A lifetime of coaching does not equal coaching mastery
by Natalie Tucker Miller, IAC-CC
Q: I have to admit, I’m more than a little confused and discouraged that I did not pass the second part of the certification exam. I got a respectable score on the online exam, and I’ve been a therapist for several years and have helped many of my clients. I feel like I’ve been coaching all my life. The feedback the certifiers gave me did make sense and helped me to see some of the areas where I might have gotten therapy confused with coaching, but man, I did not see this coming. Can you offer me (and others) any words of wisdom?
A: Thank you for your candor. I appreciate how up front you are with this question. No one submits recorded coaching sessions expecting to not pass. It takes a lot of time and resources to reach the point of submitting your sessions, so please know we truly honor your commitment to yourself, your clients and the coaching profession.
The IAC has long stated that coaches with experience in other fields, be it health-related, management, leadership, education, etc., may have a good foundation on which to build their coaching mastery skill set.
Every profession is defined by unique characteristics. We would not expect a coach to know how to teach high school math (unless they were certified to do so), and nor do we expect someone transitioning into coaching from another profession to know all the nuances of coaching mastery.
Although some professions may be a natural fit for coaching, there are specific and discrete skills that must be incorporated in order for coaching clients to experience the type of personal and profession growth they seek through coaching.
Here are a few of the characteristics that the IAC certifying team looks for to ensure that the coach has a full understanding of what mastery in coaching requires. Compare these with the skills you already possess from your career and life experience, and note where modifications need to occur:
Members, continue reading here.
To join the IAC, click here.
Do you have a question that you’d like to ask the certifiers? Submit your questions here: http://certifiedcoachblog.typepad.com/blog/ask-the-certifiers.html.
Natalie Tucker Miller, IAC-CC, is the Lead Certifier and a certifying examiner at the IAC, as well as Past-President. Natalie is founder of Ageless-Sages.com Publishing (www.ageless-sages.com), and creator of the literary genre, Picture Books for Elders™.
Please send your questions on the IAC Coaching Masteries® and the certification process to certification@certifiedcoach.org.
