More and more leaders are hiring executive coaches to help them expand their businesses and become better leaders, enhance their professionalism, and unleash their inner potential.
Since executive coaching is a lucrative career, the coaching market is booming, meaning that in order to succeed, you must gain a competitive advantage and get a steady flow of happy clients.
You may be overwhelmed by the variety of coaching programs and certifications, especially when you’re new to any type of accreditation program. We’ve created a list of the most popular certification programs for executive coaches to make it easier for you to decide on the solution that best fits your needs and budget.
Why do you need an executive coaching certification?
Although obtaining a certification isn’t required to become a coach, being certified can benefit experienced and beginner coaches alike. Holding a certification boosts your credibility, adds authority to your practice, and affirms that you’ve reached a certain level of professionalism, especially when you are certified by a prestigious organization such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Moreover, becoming a certified business coach can be crucial if you don’t have any coaching skills or have limited experience working in the executive coaching field.
On the other hand, if you’ve worked as a chief executive and have years of experience mentoring employees throughout your career, you may already have the skills to start getting clients.
Look at the top five reasons why coaching software is necessary for your coaching business.
What are the primary international bodies that certify coaches?
Let’s start by comparing the top three professional coaching organizations to help you choose the appropriate certification authority.
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the most widely recognized global organization for coaches.
Although the ICF doesn’t provide its own educational programs, it certifies business coaching courses that fulfill the ICF’s strict criteria, and certain coaching training schools offer certification programs accredited by the ICF.
The ICF offers three levels of credentials, each with specific requirements, that are considered the gold standard in the coaching industry. Check them out in detail:
International Association of Coaching (IAC)
The International Association of Coaching (IAC) is a global community that aims to provide masterful coaching programs to practitioners all over the world so they can advance their coaching skills. The IAC offers two accreditation levels:
- Certified Masteries Coach (CMC)
- Master Masteries Coach (MMC)
Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE)
The Center for Credentialing and Education (ССE) is an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). CCE offers assessments, business support services, and credentialing to coaching specialists worldwide. To date, CCE has credentialed 25,000+ professionals in various fields.
Coaching programs accredited by the ICF offer the highest level of credibility and ensure the highest quality of coaching training programs.
What are the best business coaching certification programs for 2023?
Wondering which program is worth taking on? To help you make the best choice, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular executive coaching certification programs and split them into five categories.
Most popular coaching certification programs
Below are some of the most prestigious coaching education and certification programs.
Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership
The Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership (IECL) has been among the leaders in coaching education since 1999. They offer top-class courses and comprehensive certification programs for solo professionals, teams, and companies worldwide.
Pros
- Offers instructor-led online courses
- ICF-accredited provider of Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and Professional Certified Coach (PCC).
Cons
- Primarily oriented towards the Asia-Pacific region
- Prices are a bit high
Cost: 2,560 to $4,190
Coach Training Alliance
The Coach Training Alliance (CTA) has over 15,000 members worldwide who have completed ICF-certified coaching education courses and programs. The organization offers a variety of continuing education courses and programs including online workshops, enterprise solutions for organizations, and advanced-level programs for those with a degree from a college or university.
Pros
- Exclusive learning methodology
- Variety of certified coaching programs, including niche-specific training courses
Cons
- Courses are complex and tailored to professionals
- Online-only education
Cost: about $3,897 to enroll in a certified coaching program
Academy of Executive Coaching
The Academy of Executive Coaching (AoEC) provides programs accredited by the Association for Coaching (AC), the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), and the International Coaching Federation to executive coaches to deepen their knowledge and skills with comprehensive methodologies and techniques.
The organization operates globally and offers programs in 14 locations, including in Ireland, the UAE, the UK, and Poland.
Pros
- Offers both face-to-face and online programs
- Accredited by three international organizations
Cons
- Programs are designed for professional coaches and those who have a degree from a college or university
Cost: about $6,000 per course
Low-cost alternative
The Academies Inc.
The Academies for Coaching is a US-based organization founded by Susan Britton, an ICF-certified Professional Certified Coach (PCC), author, and neuroscientist. The Academies for Coaching is ranked high among students around the globe. Its courses incorporate ICF core competencies with practical models from well-known and prestigious universities (including Yale and Harvard) along with neuroscience techniques.
Groups are relatively small, with 6 to 12 members.
Pros
- Incorporates various techniques from neuroscience
- Short courses
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Participants must enroll in several programs to get an ICF certification
Cost: a 10-week certified executive and leadership development coaching course costs $3,897, or four installments of $1,014.25 ($4,057 total)
Academic network
Co-Active Training Institute
Co-Active Professional Coach Training is widely accepted as the industry’s most robust professional coach training program. The Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) has already trained more than 130,000 coaches, some of whom work for Fortune 100 companies.
The costs of the institute’s courses are higher than average, yet such education can substitute for four or six years of university (for those who don’t have a degree), providing opportunities for academic networking and in-person certification.
Pros
- ICF-accredited
- Education credits available
Cons
- Requires completion of a three-step training program, from fundamentals through all intermediate training courses, until being allowed to obtain the Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credential
- High price
Cost: fundamental coach training bundle — $7,998
intermediate coach training bundle — $6,899
advanced coach certification program — $6,499
Flexible training options
Center for Executive Coaching
The Center for Executive Coaching provides flexible training to practitioners who strive to reach measurable results no matter where they live and work. The center’s executive coaching certification program is accredited by the International Coach Federation both as a Level 1 and Level 2. The Center for Executive Coaching offers a variety of courses and solutions tailored to each coach’s needs and goals, such as seasoned coaching programs, three-day seminars, and specialty ICF designation for those with a master’s degree.
Pros
- Virtual learning opportunities
- Flexible training program requirements depending on your competencies and work experience
Cons
- A bit expensive
Cost: varies depending on the type of program. For example, the ICF training program is $7,500; the distance learning program costs $4,900 when you pay up front (or ten monthly payments of $500).
For beginners
Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP)
The Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) is the best type of executive training course if you’re about to start your coaching career. It contains 125 hours of executive coaching training based on comprehensive requirements of ICF Core Competencies and the Code of Ethics. Students are coached by professional mentors and must pass a final exam at the end of the course to prove their competencies and skills.
Wrapping up
Getting accredited by a trustworthy organization is the perfect way to gain authority, prove your professional competencies, get a high-quality education, and lay the ground for your thriving coaching career. To maximize your effort, consider adopting powerful software in your coaching practice that will automate your entire workflow and let you provide a flawless client experience and serve your clients wherever they are. Coaching software solutions like ExpertBox can be a game-changer in managing your coaching business.
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FAQ
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Although obtaining a certification isn’t required to become a coach, being certified can benefit experienced and beginner coaches alike. Holding a certification boosts your credibility, adds authority to your practice, and affirms that you’ve reached a certain level of professionalism, especially when you are certified by a prestigious organization such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
-
To help you make the best choice, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular executive coaching certification programs and split them into five categories.
Most popular coaching certification programs:- Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership
- Coach Training Alliance
- Academy of Executive Coaching
Low-cost alternative:
- The Academies Inc.
Academic network:
- Co-Active Training Institute
Flexible training options:
- Center for Executive Coaching
For beginners:
- Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP)
