Ethics is to coaching as the Constitution is to lawmakers. Ethics is the study of morality’s effect on conduct, the moral standard and how it affects the conduct of the coach. The Code of Coaching Conduct consists of moral principles governing the appropriate conduct for a coach in relationship to his/her client. What the ICF Code of Ethics does is create the professional environment of what coaching is and the boundaries in which a coach needs to perform

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Rex Gatto Ph.D., BCC
Executive Coach and President
Gatto Associates LLC.
Executives beware of those not certified who
call themselves coaches!
What is Coaching Ethics?
Ethics is to coaching as the Constitution is to lawmakers. Ethics is the study of
morality’s effect on conduct, the moral standard and how it affects the conductof
the coach. The Codeof Coaching Conductconsists of moral principles governing
the appropriate conductfor a coach in relationship to his/her client.
What the ICF Codeof Ethics does is create the professional environment of what
coaching is and the boundaries in which a coach needs to perform. Coaching is not
something that someone can do simply becausehe or she performed a job for
twenty years and wants to share experiences and job related knowledge with others.
Thosewho are coaches must meet the rigorous standards of training, learning, and
demonstrating coaching knowledge, assessment of coaching skills, passing
national tests and being held to the standards set through the Coaching Codeof
Conductand Ethical Standards. (The Principle-Based of Ethics: Autonomy,
Beneficence, Non-maleficence Fidelity and Justice (John Gavazzi 2015).
Adapted from Gavazzi’s Principles for Coaching:
Autonomy: respecting the autonomous decision-making ability of the client;
freedom of thought and action; clients are at liberty to behave as they chose(goals
and decisions).
Beneficence:benefiting others and accepting the responsibility to do good;
providing the best coaching skill (being in the moment).
Non-maleficence:demonstrating coaching competence; maintaining appropriate
boundaries; and providing a benefit to the client.
Fidelity: being committed; being in the moment with the client; being trustworthy
and loyal; avoiding conflicts of interest that could compromise the coaching
process oroutcome; keeping information confidential and adhering to the coaching
agreement (meetings time, place, calls and follow up).
Justice:not engaging in any form of discrimination.

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The application of the above points clearly sets the philosophical framework for
Ethics with regard to Coaching.
In Law and Ethics (Williams and Anderson), the authors clearly define the
difference among therapy, mentoring, consulting and coaching:
Therapy: a person’s pasttraumas
Mentoring: successiontraining and do as the mentor suggests
Consulting: dealing with problems and providing expertise, strategy and
methodologies
Coaching: dealing with the client’s present situation and guiding towards a
desired future
This clearly establishes the differences between coaching and other established
practices that are common in the workplace today. Further compounding the
coaching relationship is that many practitioners who hold coaching credentials are
also therapists and or consultants to people in the workplace. It is clear that when
coaching, coaches need to be mindful of the role they are presently performing and
not becomea therapist of consultant advise and assume the role of the expert.
As stated in the Board Certified Coach(BCC) Codeof Ethics: Coaching is a career
in which professionals have specialized education, training, and experience to
assess needs of clients, collaborate with clients on solutions, and offer strategies
that assist individuals and organizations in reaching identified goals. Coaching,
because of our codeof ethics, cannot be an occupationwhere anyone who wants to
do something becomes a coach. The old witticism that states if you lost your job
you could open a bar, become a consultant, or be a coachcannot apply to coaching
any longer. There are now legal requirements and conductstandards for certified
professionals to follow.
Generaloverview of the LegalCCE requirements:
 Comply with all laws and government regulations
 Refrain for from conductcontrary to the laws (dishonesty, fraud and
harassment)
 Maintain accurate records
 Reporta client who is a danger to self or others
Compliance with policies and Rules
 Comply with all policies and rules

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 Maintain confidentiality
 Reportviolations
Service of Performance and other OccupationalActivities
 Act in a responsible manner
 Recognize your limitations in coaching (knowledge, skills, and abilities)
 Protect the privacy of all information learned during coaching
 Properly use occupational credentials
 Avoid coaching techniques that are harmful
 Obtain a coaching agreement (clarify coaching vs. counseling vs. consulting)
 Seek supervision if needed
The above codeof ethics creates a framework that all coaches need to adhere to.
The problem is that many people who call themselves coaches are untrained and ill
equipped to be a coach. Furthermore, the Center for Credentialing and Education
(CCE) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF) have set a process for
grievances to be filed against coaches who do not follow proper procedure.
The Executive Leadership ResearchReport by Ethics ResourceCenter (ERC),
states that it is very important that coaches understand the ethics standards that
leaders will be held to since a great deal of the coaching is with leaders. Coaches
need to constantly supportleaders in setting the ethical tone that inspires
employees to do what is right because that is the right thing to do. A significant
finding in the report focuses on employees’ perceptions of the leader’s character.
The three main ideas of focus are:
 Character of the leader as evidenced on past employee interactions with that
leader
 How senior management handles crisis
 Senior leadership adoption of polices and procedures to manage the
company.
This report is a helpful tool for coaches since it lays the framework to supportthe
ethical development of leaders being coached.
What does all this mean from a practical perspective for those of us who coach?
 A coachmust have professional training and stay within the area(s) in which
he/she is knowledgeable and has a background to coach.
 A coachmust know the differences among coaching, consulting, therapy,
and mentoring.

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 A coachneeds to collaboratively work with the client using questions,
guided discovery, and satisfy a fulfillment through each coaching experience.
 A coachneeds to have the confidence to let the client take charge of his or
her life and do the heavy lifting during the coaching process.
 A coachneeds to inspire through appropriate assessment, reading,
recognition of accomplishment and client fulfillment
 A coachneeds to be provocative and continue to expand the insight,
experiences, and feelings of the client
Ethics, guidelines, policies and procedures are the underpinnings of the coaching
process, which leads all coaches to a clear understanding of the coaching process.
Without the structure created directly or indirectly through the Coaching Codeof
Conduct, there would be little guidance for coaching.
Jessi Locastro summarized the Law and Ethics in Coaching Issues that must be
considered in any coaching engagement:
 Guarantees
 Goals of the Client
 Privilege
 Confidentiality
 Conflicts of Interest
 Dual and Multiple Role Relationships
 Diversity and sensitive concerns
 Contract Law
 Assessment
While there are no federal laws, there is national credentialing by CCE and ICF.
Clients need to be aware of what it means to be certified to coach and that a
certified coachmust follow the Code of Coaching Ethics. Buyers beware of those
not certified who call themselves coaches!
It is up to those who are certified as coaches to demonstrate the commitment and
integrity of what a coachshould be by following and adhering to the Ethical Code
for Coaching.