Before we go into the details of ICF coaching certifications, we’ll rip the band-aid and tell you this: unless you have an ICF certificate, you won’t make it far in the coaching business.
If you want to become a professional coach, it’s time to explore your options and learn more about the certifications and how to get them. Here’s a detailed guide about getting ICF coaching certified.
What Is The International Coaching Federation (ICF)?
The International Coaching Federation is a non-profit institute aiming to teach and develop professional coaches. It was founded in 1995 by the late Thomas J. Leonard. Now, nearly 27 years later, the ICF issues its certificates in more than 150 countries, with more than 50,000 benefiting members.
With its high standards and worldwide network of coaches, the ICF is now considered the leading organization for independent coaching jobs. It offers three primary certificates: the Associate Certified Coach, the Professional Certified Coach, and the Master Certified Coach.
To gain any of these certificates, you’ll have to complete a set number of hours in courses accredited by ICF.
What Does Getting ICF Coaching Certified Do For You?
An ICF certification does more than teach you the basics of your coaching job. It indicates that you’re meeting the bare requirements of a professional coaching job and that you have what it takes for it.
The certification is simply a shortcut in the coaching profession. You’ll have saved yourself years of experience if you manage to get it. It gives you instant global recognition that you can’t achieve easily without it—all thanks to the worldwide popularity of the ICF.
Many call the ICF the gold standard of the coaching industry because it increases your credibility with clients. Plus, according to the Global Consumer Awareness Study, an ICF certification is the main requirement for 85% of coaching clients.
Aside from these benefits, an ICF certification also means you’ll get support from the ICF throughout your career, whether in coaching courses, training sessions, or events.
What ICF Coaching Certification Does NLP Top Coach Offer?
At NLP Top Coach, we offer two ICF certifications: Associate Certified Coach and Coach the Coach certification. Each certificate has a different purpose and plan. Here’s a brief insight into each one and what it entails.
Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
The Associate Certified Coach is the basic certificate by ICF, and here at NLP Top Coach, it’s offered by two globally-renowned coaches. It’s also 100% online.
If you apply for it, you’ll get your certification from Sebastien Leblond and Jean Francois Cousin. Sebastien has been in the industry for over a decade, having certified over 40,000 coaches. He worked in more than 30 countries, delivering more than 10,000 hours of coaching. And he founded NLP Top Coach.
As for Jean Francois, he’s been a global coach since 2006, having coached more than 700 clients from 50+ countries. He worked with clients from many sectors, including human resources, insurance, engineering, supply chain, and IT. Additionally, he served as the chairman of ICF Global for a while.
Coach The Coach Certification
Coach The Coach certification is a 4-day course approved and accredited by ICF. Like the ACC, the CTC certification is offered by Sebastien Leblond and Jean Francois Cousin. It’s meant to teach coaches how to develop a 6-figure skillset, whether they’re interested in business coaching, life coaching, or executive coaching.
We’re not gloating when we say this course has already helped plenty of coaches cross the 6-figure fortune. Some coaches now charge more than $500 per hour for their services, all thanks to the 60-hour course. Unlike our ACC online course, this one is live.
What Is The ACC Certification Process?
The ACC certification process is pretty simple—at least if you have enough time on your hands to cover the required training hours.
According to the ICF, you need to cover at least 60 hours of training before you get an ACC certification. Not only that, but you also have to cover a minimum of 100 hours of real coaching experience, distributed over a minimum of eight clients. And for the cherry on the top, 25% of these hours need to be within two years before applying to get the credential.
Lastly, you need to get a minimum of 10 mentoring hours with an ICF-registered coach.
At NLP Top Coach, we offer a 10-hour mentoring program by two globally renowned Master Coaches to help you get your ACC certification. During the training, you’ll learn how to cover the other requirements as well.
How Long Is The ACC Certification Training?
The ACC certification training at NLP Top Coach is a 10-hour program, so it technically doesn’t take long to finish.
The training is distributed over four sessions. The first session teaches you how to get paid clients for your coaching job and how to get the 100 hours of real coaching experience required by the ICF to get the certification.
The second session is mostly about building a successful business and developing into a pro coach. The third session covers ten tips that’ll help you pass the ICF assessment exam.
Lastly, the fourth session grants you the chance to learn directly from an ICF-certified coach. You’ll get three one-on-one coaching sessions, where you’ll get to benefit from their experience.
What Is The Coach-The-Coach Certification Process?
The Coach The Coach certification process is a bit different from the ACC certification process. While the ACC is meant for people who want to get an ICF ACC certification, Coach The Coach is meant for business owners and managers who want to advance their leadership skills.
It’s also targeted at people who want to grow into professional coaches, as well as individuals looking for personal development in the leadership sector.
The 4-day, 60-hour certification program is approved by ICF, and it covers the basics for those who want to create a profession in relationship coaching, life coaching, executive coaching, and business coaching.
At the end of the training, you’ll receive an ICF-approved certificate, and you’ll have completed the 60 hours required by the ICF to get their certification.
How Long Does Coach-The-Coach Training Take?
The Coach The Coach training takes 60 hours, distributed over four days. On the first day, you’ll get to meet your Master Coach, get familiar with the seven steps of the coaching framework, and learn two of the eleven core competencies of ICF.
On the second day, you’ll learn another two of the core competencies, and you’ll learn six keys that’ll help you establish trust and intimacy with your client.
On the third day, you’ll get to meet Mr. Jean Francois, the former Chairman of ICF Global. You’ll also get into a Q&A with him and get to learn from his unrivaled expertise. Additionally, you’ll learn three more core competencies.
On the last day, you’ll learn the remaining core competencies, and you’ll have the graduation celebration at the end of the day.
What Are The Benefits Of Getting ICF Coaching Certified With an NLP Top Coach?
You can get your ICF certification from plenty of organizations, so why choose NLP Top Coach? Here are two reasons you should choose us:
Become One of the Top 3%
At NLP Top Coach, you’ll get your training from Sebastien Leblond—one of 16 NLP Master Trainers who are ABNLP-certified.
Aside from his impressive portfolio, Sebastian certified more than 40,000 individuals, a lot of whom managed to make a successful career out of coaching.
Become One of the Success Stories
If you don’t want to hear marketing talk, that’s understandable. Instead, you can take a look at the success stories on our website. Many of these people probably started at the same point as you are now, and thanks to NLP Top Coach, they have success stories to gloat over.
Start The Process of Getting ICF Coaching Certified
A lot of people have made it far, and you can too. If you decide that you want to become one of our success stories now, you can get a good early bird offer in both the ACC and the Coach-The-Coach training courses. Both courses will save you a lot of hassle trying to find your way to ICF certification.
