Is It Just Me, Or Is Everyone Coaching?

Have you ever bought a new vehicle only to find that hundreds of other people seem to have decided on the same make, model and colour at precisely the same time? Everywhere you look, there's your car! Thinking way back to my Psychology 101 courses in university, this is apparently the brain's 'reticular activating system' at work. Whatever you call it, mine was firing on all cylinders when I became a Certified Executive Coach. Suddenly, there were coaches everywhere.

According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), it's not just me. The field of coaching is experiencing a groundswell as more and more organizations look to expand their options for skills development, particularly at the senior leadership level. Founded in 1995, the ICF strives to build, support and preserve the integrity of the coaching profession while maintaining and enhancing coaching standards and practices.

The ICF's membership has surpassed 14,000 and the numbers continue to grow rapidly on a global scale. Consumers can find ICF members located throughout nearly 90 countries. "Coaches from all over the world join the ICF as a means of pursuing professional development and networking with global colleagues. The widespread growth in our membership is indicative of the increasing demand for professional coaches throughout the world." says Diane Brennan, President of the ICF.

Increasingly, organizations are looking to credentialed coaches to add to their external and internal talent pool. The International Coach Federation awards the globally recognizable ICF credential to professional coaches who have met stringent education and experience requirements and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the coaching competencies that set the standard in the profession.

At a time when so many professionals are critically strapped for time it can be pretty tough to make skills development a priority. And yet, getting serious traction on results has never been more important than it is today. That's clearly the driver for bringing credentialed coaches into organizations where more traditional approaches have been relied on in the past.

So, where do you begin if you would like to bring coaching into your organization? According to those who have successfully made the leap, it's all about doing your homework.

Visit the International Coach Federation, www.coachfederation.org where you will find a wealth of background information, case studies and research on the profession. You can also search for accredited coaches located in you geographic area.

Do some reading. I would recommend Coached to Lead - How to Achieve Extraordinary Results with an Executive Coach by Susan Battley as a great start and an informative resource for anyone thinking about engaging a coach.

Call Coaches. The best way to find out about how practitioners work is to talk to them directly. Most will be more than happy to take some time to fill you in.

Talk to Coachees. Many professionals have had great results working with a coach and can give you first hand information on what works and what doesn't.

The ICF defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential." With that as a goal, it's no wonder the demand for qualified coaches is greater than ever before and no surprise that coaches are popping up everywhere.