewal cycle.

11. Limits on use of Mentoring hours
Immediate
For coaches whose ICF Credentials expire December 31, 2018, or
later, only 10 hours of Mentor Coaching (delivering and/or receiving)
may be counted toward Continuing Coach Education requirements.
As part of a self-regulating industry, ICF is committed to helping
coaches provide consistent value to their clients. To ensure excellence
among ICF Credential-holders, we encourage them to participate in a
wide array of continuing professional development activities. This policy
helps encourage that diversity.

12. Limits on use of Supervision hours
Immediate
For coaches whose ICF Credentials expire December 31, 2018, or
later, only 10 hours of Coaching Supervision (delivering and/or
receiving) may be counted toward Continuing Coach Education
requirements.
Note that coaches may count 10 hours of Mentoring and 10 hours of
Supervision towards their credential renewal requirements.

13. ACC/PCC Portfolio requirements
Effective July 31, 2018 (12:00 Noon, NY time)
Coaches applying for their Associate Certified Coach or Professional Certified
Coach credential via the Portfolio path will be required to demonstrate that they
completed a comprehensive training program that includes the ICF definition of
coaching, Code of Ethics and Core Competencies, and is organized in a scope
and sequence that encourages the growth of the coach. This means that
coaches will no longer be able to submit a random compilation of nonapproved
training hours and/or Continuing Coach Education units in fulfillment of
their initial training requirements.
This change is a further step in reframing Continuing Coach Education as
advanced training for already-credentialed coaches.

14. Experience hours for MCC
applicants
Effective July 31, 2018 (12:00 Noon, NY time)
Master Certified Coach applicants will be required to complete all their
2,500 hours of client coaching experience after the start of coach-
specific training.
In alignment with previous changes for the ACC and PCC, this change
is intended to positively impact credential-holders and the profession by
ensuring that every hour of experience was delivered in the context of
coach-specific training aligned with ICF’s high standards.

15. Criteria for ACC Mentor Coaches
Effective July 31, 2018 (12:00 Noon, NY time)
Associate Certified Coaches will need to complete at least one full
cycle of their credential (through renewal) before they can be a Mentor
Coach.
For those applicants for ACC credentials who have completed all or
part of their required 10 hours of mentoring with a mentor coach who
does not meet the new requirements, ICF will allow those hours to
qualify. However, any new Mentor coaching hours that occur after July
31, 2018 must be delivered by a mentor coach that meets the new
requirement. This same allowance will be granted to those applying for
renewal of their ACC credentials that are expiring in 2018.

16. Recordings for ACC ACSTH
applicants
Effective July 31, 2018 (12:00 Noon, NY time)
Coaches applying for the Associate Certified Coach
credential via the ACSTH path will once again be required
to submit a recording and transcript of a live coaching
session to be evaluated by ICF assessors.

17. PCC before MCC
Effective February 28, 2019 (12:00 Noon, NY time)
Coaches will be required to hold a Professional Certified Coach
credential before they can apply for the Master Certified Coach
credential.
Applying for a Master Certified Coach credential requires a significant
investment of time and money. We want to increase the likelihood of
success. Data from ICF’s Credentialing department shows that Master
Certified Coach candidates who hold a Professional Certified Coach
credential are more successful in the application process than
candidates with no prior ICF Credential.

18. Work in Progress

19. Job Analysis and Assessment Redesign
As a part of the ongoing effort to strengthen and improve the
credentialing program, ICF is undertaking research to identify and verify
the job skills, tasks and abilities necessary to effectively perform
professional coaching through a job analysis study. A job analysis is the
globally accepted process for determining the tasks, knowledge and
skills required to perform a particular job or profession.
The information gained from this research will be used to update and
support the ICF Core Competencies, as well as the ICF Credentialing
process.

20. PCC Markers Assessor Training
In 2014 the ICF introduced a set of behavioral markers for PCC-level coaching in an
effort to increase accuracy and consistency in the performance assessment process. In
the time since, ICF has held a series of PCC Markers trainings for individuals serving as
assessors. It is the goal of ICF to train all assessors in using the PCC markers to conduct
performance assessments. Preliminary research results on the effectiveness of the PCC
Markers as a tool in assessing applicants seeking a PCC credential through the Portfolio
pathway have been promising, showing high rates of inter-rater reliability and indicating a
fairer, more objective and consistent assessment process.
Multiple trainings are planned for later in 2018 with a focus on expanding our capacity to
assess in languages other than English.

21. Mastery/MCC
The ICF continues research to better understand the
development of mastery and the best ways to measure and
recognize those that are continuing to develop their skills
beyond PCC.

22. Credential Application Software
Development is underway to launch a new software platform for use by
those applying for an ICF Credential. The intent of this work is to
provide a more user friendly and streamlined process for applicants to
use as they submit required documents and recordings. Additionally,
the platform should provide applicants more visibility as to the status of
their application as it moves through the credentialing process.

23. 1-2-4-Interview
Generate questions that you have, or you think will
likely come from your members.
• Individually
• In pairs
• In groups of four- synthesize and write your best
questions on index cards.

24. Help and Support
• Coachfederation.org
• Regional support teams
• HQ team-- support@coachfederation.org