On reading the great articles in this months Training News I felt compelled to put pen to paper and like my article last month I wondered could anything from childhood be brought to this fascinating debate. While reflecting on this the following story came to mind of a father speaking with his daughter on what she might do when she finishes school.
Dad I am so glad you asked as I have been thinking about this for the last few months and have been even getting some books out the library. I want to be a COACH and help individuals to realize their potential and be what they can be. I want to gain a professional qualification and join like-minded experts worldwide to make the world and people's lives better.
Susan I never realized that you were so passionate about your future and that you possessed such a strong desire to help others. How do become a Coach and what grades will you need to have?
Although a simple enough story, and one that may even be happening as you read this article, it raises some important questions
- What compels an individual to become a coach?
- How does certification help satisfy this drive?
- Is accreditation client or coach-orientated?
- Who or what will determine who will and who will not be a coach?
- Will accreditation protect the client or coach more?
- Will accreditation create a commercial voice or shared philosophical ethos?
- Will accreditation create two classes of coaches e.g., Accredited and Not?
- Are all coaches equal? Or will some be more equal than others?
While putting together this article I talked to coaches all over the world and was really amazed at the responses and intense reactions that I received. Although many saw the benefits that accreditation will bring, others were fearful of what accreditation could do to the profession. What was once shared could now become exclusive. More importantly positions that were balanced and objective may become personal and both politically or economically clouded.
About the Author:
Des Fitzgerald is Managing Director and Founder of Oak Training.
