Competency No. 5
Around 4% of the 55,000 + coaches certified with the International Coaching Federation hold the revered status of Master Certified Coach. Why so few? I'm about to find out. Competency No. 5, the podcast, explores how we maintain presence when we coach, lead, and live our lives. We interview coaches and others whose very livelihood depends upon staying calm and present with those they serve. We also chronicle my attempts (as a self-retired professor and global business reporter from New Zealand) to become an MCC coach. This effort requires beaucoup coaching hours, mentoring, and adhering strictly to the ICF's seven core competencies, especially the deceptively tricky Competency No. 5, maintaining presence.
Competency No. 5
The Final Cut. Where, Why, and How I Still Fall Out of Masterful Coaching
Over the last year, I’ve listened to 35 different coaching calls I’ve conducted and recorded with a quest to submit one recording (a beautiful recording) to the International Coaching Federation (ICF). I’ve created a self-imposed deadline of Lunar New Year, January 29, Wednesday. (I know my critical mind. With no deadline, my Avoider and Stickler saboteurs will prevail.)
If you’ve followed this podcast and mused with me on Medium, you’ll know what this is about: I’m attempting to join the top 4% of coaches globally to certify as a Master Certified Coach. Evaluators at the ICF, the world’s largest nonprofit of coaches determine this fate. And I’ve done (almost) everything to prep, except find a viable recording. So far, none make the cut.
Reading from my essay on Medium, this week humor me as I discern the competencies to better honor to help me get there. And follow my musings on what’s going on when I don’t honor these well-intentioned ICF rules very well at all. I’m ready, you see, to make the final cut. And coaching at the MCC level (or at least trying to) becomes the world's best possible training in brevity, trust, confidence, and mindfulness. The activity brings beaucoup training for coaches, but also leaders and anyone wanting to communicate efficiently and listen at a depth you may never have felt before.
Reach out to me, your show host, for keynote speaking engagements, coaching, and training via my website, or find me also on Linkedin.
Follow other episodes on MCC certification here, here, and here.
