The purpose of this article is to discuss what is mentor coaching and why a certified coach should consider becoming an ICF certified mentor coach.
WHO SHOULD BECOME A MENTOR COACH?
If you are an ICF credentialed coach, and want to further deepen your coaching skills, and want to add mentoring to your coaching services, you are a good candidate to consider doing the Mentor Coach Certification Program
Let’s say you are a professional coach on your journey from ACC to PCC or PCC to MCC certification. As you progress on your own journey as a coach, I am sure you are looking at getting closer to becoming the best coach you can be. One of the powerful ways of becoming the best coach you can be, is to mentor other coaches.
WHAT DOES ICF EXPECT FROM MENTOR COACHING?
ICF has partnered with the Association of Coach Training Organizations (ACTO) and developed a document outlining the duties, personal traits and competencies of Mentor Coaches. This document is available on the ICF website www.coachfederation.org
WHAT IS THE PREREQUISITE TO BECOME A MENTOR COACH?
The prerequisite to become a mentor coach is the ICF ACC Credentials.
HOW DO I CHOOSE A MENTOR COACH CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM?
You need to choose a mentor coach training program that ensures that you develop your competencies as a mentor which provides you the ability and confidence to be able to provide valid feedback to your mentees when you listen to their recorded coaching sessions.
Once you complete all the requirements of the MCCP certification program, you become a certified Mentor Coach and can mentor other coaches to support them in moving forward in their journey as a coach. Additionally, you can mentor coaches who are working towards renewing their ACC credentials, as there is a mandatory ICF requirements of additional 10 hours of mentoring for such coaches.
WHAT HAPPENS IN MENTOR COACH TRAINING PROGRAM?
A typical Mentor Coach Training Program comprises of classroom training, self-reflection, case studies, mentoring, 1: 1 sessions with mentors, group mentoring and much more.
Are you wondering how do you mentor other coaches? Towards that, you can get yourself trained to be an ICF certified mentor. As part of being a mentor coach, you would need to be able to review recorded coaching sessions by other coaches and provide feedback in line with the ICF Core Competencies.
The mentor coach training enables you to listen and provide feedback to your mentee which the mentee can then incorporate the learnings into subsequent sessions.
Once you are a Certified Mentor Coach, you will be able to assist other coaches in being able to demonstrate the coaching competencies for the coaching credential they are working towards, be it PCC or ACC. As you help another coach to their coaching skills, it will also help you to make your own skills more effective.
Being a mentor coach will also elevate your own confidence in addition to the confidence of your mentee.
This certification will also hone your listening skills even more because you now need to provide feedback to the mentee by using examples from the session. The quality of your feedback will speed up the learning and development of the mentee in his / her coaching journey. The mentor certification will make you more comfortable in providing even critical feedback.
It is important for you as a mentor to remember that every mentee is a different person with different learning style and different levels of coaching competency.
WHAT ARE THE KEY GAINS FROM BECOMING A MENTOR COACH?
As a certified mentor coach, you would be in a position to help your mentees progress on their coaching journey. To be able to mentor, you need to be more than just a good coach. You need to be the best mentor that you can be for another coach. Becoming a powerful mentor coach is not only the best way to get ahead in your coaching career but also to make your mentees also the best coach they want to be for their clients.
If I list down some of the big gains from taking up a Mentor Coach Certification, these are some traits and competencies that will improve for you:
You will be able to create trust and safe space for your coaching clients
You will be able to unleash the potential for your clients
You will be more impactful in your own coaching
In summary, becoming a certified Mentor Coach will make you a more powerful coach and will help further your professional coach journey.