Alison Davis, IAC-CC reminds you
How to maximise your success on Part Two of the IAC certification exam
Once you have demonstrated a solid understanding of each of the IAC Coaching Masteries® by achieving a score of 70% or more on the online Part One exam, you are ready to focus on Part Two of the exam and prepare to demonstrate the use of each of the Masteries in your coaching.
This process will require an investment of your time to understand and integrate the IAC Coaching Masteries® fully into your own life and work so completely that they just become a natural part of who you are and how you coach. The Masteries are designed to create positive shifts and progress for both you and for your clients.
The goal of Part Two is to be able to appropriately and effectively apply all of the Masteries to an actual coaching situation, which you will demonstrate in two recorded coaching sessions.
Getting started
Make sure you get lots of practice before you send in your recordings. Coach with a buddy coach, form a triad, join a study group and/or use a mentor coach. This experience and feedback will enable you to use the Masteries effectively. You will need to demonstrate not only that you understand each Mastery, but also that you know when and how to apply and use each one.
If you receive feedback that indicates you are not yet using the Masteries effectively with your clients or buddies, then it is better to postpone your exam until you are ready.
For your exam recordings, choose two clients (one for each recording) who are ready to evolve and follow through. Make sure they are healthy, smart and action-oriented. The ideal clients for your recordings have already made progress as a result of your coaching, while extremely stuck or confused clients may make it more difficult for you to demonstrate the Masteries.
Once you have decided which of your clients you work best with, ask them if you can record their coaching sessions for the purposes of IAC certification. Let them know that the IAC certification process identifies masterful coaches and that in order to be coaching at this level, you need to have many hours of coaching experience. (See last month’s article about how many hours it takes to achieve “mastery” in any field.)
Setting up your recording
At the beginning of each recorded session, remember to ask the client’s permission to record the session. Ask the client to state on the recording that they have read and signed the waiver of confidentiality, and agree to have the session recorded for the sole purpose of IAC certification.
Also bear in mind that the aim of this session is to demonstrate the use of the IAC Coaching Masteries® at a masterful level. Refresh your memory by reviewing the Masteries, and then set them aside. Do not try to force the Masteries into your session. This will be obvious to the certifiers, as well as the client, and results in less effective coaching. Let go of your agenda to pass the exam and just do your natural coaching as you do with your clients and coaching buddies. If you are ready, the Masteries will all be present quite naturally as you coach.
Designing your session
As you begin your coaching session, it is a good idea to bear in mind that you will be most successful if you design your session effectively. This means making sure you have a beginning, a middle and an end to your session.
Members, continue reading here for specific details on how to design an optimal coaching session.
To join the IAC, click here.
Alison Davis, IAC-CC, is the founder of Foundations for Living, a licensed school of the IAC Coaching Masteries®, and is also a certifier for the IAC. Alison has been coaching, training, facilitating and mentoring individuals and in organisations in Europe, the US and South Africa for over 13 years. She is trained in psycho-spiritual integration, helping clients to develop their SQ. For more information email alison@foundationsforliving.com.
Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.
Excellent article, Alison. Thank you. I bet coaches going to IAC Certification will be referencing this for years to come.
Thanks Alison for these great tips! The part about picking your clients is so true. While I believe it is entirely possible to get a great recording on a first time call-you may get to the issue below the issue more quickly if you have already built a relationship of trust with a client who is highly motivated.
Jude Eastman
(Jude@stirringthespiritwithin.com)