AOE 8. Coaching; Sub-section 8.2. Ethical Guidelines and Standards of Conduct Related to Coaching

Learning objectives:

• Discuss how ethical guidelines govern the coaching relationship
• Detail the primary coaching issues with regard to privacy, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and coaching-relationship limitations

Ethical Guidelines: talent development professionals must be conscious of the effects of their products, services, and actions on an organization’s employees they include the follow code of ethics for coaching conduct:

• The Association for Talent Development Code of Ethics
• The International Coach Federation Code of Ethics

Standards and practices related to ethical behavior include:

• Trade practices - general standards & practices in different industries: contacting, developing, and maintaining
• Self-governing behaviors: focus on values and consistent ethical behaviors, such as:
  • Honesty
  • Fairness
  • Lawfulness
  • Compassion
  • Respect
  • Loyalty
  • Dependability

Privacy and Confidentiality Expectations: this includes offering objectivity and confidentiality; typically outsider coaches are welcome as they are unbiased and can focus on the client’s success without any hidden or personal agendas. Trust expectations allow developments and coaching to take place.

Conflicts of Interest: this might occur if a coach has an interest that impedes or interferes with the ability to act in the best interest of a client. To avoid any personal gain or interests, coaches need to engage in a coaching agreement that avoids a conflict of interest. The International Coach Federation (ICF) code of conduct and ethics guidelines offer coaches suggestions, such as:

• Avoiding misleading statements about credentials and expertise
• Being open about any conflict of interest
• Disclosing any potential conflicts, such as third-party payments
• Honoring all contracts and agreements made in the context of the coaching relationship
• Maintaining a client’s confidentiality 
• Maintaining, storing, and disposing of records
• Providing only the best advice and coaching
• Refusing personal, professional, or monetary advantage
• Respecting the client’s right to terminate
• Setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries governing physical contact
• Terminating the coaching relationship when someone else could offer better services

Relationship Limitations: coach-client relationship it is important to establish an agreement about expectations and boundaries. It is important to manage and set up the boundaries for the coaching relationship to determine if/when the coaching relationship will be terminated. 

Pitfalls of coaching:

• Agreeing with the client when another response would be more helpful 
• Being judgmental or rigid 
• Going too fast or too slowly for the client

Tips for Successful Coaching:

• Coordinate activities from the start. 
• Encourage managers to orient coaches & their clients about expectations for and benefits
• Be aware that individual performer and senior management will approach coaching differently
• Suggest follow-up activities to improve performance and increase knowledge between coaching sessions 
• Competency modeling & tools for performance improvement may or may not already be in place 
• Leverage various methods for collecting data for the clients you coach
• Top management support for a coaching program is a critical success factor
• Document the progress of the coaching relationship

Why ICF? https://coachfederation.org/why-icf

BONUS RESOURCES:
Coaching Training - Dr. Katie Linder https://www.drkatielinder.com/training/ 

An Introduction to the Coaching Training  (episode) https://www.drkatielinder.com/ygt161/

Podcast: Coach to Coach https://www.drkatielinder.com/coach/