Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey: 2011

Coach Training and Certification

A  coach  from North  Carolina  (USA)  says:  “Too  many  people  consider  themselves  coaches without any formal training or certification. This hurts us all. If one is serious about coaching, get a certification!”

At this point, most coaches have been classroom trained and certified. Overall, 70% of coaches cite classroom training and certification, up from 64% three years ago. Veteran coaches, those in business for ten years or more, don’t claim classroom training as often. A veteran coach offered this: “I think that training and certification is critically important for professionals just entering the coaching profession.  I did, however, list it as “somewhat important” because exceptions should be made for coaches like me who have been doing this for over 20 years.”

[one_half last=”no”]Compared to veterans in the trade, coaches in business 3 to 10 years are certified at much higher rates, and their numbers are up  from  years  past.     This  shows  a  definite  trend  toward training and certification among successful coaches.[/one_half]

[one_half last=”yes”]84% of respondents who had been in a coaching relationship consider certification ‘important’ or ‘very important.’ Consumer demand for credentialed coaches is growing.
-ICF Consumer Awareness Study, 2010[/one_half]

A coach in Washington DC says: “The field is reaching maturation. Clients recognize and require that a coach must have certified training.   Less qualified coaches are getting less work or opting for other careers.”

How important is training and certification? 2011 Sherpa survey responses:

So, coaches are going to class.  How important is that? Across the board, every category of response says training and certification is ‘absolutely essential’ or ‘very important’ by a three to one margin. Business executives and coaches themselves place the most weight on certification. Training professionals and purchasers of coaching both say it’s important. Only coaching clients themselves feel certification is ‘not necessary’ in any significant numbers.