by Bob Tschannen-Moran, IAC-CC
president@certifiedcoach.org
The IAC: A Quality Organization
As President of the International Association of Coaching I have a unique vantage point on all of the activities of the IAC’s many volunteers and staff. Much of what goes on happens without my involvement and I am continuously impressed with the quantity of both the work and the outputs. Given that the IAC operates on a modest budget with no full-time staff and a relatively small membership, such accomplishments are truly remarkable.
That’s all the more so when you consider the commensurate commitment to quality that the IAC has long demonstrated. From the beginning, the IAC has held itself to the highest of standards when it comes to the work of establishing standards for and recognizing exceptional examples of the coaching profession. Given that there are many other coaching organizations to choose from, those of us who choose the IAC want to be known by our commitment to quality.
How else can one explain the dedication of so many people to a certification requiring such a high level of mastery? At this point, the IAC has certified a total of 76 coaches. That list is small enough that I don’t mind celebrating the accomplishment right here by listing their names:
- Shirley Anderson
- Caterina Arends
- Kristi Arndt
- Susan Austin
- Gloria Auth
- Nanci Biddle
- Gigi Blair
- Sue Brundege
- Bonnie Chan
- Sara Connell
- Richard Copeland
- Kathi Crawford
- Maura Da Cruz
- Pushpa Damle
- Anna Dargitz Hodge
- Alison Davis
- Deborah Deane
- Jacqueline Dunkle
- Nina East
- Jude Eastman
- Connie Frey
- Art Gangel
- Mike Goonan
- Yoram Gordon
- Jean Gran
- Mattison Grey
- Susan Guiher
- Kathy Gulrich
- Ruth Ann Harnisch
- Gwyn Hayward-Ryan
- Doris Helge
- Ellyn Herbert
- Janice Hunter
- Marco Iafrate
- Paul Jeong
- Sue Johnston
- Wayne Jones
- Kerul Kassel
- Kris Knopp
- Diane Krause-Stetson
- Zuno Kristal
- Marie Laure Lagrange
- Suzanne Lang
- Kerri Laryea
- Lorraine Lee
- Dawn Lind
- Shauna MacKay
- Peggy Marshall
- Robyn K McKenzie
- Susan R Meyer
- Catherine Miller
- Natalie Tucker Miller
- Elizabeth Nofziger
- Jan O'Brien
- Teresa Oefinger
- Martha Pasternack
- Sharron Phillips
- Susan Reimer-Torn
- Caroline Rhodes
- Michelle Richardson
- Kimberly Robinson
- Marilyn Rumsey
- Alicia Smith
- Patricia Soldati
- Frank Spitzig
- Alan Stafford
- Donna Steinhorn
- Julia Stewart
- Barbra Sundquist
- Sali Taylor
- Sandy Tremp
- Bob Tschannen-Moran
- Karen Van Cleve
- Penni Wild
- Terri Zelenak
- Carol Zimmerman
That’s an elite group of quality coaches who represent the best of the best when it comes to the coaching profession. As custodians of the IAC Coaching Masteries™, the highest standards for effectiveness in the coaching industry, these people are truly masters of their craft. If you are looking for a quality coach, indeed, if you are looking for a Master Coach, then these are the people for you. You can find their contact information through the Find a Coach directory on the IAC website.
People tell us it should be easier to become an IAC-CC. At times, we wish it was. But when it comes to vouching for coaching mastery, the IAC holds itself to the highest of standards. Better to err on the side of high standards than of easy access when it comes to something so profound as proclaiming someone a Master Coach.
The IAC Certification Board, headed up by former IAC President Natalie Tucker Miller, takes full responsibility for the certification process. They are accessible to anyone with questions about the certification process (you may contact them via the IAC website). Typically, when a concern arises, one conversation can set things in order. The IAC owes the certifiers a big debt of gratitude. Their work is impeccable and transparent.
What many people do not realize is that the certification process is not a profit-making venture for the IAC. When people submit their recordings for review, those recordings are transcribed (paid for by the IAC) and scored by two certifiers (also paid for by the IAC). Covering these and other administrative costs, the fees charged for certification represent more of a commitment to the industry rather than a commitment to making money.
Right now the IAC is reviewing its approach to certification, and will soon be announcing ways for training organizations and mentor coaches who are using the IAC Coaching Masteries™ in their work – the IAC Licensees – to enhance the quality of their own services and delivery systems. Be watching for those announcements! The commitment to quality lives on at the IAC and will always set the IAC apart in the sea of professional coaching organizations.
Ask yourself: How would you describe your own commitment to quality? In what ways does your involvement with the IAC enhance the quality of your coaching? How could you strengthen that commitment and enhance that quality? What part might the IAC Learning Agreements play in your overall growth and development as a coach?
May you be filled with goodness, peace and joy,
Bob
Bob Tschannen-Moran, IAC-CC, is CEO and Co-Founder of the Center for School Transformation and President of LifeTrek Coaching International. Bob is the co-author of Evocative Coaching, which incorporates the IAC Coaching Masteries® in a coaching model designed for leaders and coaches in schools.
