Frequently Asked Questions

Coaching


How do I Become a Coach?

If you are considering a career as a professional coach, the International Coach Federation (ICF) recommends the following four step process:

  1. Hire a Coach - To truly gain full knowledge and understanding of the coach-client relationship, begin your journey as a client. This step provides valuable insight into the coaching relationship and prepares you for a meaningful relationship with your clients. Additionally, hiring a coach can help you to determine whether coaching is the right profession for you. You can use our Find a Coach service to identify the right coach for you and your goals.
  2. Attend a Coach Training Program - ICF strongly recommends that you complete an ICF accredited coach training program to streamline your path to become an ICF credentialed coach. Formal training using ICF core competencies and code of ethics as the basis of training will prepare you for the rewards and challenges of the coaching profession. ICF accredited programs demonstrate their commitment to the highest coaching standards. Review a list of ICF accredited programs.
  3. Join the International Coach Federation - Let ICF be a partner on your journey to a successful coaching practice. ICF membership will provide you with networking, continuing education, and leadership opportunities through local chapters, Special Interest Groups and our local, regional, and international events. Connect with coaches from around the world and lend your voice and talents to the future of the profession. By joining ICF, you will realize your full potential as a coach. Learn about the eligibility requirements and join ICF.  
  4. Join Your Local ICF Chapter - Your local chapter is your primary way to connect with professional coaches in your area. The ICF Charlotte Area Chapter (ICF-CACC) is a vibrant and growing community of business and personal coaches who support each other in the areas of professional development, business success and personal growth. Learn about the ways to join.

ICF Credentialing Process


Should I Consider an ICF Credential?

ICF Credentials are highly recognized coaching qualifications with credibility around the world. If you are serious about building or maintaining your coaching business and desire to be part of a well-respected, self-regulating profession, you will be interested in gaining ICF Credentials.

There are three ICF credentials: Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC). Each credential requires a specific set of required hours of coach-specific training and coaching experience.

What Are The Benefits of an ICF Credential?

An ICF Credential is a professional certification indicating that you have completed a rigorous credentialing process designed to develop and refine your coaching skills. Holding a credential especially an ICF Credential is extremely important to today's coaching clients. ICF Credential-holder Benefits are vast and include:
  • Enhances your credibility and reassures potential clients that you are an experienced and professional coach
  • Demonstrates that you have high professional standards
  • Demonstrates that you stand by a strong code of ethics
  • Demonstrates a high knowledge and skill level
  • Demonstrates that you take on-going professional development seriously
  • Develops you as a professional coach to further enhance your skills
  • Brings personal satisfaction - in achieving a career goal
  • Brings personal satisfaction - in gaining a credential from the only internationally recognized independent coaching body
  • Reinforces the integrity of the coaching profession nationally and internationally

What is the process to become an ICF credentialed coach?

For each ICF Credential (ACC, PCC and MCC), there are several application paths to earning a Credential:
  • Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP)
  • Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH)
  • Portfolio Path (non-ICF Approved Training program)
While there are several paths to becoming an ICF credentialed coach, ICF recommends attending an Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP). Within each Credential, all paths contain the same requirements and lead to the same Credential. However, your specific application path depends on the type of coaching education you have received. Review the latest information from ICF to compare the Credential Application Paths.

What is the difference between program certifications and being an ICF credentialed coach?

Program certifications acknowledge that you have completed an organizations specific training program and meet their internal completion criteria. Note: These programs may or not be Accredited Coach Training Programs by ICF. The role of ICF is to serve as an independent body to assess and award credentials after submitting approved training, client and mentoring hours and passing oral and written exams. Review the latest information from ICF to compare the Credential Application Paths

How do I get a mentor coach?

The easiest way is to ask other members you know and trust for a recommendation. Talk to coaches at a chapter event. You may also leverage the ICF Mentor Coach Registry to search for mentor coaches.

What assistance does your chapter offer with the ICF credentialing process?

Our chapter programming offers various educational events that focus on developing the specific core competencies required for ICF credentials. The Continuing Coach Education (CCEs) units you receive for attending events are important for submitting training hours and recertifying every three years.

Hiring a Coach


What is Coaching?

Coaching is a partnership that supports clients taking action toward a specific vision, goal, desire or outcome. Coaching focuses beyond the "what" or the problem and examines the "who" or person and how they make decisions and life choices. 

Coaching provides a safe place for the coach and client to reflect and explore ideas, insights, strengths, and limitations. During the coaching process, clients define and achieve professional and personal goals faster; often with more ease.

Why Hire A Coach?

For many, coaching can be a life-changing experience that dramatically improves their outlook on work and life. If you or your organization are ready to stretch, grow, and discover, you're probably ready to work with a coach. 

Coaching unlocks a person's potential to maximize their performance and satisfaction. As they tap into their potential, it unlocks sources of creativity, productivity and learning unlike being taught.

By creating clarity, coaching moves the client into action and accelerates their progress. It provides greater focus and awareness of all the possibilities that exist to create a fulfilling life.

When Should I Hire a Coach?

Some examples of situations where coaching has been helpful are:
  • starting or expanding a new business
  • making a career choice or transition
  • developing leadership skills
  • evaluating life choices or purpose
  • improving personal effectiveness
  • enhancing communication skills
  • fulfilling a lifetime goal or desire
This list is merely a starting point of possibilities for coaching. A coach works their client's goal or objective.

Are There Different Kinds of Coaches?

Yes. While some coaches are generalists, most specialize in particular niches, including business, executives, organizations, entrepreneurs, spirituality or relationships.

How is coaching different from therapy, consulting and other service professions?

According to the ICF, professional coaching focuses on setting goals, creating outcomes and managing personal change. Sometimes it's helpful to understand coaching by distinguishing it from other personal or organizational support professions.

Therapy: Therapy deals with healing pain, dysfunction and conflict within an individual or in relationships. The focus is often on resolving difficulties arising from the past that hamper an individual's emotional functioning in the present, improving overall psychological functioning, and dealing with the present in more emotionally healthy ways. Coaching, on the other hand, supports personal and professional growth based on self-initiated change in pursuit of specific actionable outcomes. These outcomes are linked to personal or professional success. Coaching is future focused. While positive feelings/emotions may be a natural outcome of coaching, the primary focus is on creating actionable strategies for achieving specific goals in one's work or personal life. The emphases in a coaching relationship are on action, accountability, and follow through.

Consulting: Individuals or organizations retain consultants for their expertise. While consulting approaches vary widely, the assumption is the consultant will diagnose problems and prescribe and, sometimes, implement solutions. With coaching, the assumption is that individuals or teams are capable of generating their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks.

Mentoring: A mentor is an expert who provides wisdom and guidance based on his or her own experience. Mentoring may include advising, counseling and coaching. The coaching process does not include advising or counseling and focuses instead on individuals or groups setting and reaching their own objectives.

Training: Training programs are based on objectives set out by the trainer or instructor. Though objectives are clarified in the coaching process, they are set by the individual or team being coached, with guidance provided by the coach. Training also assumes a linear learning path that coincides with an established curriculum. Coaching is less linear without a set curriculum.

Though sports metaphors are often used, professional coaching is different from sports coaching. The athletic coach is often seen as an expert who guides and directs the behavior of individuals or teams based on his or her greater experience and knowledge. Professional coaches possess these qualities, but their experience and knowledge of the individual or team determines the direction. Additionally, professional coaching, unlike athletic development, does not focus on behaviors that are being executed poorly or incorrectly. Instead, the focus is on identifying opportunity for development based on individual strengths and capabilities.

How Do Coaches Work With Clients?

Every coach has their own unique style and method of working with clients. There are however, some commonly used methods. Coaching often consists of 1-to-1 telephone, video conferencing or face-to-face conversations, in 30, 45 or 60-minute intervals at pre-scheduled times. In addition, some coaches provide between session support and accountability, via e-mail or short, just-in-time telephone coaching calls.

What Does Coaching Typically Cost?

Costs for individual coaching typically range from $100-$1,000 per month, whereas corporate coaching may range from $1,000 - $10,000 per month.

Do All Coaches Need to Have ICF Credentials?

No, coaches do not need to have ICF credentials to be an effective coach. A professional coach who has been credentialed by the International Coach Federation (ICF) has received very specific coach training, has achieved a designated number of experience hours and has been coached by a mentor coach.

The three levels of ICF Credentials are: Associate Certified Coach (ACC); Professional Certified Coach (PCC); or Master Certified Coach (MCC). You can use our Find a Coach service to identify the right coach for you and your goals.

What Should I Look For When Selecting a Coach?

The most important thing to look for when selecting a coach is someone with whom you feel you can easily relate to and create the most powerful partnership with. We recommend that you interview several coaches and ask these questions:
  • What is your coaching experience?
  • What is your coach specific training?
  • Do you hold an ICF Credential?
  • What is your coaching specialty or client areas you most often work in?
  • What specialized skills or experience do you bring to your coaching?
  • What is your philosophy about coaching?
  • What is your specific process for coaching?
  • What are some coaching success stories?
Many coaches also offer a complimentary demonstration session that allows potential clients to experience the coach's style and approach.

Visit our section on how to find and hire a coach page to learn more.

Ads & Sponsors


Who can benefit from being an ICF-CACC sponsor and/or advertiser?

  • ICF-CACC members and affiliates who receive special pricing to advertising on chapter communication venues.
  • Coach training schools
  • Companies with coaching-related products/services
  • Businesses offering products/services useful to coaches
  • Organizations looking to connect and partner with ICF-CACC's Members and Affiliates

Why advertise your services or products on this web site?

  • There is a growing community of professional coaches in the Charlotte and surrounding areas.
  • The International Coach Federation (ICF) has over 10,000 members globally and the ICF Charlotte Area Chapter has a thriving coach population of more than 100 members and affiliates.
  • Our members consistently refer to our website as a resource to grow their business and access tools to support professional growth as well as the success of their clients.
  • ICF Global is elevating the profession of coaching through the implementation of new training and credentialing requirements.
  • Our chapter website serves as a resource for individuals who are considering coaching training and credentialing.

How can I market my program or business on your website or at an event?

The Chapter website, newsletter, and events provide valuable opportunities for interested parties to reach our members and the local community.

Advertising Opportunities are available in our chapter newsletter or ICF Charlotte website.

ICF CACC is open to partnering with external parties to promote products and services that support and benefit coaches with their business and/or development of their coaching skills. Sponsorship of events, held virtually, as well as in-person, is also available in the Charlotte and Western Carolina area.

ICF-CACC members and affiliates receive special pricing to advertising on chapter communication venues.

Please review our Advertising and Partner/Sponsorship pages for information and guidelines.

Membership


What types of coaches join ICF-CACC?

ICF-CACC Members and Affliates specialize in a variety of coaching areas, including Executive Coaching, Life Coaching, Leadership Coaching, Relationship Coaching, Career Coaching and other skilled coaching fields.

What is the value of joining ICF-CACC?

ICF-CACC Members and Affiliates receive a multitude of benefits, starting with access to professional development opportunities and the related Continuing Coach Education (CCEs) units needed to maintain certification.

By joining our chapter, you gain access to networking, leadership, and community service opportunities. In addition to our monthly programming, we also offer local area coach social meet-ups.

How do I become a Member/Affiliate with ICF-CACC?

It's easy and fast! Visit our join page to identify the appropriate membership type and proceed to complete and submit the membership form.

How do I get started as a new Member/Affiliate of ICF-CACC Chapter?

We're glad you joined!  Take time to review the benefits based on your membership type.

Ensure any spam filters are set for you to receive the chapter newsletter on the first of each month announcing upcoming chapter events as well as emails highlighting other information throughout the month.

We recommend attending a chapter event as soon as possible so you can meet others in our coach community. Our Board Directors / Event Hosts will make you feel at home and introduce you to other attendees who will be equally as welcoming! We believe that the more inclusive and encouraging we with one another, the better we can partner and grow professionally and personally.

How can I become active in the ICF-CACC Chapter?

Consider attending one of our monthly meetings, webinars, or networking events. You can find all of these events posted on our website.  You also will receive the chapter newsletter on the first of each month announcing upcoming chapter events as well as emails highlighting other information throughout the month.

Another great way to become involved is to serve as a member of one of our core teams. By serving as a volunteer, you will learn more about the Chapter and be able to become further involved by serving in a leadership role on the ICF-CACC Board. To learn more, check out current core teams and volunteer needs that interest you the most.

How do I connect with the chapter's social media community?

We encourage you to join any or all of these communities and to participate actively. You do not have to be a member/affiliate to participate in these communities, though it is preferred.

How do I get listed in the Find a Coach service?

ICF Charlotte Area Chapter offers a free online service to assist individuals in identifying and selecting coaches best suited for their particular situation. ICF-CACC Members are automatically listed in the Find a Coach tool. 

How does someone become an ICF chapter board director?

Most board directors have served as chapter volunteers and been active in chapter events. Serving on the board of directors is a great way to "give back" and offers an opportunity to expand your leadership capabilities, meet a wide range of interesting people, and immerse yourself in the coaching profession. Express interest in serving to one or more of our current board members.

Each September, the Board Nominating Committee issues a notice that the board is seeking candidates for positions for the next year. Nominate yourself or ask a fellow chapter member to nominate you. You must be a member in good standing of ICF Global and a member in good standing of ICF Charlotte Area Charter Chapter to be a Board Director.

Learn more about Board Membership and available positions.

Programs & Events


What programs does ICF-CACC offer?

ICF-CACC hosts events in a variety of venues and formats: meetings, workshops, webinars, conference calls, and networking events. Most meetings offer networking and an informative presentation approved for ICF Continuing Coaching Education (CCEs) units. In addition, the chapter organizes activities annually for International Coaching Week (ICW), typically held in May.

How can I find out about upcoming events?

Members receive notifications of meetings via emails as well as through social media channels. Future events are posted on our Events page.
If you're not a member yet, sign up for emails to learn more about the Chapter. Guests are always welcome!

Do I have to register for events?

Yes, please. We leverage registration records to ensure we're prepared with sufficient materials and food / beverage as applicable. Some events have limited attendance, so secure your seat today!

How do I find out if I've already registered for the upcoming event?

An email confirmation from info@ICFCharlotte.org is sent immediately upon your registration.

What is your refund policy?

Please review our Event Policies to learn more about cancellations and refunds.

I lost my CCEU certificate for a chapter program. How do I get documentation that I attended?

If you have registered for an ICF CACC event via our website your certificate will be available in your Member Portal once you logged in.  If you need assistance with certificates, please email us at info@icfcharlotte.org with your member information and the event specifics.

At this time we are not able to store certificates that have been obtained outside of ICF Charlotte.

What are Continuing Coach Education (CCEs)?

CCEs are Continuing Coach Education units and they are important to members who hold an ICF credential (ACC, PCC, MCC) as they are required to maintain, renew or upgrade ICF credentials. If you are working on getting your credentials, you want to keep your CCEs for proof of training beyond the core training requirements.

If you have registered for an ICF CACC event via our website your certificate will be available in your Member Portal once you logged in.  If you need assistance with certificates, please email us at info@icfcharlotte.org with your member information and the event specifics.

How do I apply to present my program at an ICF-CACC Meeting or Event?

If you have a program or presentation that you believe would be beneficial to the coaching community, please visit our Call for Speakers page to learn more about the qualifications and application process.