FROM THE TRAINING ROOM
More Than a Certificate: What to Look for in Coach Training
Contributors: Tim Austin, Amy deVries, Benjamin Olsen, Mary Selzer, Mike Smith (Compiled by Esther Edwards)
With so many coach training opportunities available, choosing what comes next can be challenging. Another course, certification, degree, workshop, or specialty credential may sound valuable, but not every opportunity will move you toward the coach you want to become. To support your decision-making, we asked our AGC-endorsed coach trainers to share what you should consider when exploring ongoing training. Their responses point to several important questions.
1. Start with your purpose
Before choosing a program, Tim Austin encourages you to ask, "How do I hope to use coaching, and where do I most want to grow?" For some, the goal may be professional coaching or pursuing a recognized credential. For others, coaching is a skill they want to use as a pastor, ministry leader, consultant, or people developer. Your purpose should help determine your pathway. Mary Selzer suggests considering how additional training will ultimately bring value to your clients. That might mean an advanced degree for one coach and specialized certification, such as DiSC, for another.
2. Look carefully at accreditation, standards, and credibility
Not all training carries the same weight. Mike Smith encourages coaches to consider the accreditation of both the trainer and the training organization, the quality of the content, and any certifications earned by completing the program. Amy deVries adds another important consideration: "Always make sure the training you want is aligned with ICF standards and ethics." As Benjamin Olsen notes, if you're working toward a professional credential, look for programs accredited by globally recognized institutions—and there is never a shortcut to attaining excellence in a skill-based profession.
3. Look for training, not just information
"There is never a shortcut to attaining excellence in a skill-based profession," states Olsen. Books, videos, lectures, and workshops can provide valuable information, but you learn coaching through application. Strong training should give you opportunities to:
- Practice coaching in real or realistic conversations.
- Receive meaningful feedback from skilled coaches and trainers.
- Experience being coached, not simply learn coaching concepts.
- Apply what you're learning until new skills begin to become natural.
- Develop both competency and character, becoming more present, curious, thoughtful, and attentive to others.
As Austin notes, good coach training should give you "more than information." It should provide opportunities to practice, receive feedback, and experience coaching yourself.
4. Consider the return, not simply the cost
Price matters, but it shouldn't be the only factor. Smith suggests asking, "Is there a good professional return on my financial investment?" Affordability is valuable, he says, but it should be "the icing on the cake." Selzer similarly encourages coaches to weigh the ROI, considering not just what the training costs, but the value it will bring to the people they coach.
5. Be proactive about the training you need
Sometimes the training you're looking for isn't currently on the calendar. That doesn't necessarily mean it isn't available. deVries encourages coaches to reach out directly to trainers. "If you don't see a class you want from the trainer you want, simply send that trainer an email." Often, trainers will add your name to an interest list and let you know when the course is scheduled.
Furthermore, don't underestimate the value of a coach trainer's network. Coach trainers are often well connected with other trainers and may be able to recommend someone they trust who specializes in the area you're interested in exploring. A simple conversation could help you discover an opportunity you didn't know existed.
6. Ask who you are becoming as a coach
Ultimately, ongoing development isn't simply about accumulating certifications. It's about increasing your capacity to serve others well. The right training should sharpen your skills, deepen your awareness, stretch your thinking, and increase your ability to be fully present with another person.
Perhaps that's one of the best tests of all: Will this training simply give me something else to put after my name, or will it help me become a better coach?