ICF Core Competencies

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching.

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with clients, sponsors and relevant stakeholders.

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Is sensitive to the clients’ identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs.

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients, sponsors, and relevant stakeholders.

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Abides by the ICF Code of Ethics and upholds the Core Values.

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Maintains confidentiality with client information per stakeholder agreements and pertinent laws. 

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Maintains the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy, and other support professions. 

A. Foundation / 1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Refers client to other support professionals, as appropriate.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centered.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Acknowledges that clients are responsible for their own choices. 

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Engages in ongoing learning and development as a coach.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Develops an ongoing reflective practice to enhance one’s coaching. 

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others. 

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Uses awareness of self and one’s intuition to benefit clients.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Develops and maintains the ability to regulate one’s emotions.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Mentally and emotionally prepares for sessions.

A. Foundation / 2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Seeks help from outside sources when necessary.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans, and goals. Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each session. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Explains what coaching is and is not and describes the process to the client and relevant stakeholders. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Reaches agreement about what is and is not appropriate  in the relationship, what is and is not being offered, and the responsibilities of the client and relevant stakeholders.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Reaches agreement about the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship such as logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality, and inclusion of others.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to establish an overall coaching plan and goals.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to determine client-coach compatibility. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to define what the client believes they need to address or resolve to achieve what they want to accomplish in the session.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to define or reconfirm measures of success for what the client wants to accomplish in the coaching engagement or individual session.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Continues coaching in the direction of the client’s desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Partners with the client to end the coaching relationship in a way that honors the experience.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Parnters with the client to create a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely. Maintains a relationship of mutual respect and trust. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Seeks to understand the client within their context which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Demonstrates respect for the client’s identity, perceptions, style and language and adapts one’s coaching to the client. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Acknowledges and respects the client’s unique talents, insights and work in the coaching process.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Shows support, empathy, and concern for the client.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Acknowledges and supports the client’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs and suggestions. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 4. Cultivate Trust and Safety

Demonstrates openness and transparency as a way to display vulnerability and build trust with the client. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Remains focused, observant, empathetic and responsive to the client.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Demonstrates curiosity during the coaching process.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Manages one’s emotions to stay present with the client.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Demonstrates confidence in working with strong client emotions during the coaching process. 

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Is comfortable working in a space of not knowing.

B. Co-creating the Relationship / 5. Maintains Presence

Creates and allows space for silence, pause or reflection.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Focuses on what the client is and is not saying to fully understand what is being communicated in the context of the client systems and to support client self-expression.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Considers the client’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Reflects or summarizes what the client communicated to ensure clarity and understanding.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Recognizes and inquires when there is more to what the client is communicating. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Notices, acknowledges and explores the client’s emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues or other behaviors. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Integrates the client’s words, tone of voice and body language to determine the full meaning of what is being communicated.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 6. Listen Actively

Notices trends in the client’s behaviors and emotions across sessions to discern themes and patterns.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Considers client experiences when deciding what might be most useful.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Challenges the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Asks questions about the client, such as their way of thinking, values, needs, wants and beliefs. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Asks questions that help the client explore beyond current thinking.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Notices what is working to enhance client progress.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Adjusts the coaching approach in response to the client’s needs.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Helps the client identify factors that influence current and future patterns of behavior, thinking or emotion.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Invites the client to generate ideas about how they can move forward and what they are willing or able to do. 

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Supports the client in reframing perspectives.

C. Communicating Effectively/ 7. Evokes Awareness

Shares observations, insights and feelings, without attachment. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Partners with the client to transform learning and insights into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Works with the client to integrate new awareness, insight or learning into their worldview and behaviors. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Partners with the client to design goals, actions and accountability measures that integrate and expand new learning. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Acknowledges and supports client autonomy in the design of goals, actions and methods of accountability. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Supports the client in identifying potential results or learning from identified action steps. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Invites the client to consider how to move forward, including resources, support or potential barriers.

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Partners with the client to summarize learning and insight within or between sessions. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Celebrates the client’s progress and successes. 

D. Cultivating Learning and Growth / 8. Facilitates Client Growth 

Partners with the client to close the session.