As coaches we are incredibly privileged to see into our clients personal lives; their goals, thoughts, beliefs, fears, insecurities, ambitions; everything that makes them uniquely them.
Coaches mustn't take this special level of access for granted. Ethics is an incredibly important part of coaching, which is why the major coaching bodies have very detailed codes of ethics that their members must adhere to.
These codes guide our practice and ensures that we act in a professional and ethical manner.
One key principle of executive coaching ethics is confidentiality. Coaches must respect the privacy of their clients and keep all information shared during coaching sessions confidential, unless the client gives explicit permission to share or if there is a legal obligation to disclose. Trust is a crucial element of the coaching relationship, and clients need to feel safe and secure in sharing sensitive information with their coach.
Another important ethical principle is the coach's responsibility to act in the best interests of their client. This means that coaches should not take advantage of their clients or use their position of authority to further their own interests. It's also fundamental to coach our clients towards self-empowerment rather than creating a dependency.
As a coach, it's crucial to engage in supervision and professional development. Supervision is where we can take our challenges and goals as coaches. It helps us to see our blind spots and make sure we are always working towards our client's best interests. Coaches should also continuously strive to improve their skills and knowledge of the coaching world to stay in the know and keep their practice fresh.
Every coach has a different set of skills, different training and different levels of comfort but what is true for all coaches is that we don't go beyond our capabilities. For example, whilst processing feelings is at the core of many coaching conversations, working through, rather than acknowledging, past trauma is outside the scope of coaching and taking that on could leave the client worse off emotionally or worse off in terms of their goals if it was not contracted for.
Finally, coaches should be mindful of their own professional boundaries and avoid engaging in any inappropriate or exploitative relationships with their clients. Maintaining appropriate boundaries is important for the client, the coach and their professional relationship.
In summary, executive coaching ethics is about maintaining the trust and respect of clients, acting in their best interests, committing to ongoing professional development, and respecting professional boundaries. These are in place to protect everyone and to make sure that the valuable time spent together is serving the client's interest in a healthy, safe way.
This is just a brief overview of some of parts of ethical standards within the coaching world. Feel free to ask any potential coach which code of ethics they subscribe to and clarify anything that you are unsure about.
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