Coaching is not a fad or a trend. Coaching is a necessity and an opportunity. Coaching is a way to grow yourself and others. Coaching is a way to make a positive difference in the world.
The coaching industry in India is booming. According to Infinium Global Research, a consultancy firm based in Pune, the current market revenue of the coaching industry in India is Rs 58,088 crore.
The coaching industry’s growth is projected to reach Rs 1,33,995 crore by 2028.
This means that there is a huge demand and supply for coaching services in India. There are many coaches and coaching institutes offering various types of coaching, such as life coaching, executive coaching, career coaching, team coaching, etc. There are also many clients and organizations seeking coaching for various purposes, such as personal development, professional growth, leadership development, etc.
However, not all coaches and coaching institutes are equal in quality and value. To ensure that you get the best coaching experience and results, you need to choose a coach or a coaching institute that has the right credentials, reputation, and expertise. You need to choose a coach or a coaching institute that is accredited by ICF.
Read along to understand the What, How and Why of ICF Coach Certification.
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Why Should You Become an ICF Certified Coach in India
You must have landed here thinking why is coaching so popular in present day? What are the benefits of coaching for individuals and organizations? How can coaching help you cope with the changing and challenging working and leadership landscape?
Coaching is popular because it works. Coaching is a powerful and proven way to help people achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, and unleash their potential. Coaching is not about telling people what to do or giving them advice. Coaching is about asking powerful questions, listening deeply, providing feedback, and facilitating learning and action.
Coming back to you, tell us:
Do you have a passion for helping people achieve their goals and transform their lives?
Do you want to make a positive difference in the world with your skills and talents?
Do you dream of having a flexible, autonomous, and fulfilling career that allows you to work from anywhere and with anyone?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then becoming a coach might be the perfect career choice for you. Coaching is a fast-growing profession that offers many benefits, such as:
– You get to use your strengths and passions to help others succeed and grow.
– You get to create your own schedule and work with clients that match your values and interests.
– You get to transition to another stream of income in your field of expertise.
– You get to experience personal and professional growth and satisfaction.
But not all coaches are created equal. To stand out from the crowd and succeed as a professional coach, you need to have the right skills, knowledge, and credentials. That’s where ICF Coach Certification comes in.
What is ICF Coach Certification?
ICF stands for International Coaching Federation, the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession. ICF sets high standards for coach training and certification, and provides a network of resources and support for coaches around the world. ICF Coach Certification is the most recognized and respected credential in the coaching industry. It demonstrates your commitment to excellence and your adherence to ethical and professional guidelines.
There are three levels of ICF Coach Certification:
Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and Master Certified Coach (MCC). Each level requires a certain amount of coach-specific training hours, coaching experience hours, mentor coaching hours, and a performance evaluation. You also need to pass a written exam called the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA) to get certified.
Three Stages of ICF Coaching Certification Journey
There are three levels you can achieve: ACC, PCC, and MCC.
1. Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
First, let’s talk about ACC (Associate Certified Coach). It’s like the beginner level. To reach ACC, you need to complete 60+ coach-specific training hours, which means learning about coaching techniques. You also need to have 10 mentor coaching hours, where an experienced coach guides you. Lastly, you have to pass a Coach Knowledge Assessment to show your understanding of coaching.
2. Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
Once you’ve mastered ACC, you can move on to PCC (Professional Certified Coach). This is the intermediate level. Here, you’ll need more coach-specific training hours that is 125 and 10 mentor coaching hours. Just like before, you’ll have to pass the Coach Knowledge Assessment.
3. Master Certified Coach (MCC)
Now, let’s aim for the highest level: MCC (Master Certified Coach). This is like becoming a master in coaching. To achieve MCC, you’ll need even higher, 200 coach-specific training hours and 10 mentor coaching hours. You’ll also accumulate extensive coaching practice with many clients. And yes, you guessed it, you have to pass the Coach Knowledge Assessment.
Remember, each level builds upon the previous one. So, start from ACC and work your way up to MCC. It’s important to meet the prerequisites for each level, such as completing the required training hours and gaining coaching experience.
By following this journey, you’ll become a skilled and certified coach, ready to make a positive impact on people’s lives.
Why should you get ICF Coach Certification?
If you are an aspiring coach, you might be wondering why to become ICF accredited and why it matters.
ICF stands for International Coaching Federation, the leading global organization that sets the standards and credentials for the coaching profession. ICF accreditation is not just a recognition of your skills and competence as a coach, but also a guarantee of your quality and ethics as a coach.
According to the 2020 Global Coaching Study by ICF, 83% of coaching clients reported that it was important or very important for their coach to hold a credential. Moreover, 77% of coach practitioners reported that clients expect them to be certified or credentialed. These statistics show that getting an ICF Coach Certification can help you attract more clients and increase your credibility and trust in the market.
But getting an ICF Coach Certification is not just about meeting the expectations of your clients. It is also about enhancing your own learning and development as a coach.
To get an ICF Coach Certification, you need to enroll in an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) or Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH) that will provide you with the necessary coach-specific training hours and prepare you for the certification process. You will also need to complete a certain amount of coaching experience hours, mentor coaching hours, and a performance evaluation. You will also need to pass a written exam called the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA).
By going through this rigorous and comprehensive process, you will learn and master the 8 updated ICF Core Competencies that define the skills and behaviors of an effective coach. These competencies are:
– Demonstrates Ethical Practice
– Embodies a Coaching Mindset
– Establishes and Maintains Agreements
– Cultivates Trust and Safety
– Maintains Presence
– Listens Actively
– Evokes Awareness
– Facilitates Client Growth
These competencies are not just for the sake of personal learning, but also for enabling you to deliver better coaching outcomes for your clients. By applying these competencies in your coaching practice, you will be able to empower your clients to find their own solutions and achieve their goals. You will also be able to create a positive and lasting impact on their lives.
Getting an ICF Coach Certification is not only beneficial for you and your clients, but also for the coaching industry as a whole. By becoming an ICF accredited coach, you will join a global community of professional coaches who share the same vision and values of advancing the coaching profession. You will also contribute to raising the standards and reputation of coaching as a credible and valuable service.
So, if you are still wondering if getting an ICF Coach Certification is worth it, we would say yes, without a doubt. It can transform your life and career as a coach – both in terms of acquiring more clients and branding yourself as a qualified and competent coach in a competitive market.
From the same 2020 Global Coaching Study by ICF study, we gathered this data for you to understand what are the positive outcomes of coaching:
- Improved communication skills (India 77%, Global 72%)
- Increased productivity (India 75%, Global 70%)
- Increased self-confidence (India 74%, Global 80%)
- Enhanced performance (India 73%, Global 72%)
- Improved work-life balance (India 71%, Global 67%)
Coaching also has many benefits for organizations, such as:
- Increased employee engagement (India 76%, Global 66%)
- Improved team functioning (India 75%, Global 64%)
- Increased retention of employees (India 74%, Global 57%)
- Increased revenue (India 72%, Global 51%)
- Improved customer service (India 71%, Global 59%)
Coaching can help you cope with the changing and challenging working and leadership landscape by:
- Helping you adapt to change and uncertainty
- Helping you develop new skills and competencies
- Helping you manage stress and resilience
- Helping you create a vision and a strategy
- Helping you foster a culture of learning and innovation
So to consolidate for you, the benefits of getting ICF Coach Certification are:
– You gain credibility and trust from your clients and potential clients who know that you have met rigorous standards of quality and competence.
– You gain access to a global community of coaches who can offer you mentorship, guidance, referrals, and opportunities.
– You gain competitive advantage in the market and increase your chances of getting hired or attracting more clients.
– You gain confidence in your skills and abilities as a coach and enhance your professional reputation.
Let’s go on the HOW process of the ICF Coach Certification journey.
How do you get ICF Coach Certification in India?
- Choose the Right Training Program: The Art & Science of Coaching, powered by Erickson Coaching, offers a comprehensive coach training program that aligns with ICF core competencies. It provides a balanced blend of theoretical knowledge, practical application, and mentorship to ensure your success in the certification process.
- Meet the Training Requirements: ICF requires a specific number of training hours to qualify for certification. The Art & Science of Coaching program offers training hours that fulfill ICF’s requirements, preparing you for the next stages of certification.
- Demonstrate Coaching Competencies: The ICF Coach Certification process involves showcasing your coaching competencies through recorded coaching sessions. These sessions will be evaluated by trained assessors, ensuring your coaching proficiency meets the highest standards set by ICF.
- Completion of Coaching Experience: As part of the certification process, you will be required to accumulate a specific number of coaching experience hours. These hours can be achieved through coaching practice with clients, supervised coaching sessions, or a combination of both.
- Submitting the Certification Application: Once you have completed the training hours, coaching experience, and recorded coaching sessions, you can submit your certification application to ICF. The application will be reviewed, and upon meeting all the requirements, you will be awarded the prestigious ICF Coach Certification.
Choosing to become an ICF Certified coach is a significant investment in yourself. You are taking on a role that enables you to help others achieve their potential- how fulfilling is that? After you have made this choice, the next step is to pick the institute where you will get professional training. And to answer that question: Read Next!
Why Choose ICF Accredited The Art & Science of Coaching Program by Erickson?
As mentioned, the first step to get ICF Coach Certification in India is to choose an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program ACTP/ACSTH that will provide you with the necessary coach-specific training hours and prepare you for the certification process.
One of the best ACTP/ACSTH programs in India is The Art & Science of Coaching, offered by Erickson Coaching International.
This program is designed to give you a comprehensive and practical coaching education that will equip you with the skills, knowledge, and tools to become a successful coach. The program is based on a solution-focused approach that empowers your clients to find their own answers and solutions. The program also incorporates neuroscientific principles and world-class coaching models and tools that will help you create transformative change for your clients.
1. Proven Track Record: Erickson Coaching has a rich history of providing world-class coach training programs globally. With their expertise and experience, they have empowered thousands of coaches to achieve their ICF Coach Certification goals.
2 . Holistic Approach: The Art & Science of Coaching program takes a holistic approach, focusing on both the art and science of coaching. It combines the development of core coaching competencies with the integration of neuroscience, positive psychology, and solution-focused methodologies.
3. Experienced Faculty: The program is led by highly skilled and experienced faculty members who are themselves certified coaches. They provide valuable insights, guidance, and mentorship throughout your coaching journey.
4. Flexibility and Accessibility: The Art & Science of Coaching program offers flexible learning options, allowing you to choose between in-person or online training formats. This accessibility ensures that you can pursue your ICF Coach Certification at your own pace and convenience.
Erickson’s program TASC gives you the chance to become an ICF-Accredited coach, either as an ACC or a PCC accredited coach. The program is available online and in beautiful cities worldwide. It focuses on Solution-Focused coaching, which is based on neuroscience and helps coaches partner with their clients for transformative change. The program is designed to provide you with comprehensive coaching skills and opportunities to succeed.
Here is why Erickson’s Art & Science of Coaching Program stands out, from other in the market:
- Solution-Focused
Mobilizes your client towards their desired results rather than concentrating on the past dissatisfaction and present issues.
- Client-Centered
Gives you the confidence to trust and mobilize the inner resources and skills of your clientele and also have the respect for their agenda or schedule.
- Systematic
Enables you to accept and understand the holistic nature of your clients and also look at the bigger picture with positivity.
- Action-Oriented
Follows a trail that will help you to change a few specific steps that will lead to the changes in behavior, attitude and habit developments.
The Art & Science of Coaching program consists of two courses:
- The Essentials Course [Module I & II] &
- The Advanced Course [Module III & IV].
Each course consists of two modules that cover the 8 updated ICF Core Competencies in depth.
The program also includes mentor coaching sessions, performance evaluations, and exam preparation sessions. Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible to apply for the ICF ACC or PCC level credential, based on your module level.
At xMonks, the program is facilitated by experienced and master certified coach, Gaurav Arora, who will guide you through your learning journey and provide you with feedback and support.
You will also get access to a global community of coaches who will inspire you and help you grow.
Have an early edge in the competitive market with our Solution-Focused and Result-Oriented ICF Coach Training, where you can learn what coaching is and how to become a coach. This training helps you discover the connections between your work and core values, and it enhances your creativity, innovation, and strategy skills.
So A Final Word…
You know why so many coaches want to become ICF accredited?
It’s not just about getting recognized, but also because ICF-accredited coach training programs make sure you really learn your basics. They put you through intense learning and exams to earn that certification.
Before ICF came along, coaching was like the wild west with no rules. But since ICF set the standards, their core competencies have become the gold standard for coaches everywhere.
Learning these concepts isn’t just about personal growth. It actually helps you become a better coach for your clients. You’ll have the tools and knowledge to guide them towards success.
One of the best things about getting an ICF Coach Certification is the recognition you’ll get worldwide. ICF is a big deal globally, so having their certification adds credibility to your name in the coaching industry.
When you master ICF accreditation, you become a thought leader in coaching. You’ll be seen as a professional who can be trusted by clients. Having an internationally-recognized credential makes the coaching process more trustworthy and professional.
If you are ready to take your coaching career to the next level, don’t miss this opportunity to enroll in The Art & Science of Coaching program. This program will not only prepare you for the ICF Coach Certification, but also help you develop your own coaching style and niche. You will learn how to coach with confidence, competence, and creativity.
To learn more about The Art & Science of Coaching program and how to enroll, visit (https://www.erickson.co.in/)
So, if you’re wondering whether it’s worth getting an ICF Coach Certification, we say go for it without hesitation. It can truly change your life for the better – helping you gain clients and establish yourself as a top-notch coach in a competitive market.
We look forward to hearing from you and helping you achieve your coaching goals.
