The two largest professional bodies, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and the Association for Coaching (AC), recently launched their team coaching competency frameworks and accreditation schemes.
This new professionalisation of team coaching is something that we wholeheartedly welcome. It is supported by research showing that more than 55% of respondents whose coach held a credential or certification reported they were very satisfied with their coaching experience compared with 27% whose coach did not hold a credential (ICF Global Consumer Awareness Survey, 2022).
A recent survey from Upcoach shows that 92% of the clients surveyed worked with a licensed coach, and 55% cited licensing as a critical factor when evaluating a coach. Additionally, 78% of respondents In the ICF study said it was important or very important for their coach to hold a credential/certification.
More than ever, organisations are looking to leverage the power of teams to innovate and drive their business forward. They are turning to team coaches to harness a team’s collective intelligence and energy to achieve more remarkable & sustainable results.
We celebrate the growing professionalisation of team coaching and accreditation. Earning a globally recognised accreditation undoubtedly gives you greater credibility and visibility.
What does it mean to be a ‘professional’?
Edgar Schein (1973) defined a ‘professional’ as someone with a strong motivation and lifetime commitment to a particular occupation or body of knowledge, which is the highlight of his source of income. A professional has gone through rigorous training for a prolonged period and, as such, possesses a specialised body of knowledge. Professionals are focused primarily on a client’s service needs and always provide opinions from a detached perspective. One who puts themselves out there to be reviewed by peers and operates from a crystal-clear code of conduct. A professional belongs to a professional association that defines admission criteria, educational standards, and domains of action.
Achieving Accreditation
The ICF Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC) is now open for applications. To apply for this, you are expected to have the following.
– Hold an active ICF Credential at the Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), or Master Certified Coach (MCC) level.
– Complete 60+ hours of team coaching education (or you can apply using your prior team coaching experience (10 engagements with three completed five years before submitting the application) and at least 30 hours of team coaching education)
– Complete at least five team coaching engagements within the last five years.
– Complete at least five hours of coaching supervision
– Achieve a passing score on the ICF Team Coaching Certification Exam
The AC is still to open its door for team coaching accreditation. However, we are assured that it won’t be long. We will be among the first to be updated and share any information or insight as soon as possible.
So, let’s dive a little deeper into the ICF ACTC accreditation requirements!
Team Coach Education
Becoming a team coach is a life-changing experience that will dramatically increase the impact you can have as a coach and empower you to create a sustainable and rewarding coaching business. As a professional team coach, you will have the opportunity to create positive change and achieve extraordinary results with teams and organisations.
Our Team Coaching Diploma offers 138 hours of Team Coaching education (over 80 are synchronous, classroom hours, and the rest are self-study). Our Diploma is led by Georgina Woudstra MCC and Allard De Jong PCC, both team coaching practitioners and among the first in the world to achieve ACTC accreditation. Plus, both are qualified supervisors- so you are in safe hands! We run the Diploma twice yearly, with small cohorts of 12-16 participants.
Additionally, anyone passing our Diploma is added to our Team Coaching Directory, giving you greater visibility to team coaching clients.
Supervision
Given the complexity of team coaching, you must engage in guided reflective practice for development and support. To apply for ICF accreditation, you must have at least 5 hours of supervision with an eligible coaching supervisor, completed either one-to-one or in a group supervision setting of up to 10 participants.
You should look out for a supervisor who is an ICF, accredited ACC PCC, or MCC. You must submit details of your supervisor, whom the ICF may contact to verify your work together. Your supervisor doesn’t have to be ICF-accredited, although they prefer that their applicants have an ICF-accredited supervisor or mentor coach with supervision experience. You can apply for supervision with us here.
Team Coaching Experience
To apply for ACTC, you must also have started and completed five team coaching engagements five years before the application creation date. A verification letter from an authorised team representative is required for two team coaching engagements. Each letter of verification must be signed, submitted on company letterhead and include the following elements:
– The name and contact information of the authorised individual completing the letter of verification and their role within the organisation or team
– Your name (as the team coach)
– Confirmation of the total hours of the team engagement, the start and end dates of the engagement, and the number of team members.
We advise that you leverage this part of the process to create a couple of team coaching case studies, as these will help you stand out and promote your work as a team coach. A case study can be short and punchy (keep it on one page- or two max). Make sure you include the following:
– what was the brief- the reason the client wanted team coaching?
– what outcomes or measures were agreed upon?
– a summary of your approach
– the value the team got from your work together (ideally described by the client, in their language)
– did it exceed expectations? (or the team, sponsors, or you own)
– going forward, what would improve the experience?
Exam
All ACTC candidates are required to pass a computer-based written exam. The tests are usually very detailed and rigorous, so approach with a solid mindset and preparation, but no need to be overwhelmed here! The ICF Team Coaching Certification exam consists of 62 questions developed and reviewed by team coaching experts and is designed to assess candidates’ knowledge and ability to apply the ICF Team Coaching and Core Competencies in team coaching contexts.
You can get the complete picture of all the requirements on the ICF website: https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/team-coaching
How can TCS help you with your accreditation?
Whether through supervision or your formal Team Coaching training, we are here to help you on your pathway to accreditation.
