Coaching Principles

The various certifying bodies for coaching have strict guidance on how coaching is done and how a coach interacts with those they are coaching. The following are some of the elements of successful coaching:

Intentional - When a practitioner is coaching they are deeply involved and interested in a person or team’s ultimate success. However, coaches do not have their own agenda, they act on the goals set by the person or group they are coaching. 

Neutral - The coach remains unbiased and non-judgemental about the subject matter. They help people achieve their goals without steering them. Those being coached are guided to draw on their own experiences and capabilities to overcome challenges, rather than learning directly from the coach’s experiences. (This is a key differentiator from mentoring where the mentor actively provides advice based on their own experiences).

Agreed - Formal coaching requires permission or consent in the form of written agreements. These agreements include the goals of the engagement and coaching approaches, clearly distinguishing between what coaching is and what it is not. 

Systemic - Coaches listen actively to what is being communicated. They seek to find and allow for the voice of the system (or the whole group, or the unsaid) to be heard. Coaches notice trends and patterns in behaviors and interactions, then reflect them back to enable richer communication and more effective decision-making processes.

Ethical - Coaches create and manage a unique, safe and inclusive space. For this reason, it’s imperative that they maintain integrity and confidentiality. For more information, we encourage you to explore the International Coaching Federation’s Code of Ethical Conduct as well as the Agile Alliance’s Code of Ethics for Agile Coaching.