One of our designated uses for this space is to share news about the DSWA Coach Excellence program. Over the next few weeks, you’ll be introduced to our first graduates.
For now, we want to share a little different news. We just received word today that the DSWA program qualifies as a provider of ICF Continuing Coaching Education (CCE) units. In fact, our program carries a total of 61 hours of CCE credits. If you are unfamiliar with coaching programs, accreditation, and continuing education opportunities, read on.
The International Coach Federation defines Continuing Coaching Education as “formal courses and seminars that teach skills or tools directly related to ICF Core Competencies, the personal development of the coach, the development of the coach’s practice or other skills or tools that are directly applicable to coaching.”
For the Coach Excellence program, this is a major step for the program towards accreditation. It is evidence that the courses we are developing match with the core skills required for coaching. While we still have a ways to go before program accreditation, this is solid proof that if we keep going in the same direction, accreditation will follow.
The ICF currently offers three levels of credentials for individual coaches. The beginning coach has can be credentialed as an Associate Certified Coach (ACC). The next level is for the proven coach and is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC). The expert coach is credentialed as a Master Certified Coach (MCC). Every individual has two routes to getting a credential: either they may attend a fully accredited program or they may use a portfolio approach to demonstrate their competency. If you are one of those detail persons who want to know all the specifics, click here to read it on the ICF site.
Our goal is to eventually be a fully accredited training program. Meanwhile, individual coaches can use the CCE units as part of their application process using a portfolio. The ACC applicant needs to show 60 hours of coach specific training covering all aspects of the ICF Core Competencies. The DSWA Coach Excellence Program offers 61 hours of CCE credit. Because some of the program’s hours are specific to direct sales coaching, they may not meet the needs of the applicant
All ICF coaches are required to obtain CCE units to maintain their credential. One of the signs of a fully functioning program is continuing education. (Think about it—would you want your haircut by somebody who went to school in the 80’s and hasn’t learned a thing since? How about visiting a 60 year old dentist who hasn’t read a professional magazine or attended a class since he got his degree 30 years before?) The DSWA Coach Excellence program can meet the needs of credentialed coaches who are seeking to meet their CCE requirements.
We will keep you updated. What’s your reaction?
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About the Author
: Neil Phillips is Director of the DSWA Coach Excellence program and founding partner of Team Connections. Get more from Neil on his Direct Selling Notebook and Twitter.
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Congratulations, Neil & Dana! This is an exciting step on the journey. Soon the world of coaching will be looking to the DSWA Coach Excellence Program as the standard for Direct Selling Coaches. It’s an honor to be graduate #2!