Have you found yourself wondering, but not sure if you should ask?
PCC, ACTC, ICF…let’s demystify some of the acronyms next to coaches’ names.
Even though sometimes it seems like anybody can call themselves a coach (they can), there is still a way of making a difference between people who actually have the education and experience vs those who base their coaching on their life experiences or are just good salespeople.
Yes, you guessed it – the acronyms behind coach’s names mean a lot!
First, coaching is a profession regulated by associations not by government. ICF, EMCC, AC are globally the largest and most recognized. What the associations do, among other things, is, give out certificates to coaches who meet certain professional standards of coaching. It means that they have the experience and education to coach at a certain level.
So let’s take PCC – if a coach has that credential, what can you expect?
PCC stands for Professional Certified Coach and is awarded by the International Coaching Federation. Here is what it stands for: Coaches who have earned the Professional Certified Coach credential have achieved proficiency in their knowledge of and ability to apply the ICF Core Competencies and the ICF Code of Ethics as a coaching professional.
The PCC distinguishes coaches with the verified skills required for effective coaching practice and substantial experience partnering with clients. The PCC is designed for established coaches who provide coaching services as a primary focus of their professional practice.
PCC coaches are required to demonstrate their continued professional development to maintain their PCC status. (Every 3 years they need to reapply to keep the credential)
As of December 31, 2023, there were 22,521 active PCC credential-holders worldwide.
When you hire a PCC coach, you can be certain that they have studied coaching for at least 125 hours, they have coached 500+ hours, they have had 10 hours+ of mentor coaching, they have also passed a performance evaluation by an independent party and a credentialing exam that tests their knowledge of coaching competencies and ethics.
In other words, when you hire a PCC coach they are capable of coaching you according to the science based standards of coaching and hold themselves ethically accountable.
Whether you are looking for a leadership coach, team coach, life coach, health coach or any other coach, always ask for credentials – they will give you an indication of the level of coaching you are going to receive.
Learn more by getting in touch and getting a free consultation.
