Why should I get an ICF certification? Science-backed Coaching framework ICF provides a robust framework for coaching that keeps evolving based on the latest research and best practices in the coaching world . You can be assured that the ICF coaching framework & competencies are globally tested & proven effective. ICF is the Gold standard in coaching ICF is considered the gold in the coaching business. It is a global brand that is widely accepted and trusted worldwide. Over 4 million ‘coaches’ worldwide (on Linkedin), but only 50,000+ coaches are ICF credentialed. If you are an ICF-certified coach, no matter which part of the world, clients will make a beeline toward you because of its credibility & high-quality coach-training A global community of coaches You can reap all the benefits of being part of a global network of ICF coaches Rigor in coach training Why need 60 hours of training and 100 hours of practice coaching? It provides the rigor that makes you confident as a coach when you start your practice . ICF certification process builds your coaching muscle. Higher earning potential IIM graduates have an advantage over other B schools regarding earning potential, isn’t it? An ICF certification can give you the same advantage. Our research shows that an ICF certification provides a price differential to coaches! ICF coaches have the bandwidth to charge anywhere from INR 5000 – INR 10000  per session to begin with.  High satisfaction score NPS Score of Satisfaction gives ICF coaching a whopping 91%. And since coaching is a referral business, a happy client is a door to more coaching clients. Provide maximum service The ICF framework is carefully designed to enable a coach to maximize their client’s potential. As an ICF-certified coach following the coaching framework, you can be 100% sure you are giving your client the best service possible. Can any other certification provide such complete surety? I don’t think so. Maximize your potential The ICF certification process would be a transformational journey for aspiring coaches like you. It makes you more authentic, self-aware and poised. You are adequately equipped to excel professionally. ICF competencies can also help you create meaningful relationships with yourself and those in your life. Is ICF Certification worth investing in? We now come to the crux of the matter. Is an certification worth the investment of money, time, and effort? Don’t look at it one-dimensionally. The specialty of an ICF coaching certification is the multidimensional benefits it grants. Let’s look at the ROI of an ICF certification from different angles.  Financial ROI As an experienced ICF-ACC credentialed Regal coach, you can charge anywhere from INR 50,000 to INR 4 lakhs for a six-month coaching engagement with six to nine sessions. This means you can recover your investment within a year of beginning your ICF coaching career, even if you take on just two clients.  Professional ROI An ICF coach tag is a definite booster for your resume, regardless of your profession. Lower to mid-level leaders such as project managers and HR, L&D, OD, and Agile professionals get better roles, higher salaries, and compensation. Multiple job opportunities open up. We have documented cases where certain professions like Agile, Scrum, HR & L&D are mandated to take up ICF certification for career acceleration! Social ROI The term ‘coach’ (ICF coach even more so) has wider acceptance than ‘trainer’, ‘facilitator’, ‘counselor’, or ‘mentor’.  “There is nothing more empowering than an ICF coach title after your name,” many newly credentialed coaches often tell us. Personal ROI Your transformation is more than enough ROI for an ICF certification. Why? Because this reflects not only in your day-to-day life and relationships but also helps to become a better professional. In short, you become a better human being. One Regal learner coach asked his wife to monitor and rank listening skills throughout the certification program. From a dismal ten, it steadily improved and was within the top 3 by the time he became an ICF-certified coach. Who better to assess your listening skills than your wife? Organizational ROI Organizations benefit immensely from employing professionals with ICF certification, especially leaders. Coaching culture has proven to improve employee turnover and strengthen psychological safety (more so when external ICF coaches are involved). It has helped organizations to bring back high performers on course, plan the succession pipeline, and groom leaders to fit into the new role comfortably. A coaching culture reduces friction! Who can benefit from an ICF certification, and why? Agile coaches & professionals Agile is disruptive and can make people antsy. “ Being an ICF coach enables Agile coaches to drive change more effectively by being better communicators, empathetic yet neutral, all while adhering to Agile principles,” says Meena Venkataraman , an Agile & DevOps Coach pursuing her ICF credentialing. HR leaders, L&D professionals, OD enthusiasts, and talent management consultants ICF coaching certification provide the necessary people skills to assess, motivate and develop employees or clients. Senior corporate leaders (team size > 50) ICF coaching skills enable leaders to manage teams better (coaching ensures the psychological safety of team members) and identify & drive organizational goals. They can also inject coaching into the organization’s culture.  Corporate trainers & mentors Trainers with ICF certification get wider acceptance and credibility. Coaching competencies can also take their training skills to the next level. Mentors pivoting to coaching can use ICF certification to enhance their existing skill set. CEOs/Founders/organizations Leaders who want to create a coaching culture in their organizations should get an ICF certification. A leader as a coach is the best influencer and enforcer of company culture.  As yet uncredentialed practicing coaches If you are a practicing coach who is still uncredentialed, then believe me, you aren’t doing justice to either your client’s potential or your potential as a coach.  Many coaches conduct workshops, instruct, prescribe solutions, etc., as a part of coaching engagements. These methods cannot empower clients nor give them sustainable solutions. You need a research-backed framework for coaching that an ICF certification alone can provide. Additionally, as awareness about coaching and its demand increases, clients increasingly ask for certification, and ICF, a global brand, is preferred.  Lastly, the backing of an ICF certification can shoot up your earning potential and improve your visibility and credentials as a coach. Psychologists, counselors, and healers Agreed. What you do is very different from coaching. But getting an ICF certification and becoming an ICF coach can expand your skillset and repertoire. Personal transformation and professional upgrades that happen thereof can make you better at your profession and also give you an alternate modality to use when required.  Other seasoned professionals Are you a doctor, a banker, a dancer, a professor, an athlete, or a CA? No matter your profession, an ICF certification can empower you to excel as a professional and person apart from being an alternate option for a livelihood. We have successful doctors, dancers, and even astrologers who have added an ICF certification to their list of credentials. Why is the price of ICF coach certification so high? I answered this with a story. ICF coaching certification empowers a coach to understand which screw to turn and when. Can such a powerful tool be quantified? Not really. Still, let us look at the existing cost of an ICF certification. Broken down, it is still lesser than the financial ROI you are sure to obtain as a coach. You spend INR 2000/hour for the 80 (60+15+5) minimum support hours during the ICF certification program. Post ICF- certification, a starting fee of INR 5000 to 10,000 per one hour is granted. Do the Math : INR 2000/ hour for the training & mentoring support you get & INR 5000 per hour (on average) is the price you can quote your clients! Still not convinced, then approach info@regalunlimited.com to know how  you can improve your ROI from the ICF Coaching Certification Why choose Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification program? Regal Unlimited is the BEST coaching certification programs and coach-training firm based out of  India – serving the world. We offer one of India’s best online and offline ICF-certified coach training programs.  Here’s what makes Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification the most sought-after program. ● We provide the perfect ecosystem for aspiring coaches to flourish and expand their base. ● We have trained over 300 coaches.  ● We are known for our high-quality training by the best coaches in the business. ● We enable you to build your coaching muscle through the ICF-mandated 100 hours of coaching practice.  ● We handhold and mentor you through your credentialing ● Our Coach Accelerator Program can help you quickly materialize your entrepreneurial dreams  ● We offer last-mile support in ICF-credential renewals ● You can take your coaching quotient to the next level through our coaching intensives – Coaching Unlimited. Here’s why our alumni always recommend Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification program to aspiring coaches! Train to be an ICF-certified and credentialed executive coach with Regal Unlimited. Select the best executive coach training program for yourself. Join the next cohort of ICF-ACC. Here’s why our alumni always recommend Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification program to aspiring coaches! I’d Iike to join the ICF-ACC Program Watch our video – A Guide on How to Become An ICF Certified Coach FAQs What is ICF? ICF, or International Coaching Federation, is a leading global organization for coaching and coaches. They independently certify coaches and nurture a worldwide community of coaches How much does it cost to get ICF certification? The first step to becoming an ICF coach, the  ICF-ACC certification, costs anywhere from INR 1 lakh to INR 1.5 lakh. It excludes the ICF ACC application fee, to be paid when applying for  ICF-ACC credentials. What counts as coach-specific training? Training received from an ACTP (Accredited Coach Training Program) or ACSTH (ICF Approved Coach-Specific Training Hours) program counts as coach-specific training  What are the requirements for ACC certification? 60 hours of coaching education, 10 hours of mentoring, 100 hours of practice coaching with successful submission of one coaching conversation to ICF, and passing the ICF credentialing exam. What is ICF ACC credential? ICF ACC credentials are conferred on professional coaches who show adequate understanding and application of coaching competencies and maintain coaching standards set by ICF.

You want leadership teams that can function concordantly as a well-tuned orchestra and create magic for your organization. Otherwise, what can arise is disc(h)ord and disharmony (puns intended :)), which can trickle down the organization structure, causing infights, affecting customer service, and slowing growth for your company.  Leadership team ecosystems need a healthy balance of competition and collaboration that drives enterprise goals successfully. Challenges faced by leadership teams Unfortunately, many leadership teams get stuck in destructive loops that keep playing out. Some challenges commonly faced by leadership ecosystems are  ● Leaders with different personalities, perspectives & value systems ● Lack of trust among team members ● Individual goals hinder organizational goals ● Dominant leaders control decision making ● Department heads protect their turfs  ● Interpersonal dynamics affect decision-making Leadership coaching can overcome these challenges and transform leadership teams into high-performing, highly agile ecosystems.  What is leadership coaching? Leadership Coaching is a creative process where an individual works with a coach to build themselves across a spectrum of abilities to perform better as leaders and become grounded, authentic individuals. Leadership coaching aims to enhance a leader’s current strengths and work on their weaknesses so they can lead their teams and their organizations with greater confidence, clarity & conviction.  Get further acquainted with leadership coaching and its benefits . Are you looking to develop lean &  mean teams that accelerate growth for your organization? Here are some things you can do as leaders to calibrate your team ecosystem for success with the help of leadership coaching. How to use leadership coaching to optimize team ecosystems Increase your self-awareness Do you know yourself well? Do you know how others perceive you? Leadership coaching can help you understand the foundations of your actions and others’ reactions to what you do. Leadership coaching shines the light on your motivations, prejudices, weaknesses, and strengths. And beleive us, often leaders ignore their own motivations, prejudices A leadership coach helps you discover who you think you are, who others think you are, and who you truly are. This heightened clarity and self-awareness can help you respond appropriately to people and situations. Build trust using emotional intelligence A team is not a group of people who work with each other. It is a group of people who trust each other. – Simon Sinek. Most leadership teams underperform because many members do not feel safe enough to contribute to discussions or share ideas. What can you do to establish a foundation of psychological safety? You build trust between team members. Leadership coaching makes you more tuned to others’ emotions & motivations. Is a leader too assertive or dominating? Is a leader too reticent to share? Are there personal equations between leaders that may affect team functioning? Move your team from the ‘I’ to ‘We’ Mindset Leaders often make the mistake of working in silos or bringing personal/departmental agendas into the collective decision-making process. Especially difficult are decisions that involve losing the battle to win the war. Leadership coaching enlarges the canvas for leaders, prompting them to work from the ‘We’ mindset that keeps organizational goals the topmost priority. Subash CV, (ICF-MCC) is a seasoned executive & leadership coach and Founder of Regal Unlimited. Subash recollects coaching the leadership team of an automobile firm.  The sales head wanted to expand sales and boost growth. But the customer service head stonewalled, saying that his department did not have the bandwidth. At a critical juncture for the company, he was willing to sacrifice organizational goals to save his job and department. The team was at an impasse.  Subash coached the customer service head to identify his vision for the organization. The leader realized that expanding sales was the best way to achieve his vision.  Then they looked at customer service issues and discovered their cause – low sales numbers! This fact changed the customer service head’s attitude. He agreed to go ahead with the sales expansion plans. Use coaching to achieve goals How do you get the team to work a particular way or towards a set goal?  Do you tell, do or show them? Or do you coach? Coaching is more effective than the aforementioned traditional methods.  Leadership coaching enables team members to come up with the answers independently. This creates a sense of ownership that boosts motivation and drives performance.  Resolve conflicts holistically Impasses, cold wars, all-out wars – every team has them.  The trick is to get things under control fast. Leadership coaching can help you understand the root causes of conflicts & manage them with foresight and detachment. Decide on a definite process of conflict resolution with your team. Coaching itself can be used as a tool for the same. For this, you need a deeper understanding of the leadership coaching process and competencies, which an ICF coach certification can provide. Encourage intrinsically driven accountability We all need a nudge from time to time to stay on track. But to have someone ‘mother’ or ‘headmaster’ us? Not cool at all! So how do you keep your team accountable without being judgmental taskmasters? Well, you coach!  Coaching ensures accountability through intrinsic motivation rather than external pressure.  Coach your leaders to develop high-performing teams Leadership coaching can move leadership teams towards a collaborative coaching culture where individual goals are met in the process of achieving company goals.    Leaders who have been coached by leadership coaches or who are leadership coaches themselves coach their teams more effectively. Do you want to introduce the benefits of leadership coaching to your organization? Then invest in leadership coaching for your executives and leaders.  Choose leadership coaching with Regal Unlimited ● We are a premier Indian coaching and coach training firm with global reach. ● We have coached over 1000 leaders of 50+ organizations (incl. Fortune 50) from more than 20 countries. ● Our executive & leadership coaches are ICF certified and credentialed ● They come with vast leadership experience in diverse domains.  Visit our website to learn more about us. Partner with Regal Unlimited to access the best executive & leadership coaches in India.  Let’s Discuss Your Requirements

Professional coaching is one of the least understood and most misunderstood professions today. The wide application of the term ‘coaching’ blurs the lines that sharply demarcate professional coaching from coaching found in the educational or sports arenas.  Are you curious about professional coaching? Do you want to leverage coaching to achieve your goals?  Are you an aspiring professional coach?  Whether you want to put a toe in, throw a line in, or dive in & explore this sea, it is best that you understand the nuances. Below are the ten principles of professional coaching. Professional Coaching is a transformational journey of self-discovery that translates into personal and professional excellence. Coaching is universalin application. It maximizes individuals’ personal and professional potential. Anyone anywhere can use coaching to achieve their dreams and goals. Thus, coaching is for all, and anyone can leverage it: leaders, doctors, defence personnel, astrologers, politicians, artists, and musicians. Professional Coaching differs frommentoring, guiding, leading, therapy, and counseling. Incorporate some best practices of these disciplines into coaching. But unlike them,  coaching enables the client to be the solution-generator, which is truly empowering. Mentoring , guiding, counselling, leading, etc, are adult-to-child relationships where someone instructs, and the other follows. In contrast, coaching is a partnership, an adult-to-adult relationship. There’s no telling or advising, only bringing out what already lies within the coachee by providing a safe & non-judgemental space for self-discovery & expression. Coaching is transformational. What Coaching is not  – a band aid job that caters to the superficial symptoms of an issue. That is why ‘,’ as Sir John Whitmore said . Professional Coaches focus on the process The client-centric coaching process is designed to yield transformational results, Irrespective of who the coach or client is. Coaching is neither about the coach nor the coachee/client.  The focus is always on the client & their growth. So, as clients, remember that the process is king, not the coach.  The Coach is merely a partner in this journey of transformation. Coaching is not by chance. The coach approaches them for a transformational shift only when a coachee is ready, even subconsciously. Bill Campbell, the Trillion Dollar Coach, said, ““. These traits arise when there is an internal pull or willingness at a very holistic level. We have seen many instances where coaching is ‘forced’; because management wants it or the culture warrants it. Engagement of this nature will yield significant results if there is an internal pull. To Coach is a Sacred Art & Practice The relationship between the coach and the coachee is sacred.  The ICF code of ethics makes it clear that the coach has a big job to keep the highest standards of the profession. Only then can ‘maximizing the potential’ happen. For example, giving advice or recommending actions in a coaching conversation is unacceptable. Professional Coaching is NOT cognitive. Coaching is an intuitive process that taps into the subtle wisdom of the higher consciousness It involves empathy, listening at all four levels, and deepening the coaching presence. So, aspiring coaches must put aside all conscious knowledge from the cognitive space propelled by the ego and instead sharpen their intuitive abilities. Which also signifies that coaching goes beyond the templates, frameworks, and pre-set questions. It is an entirely new and intuitive journey! It requires unlearning and copious amounts of relearning. Humility and readiness to learn are prerequisites for a Professional coach. ‘By becoming a coach, we commit ourselves to a lifelong learning journey.’  We improve the more we learn, practice, mentor other coaches, and remain reflective. And ‘all learning can happen only from a position of humility.’ All this is part of the coaching mindset that every coach must have to be effectively impactful. Coaches coming from the state of humility hone their coaching mindset! We have seen many instances where the leader stepping in to become a coach has an ‘illusion of coaching’. Mainly because they have practised coaching at some level in their organization. While that experience is valid and significant, ICF Coaching is a different ballgame. It is coaching for the potential and not for the performance alone. Both nature and nurture shape good coaches. Coaches are not born or made. They are a combination of both and more. Life experiences and training shape a coach. That’s why we firmly believe that it takes an ecosystem to make a coach. After all, it is a marathon, and you need adequate support from multiple actors at different milestones of this journey! To be a great coach, one must be clear about the “why” of coaching. Coaching is a calling. It is an opportunity to live one’s purpose, empowering another. The spotlight is on the client all the way. A coach who knows why they are into coaching can better serve the client to connect with their ‘why’ and co-create the same through the coaching process. We have seen professionals become coaches only because of the market potential and the profession’s flexible lifestyle. We agree that the market potential is high and the dollars at the end of this tunnel are lucrative, but the “why” of coaching has to go beyond the financial ROI. It has to be a calling to serve, touch lives, and positively impact people, cultures, and relationships. These ten principles explain the essence of coaching for the coachee and the coach. If you plan on being either, then knowing these principles will help you make an informed choice regarding coaching as an Reach out to us today. Do you want to leverage leadership/executive coaching to advance your professional goals as a leader or organization? Reach out to us today. Clarify your personal & professional goals through life coaching. Get in touch with us. Train to become an ICF coach for professional advancement & personal fulfillment. We provide the perfect ecosystem. Regal Unlimited is a premier boutique coaching firm based out of Bengaluru. We offer coaching training, leadership & executive coaching, and life coaching programs. We also offer healing modalities for personal & corporate well-being.  Here’s what makes us the best.   ● 10 years and going strong ● 1000+ global leaders coached ● 50+ organizations worldwide benefitted (incl. Fortune 50 companies) ● 350+ coaches trained You can check out our website to learn more about us.

“ I wish I had a coach or leadership coaching in my first year as a leader! ” Said J, a seasoned leader I coached, at the end of our coaching engagement. As a young, high-potential leader, J took over as head of a company branch with P&L responsibilities. She made some financial errors that snowballed into a crisis. Years passed, but the shame and guilt lingered until coaching finally enabled her to let go of them. J was an excellent leader, no doubt. But would a release from her self-limiting beliefs earlier have benefited her and her organization even more? I believe so. I have seen J’s story replicated in different organizations across geographies throughout my career as a corporate leader and coach. The reasons, context, and outcomes may have differed. But the same thread of thought ran through all leaders – they would have done much better for themselves and their organization with the proper support at the right time. Coaching is a powerful transformational tool to maximize the potential you see in your leaders. Most organizations and leaders believe coaching only benefits leaders with ‘x’ years of experience. That’s not true. Leadership coaching can give new leaders a starting advantage and help prevent common rookie errors they make as they climb up the corporate ladder. Top benefits of leadership coaching for first-time leaders Here are five reasons to consider investing in leadership coaching for your fresh, young leadership talent. They are suitable for leaders at all levels. They cover five vital areas of leadership, which, when taken care of, can springboard your leaders to deliver stellar results for your organization. 1)  Prepare employees for the leadership role Sounds familiar? Every first-time leader faces the excruciating dilemma of leading former colleagues – how much to talk & withhold, how to be friendly yet maintain distance, how to handle jealousy, insubordination, ineptitude, and more. Coaching helps newbie leaders develop their leadership persona. Leaders become more self-confident & self-assured as a result. They can set goals, establish boundaries amiably, & be authentic while leading. Many seasoned leaders, even executives, seek out leadership coaches to address issues that arise from poor people skills. Addressing this deficit earlier through coaching can benefit both the leaders and the organization. 2) Create a collaborative coaching mindset The first few years of leadership are challenging. Ambitious leaders typically assert themselves and adopt a commander mindset with employees, micromanaging to achieve perfection. But this can be self-sabotaging and lead to a toxic work culture. Leadership coaches enable young leaders to develop the coaching mindset early on, help organizations move away from the command & control mindset, and establish a more collaborative coaching culture. 3) Achieve work-life integration Most leaders regret that they lived one-dimensional lives where work was the priority. They couldn’t make time for their people, passions, or health. And more often than not, this realization comes too late. Leadership coaching can enable leaders to integrate work & life holistically right from the start, helping them work towards all personal and professional milestones. 4)  Enable purpose-driven leadership The latest Gallup survey shows that 87% of employees are disengaged at work. One of the primary reasons for this is the lack of purpose. The onus is on leaders to show direction. For this, leaders must first clarify their purpose as individuals and as leaders. Leadership coaches can act as thinking partners to help leaders figure out early on what their goals are. This allows them to focus on organizational goals with greater motivation. Leadership coaching is transformational for leaders seeking to discover their life purpose. It stimulates, excites, and invigorates them, paving the way to authentic leadership. Coaching also brings clarity to leaders & organizations on whether they are suitable for each other. 5) Self-development Leaders can use coaching to identify strengths & work on weaknesses, thus increasing self-awareness. Coaching that holistically focuses on performance (IQ), people skills (EQ), and life purpose (SQ or Spiritual Quotient) empowers leaders to be well-rounded, ethically grounded professionals and individuals. Benefits of leadership coaching for organizations Organizations naturally have misgivings about investing in leadership coaching for their young leaders. Most aren’t aware of its long-term tangible and intangible benefits**. Here are some of them. Enhance performance – Coaching fine-tunes a leader, enabling them to excel at their role Address attrition – Coaching is a show of confidence in your leader and could make them invest their future in your organization. Set healthy company culture – Leaders exposed to coaching are likelier to coach their teams. Reduce burnout – More than 50% of leaders across professions report burnout. Coaching can prevent burnout by helping leaders integrate personal and professional lives satisfactorily. Leadership coaching is a highly efficacious pre-emptive & preventive tool organizations can leverage to create effective, sustainable leadership right from the grassroots. Make leadership Coaching a part of your Leadership Development Program. Partnering with Regal Unlimited would be the right move for you.  We have enabled 1000+ leaders from over 50 global organizations (Incl. Fortune 500) to develop the winning combination of IQ-driven performance, EQ-driven people skills, and SQ-driven purpose. (#IntelligenceQ2EmotionalQ2SpiritualQ). What puts Regal Unlimited in the Ivy League of Coaching Firms? ICF coaches with leadership experience across domains Ten years of coaching and going strong Adherence to international standards of coaching set by ICF & EMCC Equal focus on performance (IQ), people skills (EQ) & life purpose (SQ) Coaches trained in modalities such as healing, meditation, mindfulness & vipassana Great things begin with a conversation. So let’s get on a call to discuss your leaders’ needs. Let’s Have a Conversation Nominate your leaders for leadership coaching. For more details, please mail us at karan@regalunlimited.com Learn through real-life stories how leadership & executive coaching are benefiting organizations. Please read our blog, Top Organizational Benefits of Leadership Coaching FAQs Q. Why don’t organizations invest in leadership coaching for first-time leaders? Organizations feel – It is too expensive. Their investment in coaching will prove useless if the leader jumps to another organization. Leadership coaching is unnecessary and overrated. Q. Why do first-time leaders need leadership coaching? Develop a leadership persona Enable first-time leaders to develop an effective leadership style Identify a leader’s strengths & limitations Help enhance performance Help leaders hone their people skills Develop a coaching mindset Achieve work-life integration

What is it like to be a life coach? My friend, Ravina, asked me. I knew it was more than mere curiosity. She was searching for a second meaningful career after retiring from the armed forces. Something that would be fulfilling and rewarding. Something that would give financial independence and time flexibility.  A blog about the life of a life coach would help not just her. It would help all of you who are contemplating taking up a life coaching career or just starting off in one and want to know ‘what it is to be a life coach.’ Out here, I will cover how life coaches land coaching engagements, follow up with clients, network, handle paperwork, etc. So here goes!  I interviewed two highly successful life coaches. Abirambika Ravivarman(ICF-PCC) is a Life & Leadership Coach based in Canada. Anupreet Vig (ICF-ACC) is a Mindset Transformation & Life Coach from Delhi. This blog is a compilation of their inputs as well as research into the lives of life coaches. A typical day for a life coach  Let’s see how a typical day of a life coach goes through the fictional story of life coach Sheetal Rane, a solopreneur running a successful life coaching business. Landing a coaching engagement It’s 10 in the morning. Sheetal is busy at her computer. She checks her email and finds a mail from a prospective client. She quickly types her reply. Coaching is majorly a referral business. So most clients are those referred by former clients. Your good work gets carried by word-of-mouth as it did for Sheetal. Many life coaches also have their own websites, and prospective clients contact them there. Some, likeAbirambika, have official & personal websites. Individual clients connect to her through her personal website. Organizations get in touch with her through her official company website.  The discovery call for life coaching A discovery call is set up to accomplish the following –  ● The life coach can understand the prospective client’s goals and objectives  ● The life coach can assess whether they can help the client ● The client can assess if the coach is right for him/her (assess chemistry) ● The life coach can explain the process, steps, and ethics of life coaching A discovery call, also called a chemistry call, is generally a 30-45 minute session conducted to know the fitment of the coach & the prospective client A Life Coaching Agreement A coaching agreement or contract outlines the terms and conditions of the life coaching engagement. It gives the number of coaching sessions and the period of the life coaching engagement. A life coaching engagement is typical of 6 to 8 sessions, with about 2 sessions per month.  Anupreet says that along with the coaching agreement,  she shares extra reading material about coaching, its benefits, and how it works. Abirambika has authored a book on the same. This helps the client understand what they can expect from the life coach, the life coaching process, and what is required of them as coaches. Life Coaching Session Life coaching sessions usually last 45 minutes to an hour. In one session, the life coach & client discover focus areas, uncover limiting beliefs, and set actionable steps. A coaching session is only the trigger. All the ‘action’ and resulting changes happen in the time between sessions. The next life coaching session becomes ineffectual if the client does not do the homework. That is where follow-up becomes important. Follow up by the life coach Life coaching is impactful when the client acts upon action goals set in the coaching session. Since coaching is an adult-adult relationship, the client is expected to follow through without handholding or nudging. But most life coaches subtly check up on progress, as Sheetal did. Abirambika shares that she asks for a general status update a week before her next session. “Otherwise, clients easily get lost in the busy schedule of their lives and forget to act upon what they decided. This way, they come with some progress in the coming session and can move on from there,” she says. How do life coaches keep their schedule with multiple life coaching engagements happening simultaneously? Abirambika uses Trello to set schedules of sessions, send reminders, etc. Anupreet is more old school and maintains a journal for the same. Paperwork Abirambika and Anupreet both share that the coaching agreement is the only major paperwork. The rest is maintaining pointers from client sessions,  setting reminders, and sending follow-up messages. Advertising & Networking Many coaches ignore marketing themselves; they are too busy selling  ‘coaching’. But people seek the ‘Coaches’ and not the mere product – Coaching. If life coaching is your bread and butter, you must spend quality time and resources to advertise yourself. Coaches use different strategies such as videos, podcasts, blogs,  and posts. Most life coaches, like Sheetal, promote themselves on online platforms .  Anupreet gives podcasts on Spotify and Mentza. She also writes blogs. Abirambika is an active blogger,  podcaster, and Instagram user. . Abirambika also has support staff who creates the posts she conceptualizes. She also regularly posts videos about coaching. Networking How do life coaches network? LinkedIn is the most popular online networking platform for connecting with prospective clients.  Life coaches also become part of supportive coaching communities, like Regal Unlimited’s community of alumni & alumnae coaches as many life coaching engagements come through referrals from other coaches.  Regal Unlimited conducts regular coach meet-ups to enable like-minded coaches to connect and network. Many life coaches also join networking groups, which may involve a membership fee or attendance fee for meet-ups. Practising Self-care Impactful life coaching requires life coaches who are centered and grounded. This comes through regular self-care.  What you do is very individual. Abirambika studies and practices Buddhism. Anupreet reads books, does Zumba, and does self-talk. Both feel peer coaching with their cohort mates is a great way to clear their heads. Anupreet also does self-coaching to come out of limiting beliefs and behaviors.  Now you know how the day goes for a life coach –  a day of purpose, action, achievement, and fulfillment.  There are many benefits of taking up life coaching as a career. Do you wish to become a life coach too? Then take the first step by enrolling in Regal Unlimited’s  ICF-ACC program.  Here’s why you cannot miss being a part of our next cohort! Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification –  the most sought-after program. ● the perfect ecosystem for aspiring coaches to flourish and expand their base. ● 300+ coaches already trained.  ● Best coach trainers & high-quality training ● Build your coaching muscle through the ICF-mandated 100 hours of coaching practice.  ● Get mentored all through your credentialing ● Participate in our Coach Accelerator Program to quickly materialize your entrepreneurial dreams  ● Get last-mile support in ICF-credential renewals ● Take part in Coaching Unlimited – coaching intensives to sharpen your coaching practice Train to be an ICF-certified and credentialed life coach with Regal Unlimited. Select the best life coach training program for yourself. Join the next cohort of ICF-ACC.  I’d Iike to join the ICF-ACC Program Do you wish to know more about us and our programs?  Reach out to us at info@regalunlimited.com FAQs What is life coaching? The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with a client in a creative, thought-provoking process that inspires the client to maximize their personal and professional potential.  In life coaching, the life coach uses the coaching process to create self-awareness and clarity in the client that enables them to work towards and achieve professional and personal goals..  Does life coaching really work? The ICF coaching process is scientifically based and proven to be effective. Life coaching works when both the coach and the client faithfully adhere to the coaching process. A 2017 ICF Global Consumer Awareness Study revealed that 97% of Indian coachees felt benefited from life coaching. What are the benefits of a life coach? Life coaching enables individuals to be more self-aware. It creates authentic individuals. Life coaching gives clients the self-confidence to be their true selves. People who take up life coaching become more compassionate and non-judgemental. Life coaching helps people become process-focused rather than outcome focused. Life coaching helps individuals realize their impact on others around them. Thus through life coaching, people become empathetic and sensitive to others’ needs How do I market myself as a life coach? Strengthen your presence on social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Create your own website and feature yourself and your work there. Write blogs on life coaching and publish them. Build a brand for yourself with our Coach Accelerator Program. Get the know-how to start your own life coaching business, and strategies to market yourself and network effectively.

Coaching is a Marathon, not a Sprint Hear from Bhavani Jois, ICF coach, why she chose rigorous route for certification and how it made her a better coach. ‘There are no shortcuts to success’ . Isn’t that what we tell our children through the timeless story of the hare and the tortoise? Yet, in this era of instant gratification, instant results, and Instagram, we want everything in ‘shorts.’ That might be acceptable in some professions, but not in all. And definitely not in professional coaching, where we touch lives deeply.  We are currently witnessing an alarming trend of coach certifications  offering short, quick training programs to become a coach. These institutes are highly sought after by organisations and individuals who, naturally, would prefer to invest less time, energy, and financial resources to get a coveted ICF certification.  But that can prove not only counterproductive but even detrimental to the seekers. Additionally, in the long run, it will reduce the quality of professional coaches and prove detrimental to the coaching profession and the community they aspire to serve. This is best explained with an analogy. You are sick and require surgery. What would you do? You would search for the most renowned surgeon with years of experience under his/her belt, isn’t it? You would choose a medical professional who has undergone the rigour of five years and a further two years minimum to become a surgeon. Would you place your life in the hands of a surgeon who claimed to have become a doctor in 1 year? 2 years? Anything less than 7 years? No, right? Coaching is like surgery in a lot of ways. Both are intense professions that deal with human life or the quality of human life. Both have a definite process that requires skillful mastery to be effective. A coach, like a surgeon, requires the right mindset and a zen-like mindfulness to achieve the desired result.  Skillful mastery comes through right knowledge and rigorous practice. The right mindset and mindfulness, on which skillful mastery is based, comes through the training program.  That’s why choosing the right coach training program is so important. There are certification programs ranging from three months to a year. But now many organizations have converted seeking ICF certification into a race, that too a sprint. ‘Faster,’ ‘quicker,’ and ‘sooner’ may be more convenient, but definitely not better. Here are 5 reasons why ICF certification should NOT be a sprint, but a MARATHON  1) Building a Coaching Mindsettakes time Certification alone does not make a coach. Coaching requires the ‘coaching’ mindset. This is developed through a well-spaced-out coach training program with appropriate assignments & activities that gives time for unlearning & relearning and for practicing & deepening the required mindset.  It’s difficult to build a coaching mindset in a short span of time, so you might not receive the complete or optimum benefit of training. 2) Coaching is much more than a skill-based profession Coaching is not merely a skill-based profession like plumbing, where something taught must be perfected by repetitive action. Such professions can warrant a short crash course. Research shows that even a habit takes 21 days to form and a total of 40 days to integrate into your system. Coaching goes deeper than your habits to touch your beliefs & value systems. It should become a part of your being, which requires a major system overhaul. Wouldn’t it stand to reason that a mere month wouldn’t suffice? 3) Coach transformation mandatory for client transformation Coaching is a deeply transformative process. You cannot effect transformation in your client unless you have undergone the same transformative process yourself. And you need to give yourself the time to begin the transformation (which is a continuous, life-long process), for which less time, as we induced earlier, is practically insufficient. Becoming a coach is a reflective journey. You need the space to pause and reflect and apply. This process triggers self-transformation. 4) Authenticity comes with time, patience & effort Coaching is a way of life, not merely a profession. The coaching process should reflect in every aspect of your life. This authenticity then becomes inherent in your coaching conversations with your clients. Authenticity builds trust and effectiveness.  The more robust your program, the more authenticity you build as a coach. That’s why you need to devote patience, time, effort, and energy to the process of becoming a coach.  5) Passing the Credentialing Exam ICF has set a high bar for credentialing with its recently overhauled credentialing exam (formerly CKA), where your authenticity as a coach is put through rigorous screening. So your chances at acing the credentialing exam are higher with a training program that allows you to build your coaching mindset, rigor, and authenticity steadily.  Questions are application-based and test your rigor as a coach. There’s no right or wrong answer, only the best and less effective answers. Only a coach who has taken measured time to imbibe, assimilate & make the knowledge a part of their system can have a shot at cracking these mind-benders. Crash courses cannot impart the know-how as effectively as a well-spaced-out program can. So how long should an ideal coach training program be? There is no fixed time period as such. But ICF mentoring mandates a minimum of three months. Many ICF coach training institutes follow this pattern as they feel it gives an adequate amount of time to prepare a coach who can maintain the ICF standards of coaching. Choose wisely If you still decide on taking the sprint, here are a few questions you must consider –  What is my objective of becoming a coach? Am I in it for the certification alone? Or for something more purposeful? Am I in for the long run?  Your purpose reflects in your conversations and actions as a coach. A purpose aligned to ICF coaching ethics can enhance your authenticity, while a misaligned purpose can expose the lack of it. Becoming a coach is like gymming. Quick results might not be sustainable or healthy. If you are seriously contemplating coaching as a career booster or career option, then better to put in the hard work to build your coaching muscles.  “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills Are you searching for a robust, authentic ICF certification program? Regal Unlimited’s certification programs are in high demand. Here are some of the things our alumni loved about our program. What makes us stand out With over 300 coaches trained in the last 8 years, these features make us a cut above the rest – High-quality training by the best mentor coaches in the business. 100% strike rate in credentialing A program that is evenly spaced out to enable you to assimilate & internalize learning,  and begin the inner transformation necessary to develop a coaching mindset  Our carefully designed assignments help you convert theory into practical knowledge We provide a healthy ecosystem for aspiring coaches to flourish & excel We enable you to build your coaching muscle through the ICF-mandated 100 hours of coaching practice.  We handhold and mentor you through your credentialing Our Coach Accelerator Program can help you quickly materialize your entrepreneurial dreams  We offer last-mile support in ICF-credential renewals We take your coaching quotient to the next level through our coaching intensives – Coaching Unlimited. Select the best coach training program for yourself. Join the next cohort of ICF-ACC. Watch our video – A Guide on How to Become An ICF Certified Coach

For long businesses have been driven by financial outcomes, largely supported by the quality of minds in the organization or, simply, the IQ- intelligence quotient. Subsequently, they realized that employees are not mere minds but emotional beings. Thus, their energies shifted onto appealing to their emotional side to enhance camaraderie and defuse conflict, the EQ- emotional quotient. This two-pronged approach has been the saving grace of businesses, but today, in the VUCA++ world, a poignant question arises. Is this enough? How are leaders and organizations preparing themselves to counter the challenges of today’s world? At Regal Unlimited, we believe that it is imperative for leaders & organizations to embrace a third dimension in leadership We call it SQ- the spiritual quotient. What is Spiritual Quotient? Spiritual Quotientmeasures the ability of a person to operate from a state of Being (not knowing or doing) enabling them to be authentic, empathetic yet detached. Research published in academic circles has identified the term, ‘Spiritual Intelligence’ as the ability to access higher meanings, values and purpose and act in accordance with them.  It is said that the greatest power anyone can tap into is in the soul. At the Bangalore headquarters of the GMR Group, chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao donated a sizable portion of their property to create a special, thick-carpeted, sound-proof, religion-neutral meditation room where the management can meditate and pray. At the Bangalore headquarters of the GMR Group, chairman Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao donated a sizable portion of their property to create a special, thick-carpeted, sound-proof, religion-neutral meditation room where the management can meditate and pray. he noted. Benefits of developing Spiritual Quotient- SQ A sense of purpose It drives clarity of purpose, both as an individual & as a professional, aimed to increase focus and resilience. This, in turn, enhances their motivation levels, resilience, and decision-making abilities. More intuitive SQ-led leaders are attuned towards extrasensory perceptions, i.e., intuition. All creativity and bold decision-making stem from this ability to perceive what others can’t. They tend to think deeper and reflect better, helping them stay several steps ahead of their peers. Intelligence + Spiritual Quotient = Wisdom. In a world full of clever people, only the wise stand out. Rest, ChatGPT can manage! Ability to look beyond current reality SQ magnifies the leader’s vision as they leap into the unknown. GM Rao spends nearly 45 minutes meditating in the morning and another 30 minutes before bed at night. He believes that that was the path to his intensified mindfulness. GM Rao spends nearly 45 minutes meditating in the morning and another 30 minutes before bed at night. He believes that that was the path to his intensified mindfulness. he said Getting out of one’s way Unconsciously (very often) leaders get in their own way! SQ provides access to such deep awareness and allows leaders to work on self-limiting values, blindspots, beliefs, and behaviors. This understanding translates to inner excellence and reflects this inner calm outward. Setting the right organizational culture An SQ-driven leadership ensures that the leader embodies organizational values, they become a ‘brand’ that resonates with the entire organization.  Mr. Narayan Murthy, at a lecture organized by the Satya Foundation, said,  Mr. Narayan Murthy, at a lecture organized by the Satya Foundation, said,  Your enduring legacy in a networked world depends on the ability to operate at the confluence of IQ, EQ, and SQ. What advantages do SQ-led leaders have over others? Progressive Optimism The primary benefit for SQ-led leaders is Progressive Optimism; a holistic balance of courage and hope despite uncertainty. This certitude is a product of self-confidence and staunch belief in one’s vision. A study published in the Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies found that leaders who scored higher on measures of spiritual intelligence were more effective in their roles. Another study published in the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion found that spiritual intelligence was also positively correlated to leadership competencies. In addition, leaders scoring high on spiritual intelligence were likelier to adhere to ethical and transformational leadership practices. ( https://doi.org/10.1080/14766080509518564 ) Stability SQ enables leaders to operate from a state of ‘detached attachment’ enhancing intellectual & emotional maturity to stay grounded.  Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai found solace in his guru, Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, way back in 1994, even while Arvind Mills was riding a boom. Unexpectedly, when the bust came, and the company nearly went bankrupt, he declared without hesitation that having a spiritual anchor was a help during these stressful times. Mr. Sanjay Lalbhai found solace in his guru, Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, way back in 1994, even while Arvind Mills was riding a boom. Unexpectedly, when the bust came, and the company nearly went bankrupt, he declared without hesitation that having a spiritual anchor was a help during these stressful times. Sustainability SQ augments resilience and agility for individuals to become all-weather leaders. The ‘detached attachment’ attitude makes one flexible to meet changes and challenges resolutely.  SQ-led leaders understand that organizations are but part of a larger ecosystem, the society. The future and fortunes of one are inextricably linked to the other.  Corporate leadership constantly seeks a positive image that pictures business as a holistic part of society. To build this narrative, businesses now put distinctive efforts to demonstrate their efficiency, social awareness, and response to national problems. And this, we say, can be achieved only with a leader who is inwardly focused, introspective, authentic, forward-looking, and optimistic – well, by an SQ-led leader. References – Faith@Work : CEOs wear spirituality on their sleeves in troubled times, Dibeyendu Ganguly, The Economic Times https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/faithwork-ceos-wear-spirituality-on-their-sleeves-in-troubled-times/articleshow/47186962.cms – Brand culture : The spirituality of Tata, by Tim Girvin https://www.girvin.com/brand-culture-the-spirituality-of-tata/ –  The Leader on the Couch, Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, Wiley Publishers

The Next Dimension of Leadership Coaching IQ and EQ can take you to the top. But can they keep you there? “My knowledge, experience, and sharp people skills have always helped me excel. But why aren’t they helping me now?” “I’m so good at managing people. Why can’t I manage myself?” Even the most seasoned leaders get these nagging questions, especially when faced with a massive challenge that shakes their confidence and self-belief. And this inner conflict is not new. Eons ago, Arjuna, too, felt the same on the Kurukshetra battlefield. Despite being one of the greatest, most experienced warriors, Arjuna was overcome with a flux of doubts and emotions when he came face-to-face with the Kaurava army. What turned Arjuna’s story around? Clarity of purpose. IQ  can enhance performance. EQ  can improve people skills. But without knowing your Purpose, the ‘Why-you-do-everything-you-do,’ IQ and EQ can prove ineffective, especially during a crisis. A well-shaped Spiritual Quotient (SQ) clarifies Purpose. That’s why it’s imperative that leaders & coaches today embrace the third dimension of leadership coaching – the Spiritual Quotient. In this edition of Coach Guru, we bring clarity on why SQ completes a leader and the invaluable role of coaching in enhancing SQ. Do ponder over your Purpose as you pore through these pages. Wishing you a Purpose-full day, year & life ahead! EXCLUSIVE ‘SQ’ FEATURE For leaders, potential without purpose is ineffective. Coaching can create impactful leadership by addressing the gap between Potential and Purpose. Find out how from our article “ How Coaching Fills Gaps in Leadership ,” which was featured in the Times of India. How Coaching Fills the Gaps in Leadership: Subash discusses the vital role of coaching for holistic leadership in this featured article. Embracing Spiritual Quotient (SQ)- the Next Dimension of Leadership: Why should leaders & organizations consider embracing SQ? A two-pronged approach of IQ-driven performance and EQ-driven people skills has been the saving grace of businesses till now. But today, in the VUCA++ world, a poignant question arises. Is this enough? Read here how SQ can prepare leaders and organizations to counter the challenges of today’s world. Regal Coach’s Corner Transformational Coaching Conversations ‘Tram’ Venkataraman , leadership coach & mentor’s coaching stories of the power of masterful coaching conversations. Common Myths About Coaching Coaching is highly misunderstood in the industry. In this blog, Subramani Balakrishnan busts seven common misconceptions about coaching. Find out what they are here. SPECIAL FEATURE ICF Bengaluru hosted three of our  Mentors of COACHING UNLIMITED  for an interactive session on  “The Needs of a Practicing Coach – Re-visiting the Core Competencies & Business of Coaching” The session received the highest registration and participation— a magical session with multiple nuggets of wisdom for coaches. Delighted to be hosting the first-of-its-kind ‘Coach-Centric’ Intensive, as a Coach, you would not like to miss  FULL HOUSE COHORT FOR ICF ACC AT BENGALURU 15 Passionate Learners began their Coaching Journey with us in Bengaluru. These learners were from diverse backgrounds, industries and geographies! From a Banker, HR professional, Entrepreneur, Athlete, Yoga Instructor to Tech Leaders… all were part of this exceptional cohort! The next cohort starts in Mumbai (Scroll below for details) Laugh and Learn HEALING “The body is a self-healing organism. So it’s really about clearing things out of the way so the body can heal itself” – Barbara Brennan Somehow, healing has a lot of stigmas attached to it. We are in the pursuit to make ‘healing’ mainstream. Below is one such experience from one of our clients! Podcasts and Views What is spirituality in coaching, and how can it help us as coaches and leaders? Listen to Subash’s insightful take in this episode of All About Coaching. the Jonathan… An outcast, adventurous, rebellious bird who broke out of the herd to dive for greater things… View a Master Story Teller at work – Sidharth Satpathy – Must watch for every Leader, coach & Professional Upcoming Events Here are the upcoming ICF ACC & PCC batches Write to info@regalunlimited.com to know more ICF – ACC (in-person) Batch The upcoming ICF-ACC (Face-to-Face) batch starts on  May 12th, 2023.  The classroom sessions are being conducted residentially in Mumbai. The sessions will be conducted for 3 consecutive days a month, in May and July. ICF-PCC (Phygital) Batch The next PCC batch starts on a Saturday, June 10th, 2023. It is a hybrid batch with a mix of Online and Face-to-face sessions. Online sessions would be conducted on alternate Saturdays. ICF ACC (Online) Batch The next ICF-ACC (online) batch starts on June 17th, 2023.  A weekend batch with subsequent sessions scheduled every 1st and 3rd Saturday

In executive leadership coaching, active listening is a vital skill that can single-handedly generate transformational shifts & impactful breakthroughs in coaching engagements. “A senior leader who had lost the joy of working came to me for executive leadership coaching. The sessions revealed that he was emotionally guarded at work. He had always kept his genuine, caring side hidden. Identifying this limiting behaviour was a transformational breakthrough for him. The leader decided to show his tender side at work. He opened new avenues for his team members and pushed them to be more independent. Within six months, his attitude toward his job and his relationship with co-workers were visibly different. His willingness to change and be truly authentic came from him. All I did as a coach was listen actively.” – Supriya Padmanabhan, Impactful Interactions Coach, CEO and Founding Partner, My Persona We asked two highly successful executive coaches, Supriya Padmanabhan (ICF-PCC) and Siddhi Japee (ICF-PCC) , to share their thoughts on active listening and how they use this skill to deliver the maximum to their coaching clients. If you are an aspiring executive coach or practising executive leadership coaching, this blog will give you an in-depth understanding of a core coaching competency. If you are practicing, here’s a chance to revisit and refresh your basics and learn something new! What is active listening? It is listening to the other person with your whole being. “Only then can you truly serve the other person,” says Siddhi. “Otherwise, you only serve your agenda, not your client’s.” Listening is not a passive exercise; it’s an active endeavour. It requires effort, practice, and the coach to listen for the essence and not the peripheral drama. For coaches, this competency has an additional layer. “Listen Actively” – a constant effort to be involved in the conversation without hijacking it ~ Karan Kumar. What does active listening involve? 1) Leaving out the ‘I’, ‘Me’ and ‘Mine’ In active listening, there’s no ‘I.’ So you must first suspend your inner dialogue- the inner voices, perceptions, judgments, beliefs, and biases. Otherwise, your baggage can filter through or interfere with what comes to you. It can lead you to suggest solutions, offer advice, or send the client down a path that might not be true to them. 2) Sincere Curiosity The coachee becomes the centre of concern when the ‘I’ is out of the way. This naturally develops curiosity and interest in listening to what they say. Curiosity also aids in asking powerful questions. 3) Being in the moment All your focus is on the client. All your senses are attuned to their words, tone, voice modulations, inflexions, facial expressions, and pauses. You can feel their energy. This can even help you decipher what is unsaid. 4) Respectful acknowledgement Supriya points out that respectful acknowledgement of what the coachee says is essential to actively listening. You can acknowledge this by paraphrasing, nodding your head, or smiling. The coachee feels heard and can open up and give more of themselves to the coaching conversation. It gives them the time and space to explore and understand their conversations and inner dialogue. 5) Zooming IN and OUT Siddhi says active listening requires zooming in and zooming out your attention as needed—for example, zooming in enough to concentrate on the words. But don’t get so lost in the words that you miss the other details, such as expressions, inflexion of the voice, the intent/beliefs/values that get reflected through the words, etc. That requires zooming out. What is NOT Active Listening? Many executive coaches have an incomplete understanding of active listening. Here are some typical mannerisms coaches mistake to be part of listening actively. Keeping mum & simply nodding affirmatively. Just chiming in with a notional ‘hmm,’ ‘yeah,’ ‘is it?’ and the like. Parroting the client’s words is considered a part of active listening. But coaches should go beyond mechanically repeating what the client just said, as it could also come from a space of inattention. Interjecting the client with information, anecdotes, and stories from the coach’s experience. Listening with the intent to reply (don’t we coaches so want to ask the ‘next best question’?) Responding with the phrase ‘I understand.’ which implies acceptance of what a client believes to be true. As a coach, it would be more prudent to reply, ‘You are saying that..’ or ‘I heard you say..’ As an Executive Coach, What do you Listen for? We get this question a lot. As coaches, we sharpen our abilities to listen beyond what is being said; we also listen to subtle body language. But do not limit active listening to only this. For us, “Listen Actively” has greater meaning and relevance. An executive coach opined that we listen to the client’s stories – the bigger picture! Another leadership coach went on at length to share how coaches should explore and listen for the inherent values and beliefs in the conversation. These beliefs and values are why clients act the way they do… Beliefs like “I am an introvert,” “I am not a numbers guy,” “Sales and me… not possible,” etc. are heard very often in coaching conversations. For instance, an executive shared during the coaching conversation how he has an eye for detail and ensures that every proposal has the best fonts, colour combinations, design elements, etc. But his decisions are often thwarted, so proposals get delayed, etc. The executive coach relayed to the client that the value he senses from his words is ‘I am a perfectionist.” He then asked the client to consider that while perfectionism might be critical as an individual contributor, is this “Perfectionism” serving the client in the post of a senior executive? It was an ‘Aha Moment’ for the seasoned executive! A coach identifies such values and communicates them to the client. Even values, like beliefs, can be self-limiting at times! Finally, one should listen for the “Strengths” and “Fears” of the client… An executive was playing the “Yes Man” to the Board Members. The executive coach probed, and after 10 minutes of conversation, the issue that emerged was – that the executive was fearful of being ‘dislik ed.’ Fear is a very subtle thing. We fear failure, prejudices, and biases. We fear being disrespected or judged. In this case, it was fear of being disliked! An executive coach who listens actively can sense these lingering fears and bring them to the fore. Benefits of active listening for an Executive Coach Adult-to-adult relationship Active Listening moves the coach-client relationship from an ‘adult-to-child’ relationship to an ‘adult-to-adult’ relationship. Receive maximum data Siddhi beautifully explains that the more a coach moves on the scale from ‘Me” to ‘the other person,’ the richer in detail the data the coach receives from the other person. Our being is most receptive when we listen actively rather than talk, advise, or guide the conversation! Be a genuinely neutral partner Listening actively helps a coach suspend biases & beliefs and come on board as a non-judgmental, neutral partner. In tune with the client’s energy While listening actively, a coach can notice the subtle shifts in the client’s energy. These changes are more nuanced than non-verbal cues. You become more aware of the inflexions and emotions in the verbal and non-verbal communication of the client. Siddhi narrates an example of a leader who wanted to improve leadership/managerial skills. He was extremely reserved and kept the discussions focused only on the professionals. In one of the sessions, active listening helped Siddhi sense a slight disturbance in the client’s energy. Siddhi asked him why he seemed low. The normally reticent client was relieved to unburden himself of a host of personal issues that were outside the scope of the coaching conversation. So Siddhi just listened actively. Ultimately, the visibly calmer client thanked her for lending an ear. He could move on to the set goals for the session. Siddhi was happy to see her client visibly lighter in that session and the following ones. It helps ask the right questions. Listening actively and asking powerful questions move synergistically in a natural flow. As an active listener, you are just a neutral observer, perceiving yet untouched by the client’s energy. This allows you to remain in the flow of the moment, and the right question comes to you without you seeking it out. Move towards mastery in Coaching Listening actively makes your executive leadership coaching deeper and more intuitive, leaving you to ‘dance in the moment.’, which is mastery. How active listening benefits coachees Builds a safe space It helps create a safe space for coachees to share their dreams, fears, issues, and more. The non-judgmental atmosphere provides the perfect comfort zone for coachees to reveal their true selves. Enhances inner reflection When you stop handholding or guiding the coachee and leave the stage to them, they get the opportunity to reflect deeply on their own & take their turns and diversions in the process of self-discovery. Strengthens sense of ownership As an active listener, you do not push your concerns or beliefs on the client. Your patience gets rewarded with them arriving at the answers or conclusions themselves. And that strengthens their sense of ownership of the solution. Be Seen Have you seen the scene from Avatar 2 where the father tells the son, ‘I See You’? That’s what being an active listener does for coachees. It enables them to ‘be seen,’ which is empowering.” “We tend to talk at each other. We rarely talk to each other. Active listening changes that,” quips Supriya. Beliefs that can prevent coaches from actively listening 1) “Listening is exhausting” Many executive coaches feel listening takes too much time and can slow the executive leadership coaching process. They reason, “Why spend so much time on it when the client is just venting.” 2) “I need to focus on asking powerful questions rather than listening.“ Some coaches feel that questioning is more important than listening. We saw why that’s not true. 3) “I have understood the problem halfway through the talking, so I don’t need to listen more.” New coaches, even some seasoned ones, fall into this trap. They have understood the problem halfway through the conversation and want to give the solution or take the client down that path. But that might not be the best for the client. 4) “I’ve faced the same problem as a woman. Here’s what I did” When the client’s issue is close to the coach’s heart, there is a tendency for the coach to jump the gun and zone out from listening actively. There is a danger of the coach offering solutions or advice. 5) “Active listening comes before or after powerful questioning.” Many coaches believe there is an order for when they should listen actively. But it should be a continuum, not a discrete feature that needs to be ticked off. 6) “Why don’t you talk to your boss about your challenges?” Coaches, especially new ones, want to make a difference in the coachee’s life. And sometimes, their beliefs, sense of self-worth, or eagerness to solve the problem interfere. They may inadvertently offer suggestions or solutions. The key, says Supriya, is to trust the coachee & the executive leadership coaching process and let things emerge from the client. Active listening helps that happen. How to keep your active listening skills sharp? Listen actively all the time! Active listening is a way of life, not something that can be turned on and off during executive leadership coaching session. So it must be integrated into all aspects of a coach’s life. How about listening actively to your spouse, kids, and your parents? One of our coaches made a tracker, hung it in his bedroom, and asked his spouse to rate him on his listening skills every day. Siddhi & Supriya share a few practices that can help coaches make active listening a part of every conversation. Mindfulness exercises can help you stay grounded and focused inward, reducing the inner chatter. Listen to yourself as you communicate with others. Be aware of yourself as you listen to others. Bring back your attention when it strays. Reflect on when you didn’t listen actively. Identify the triggers that make you stop listening actively and work on being free of them. Discuss your issues with other practising coaches. Acknowledge yourself when you actively listen so you can affirm that you are good at it. We all want to make a difference in the lives of our clients. The first and perhaps most crucial step is to listen actively. It relieves us of the burden of baggage, our clients and ours. It helps us be of service, truly & completely. So dear coaches, remember to lend an ear and nothing else! Happy coaching! More power to you! Become a Credentialed Executive coach with Regal Unlimited. Do you want to be in the top 10% of successful executive coaches worldwide? You need a world-class program like ours to get you there. Here’s why our alumni always recommend Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification program to aspiring coaches! Join our next ICF-ACC cohort. Here’s what makes Regal Unlimited’s ICF certification the most sought-after program. We provide the perfect ecosystem for aspiring coaches to flourish and expand their base. We have trained over 300 coaches. We are known for our high-quality training by the best coaches and the best coaching certification program in the business. We enable you to build your coaching muscle through the ICF-mandated 100 hours of coaching practice. We handhold and mentor you through your credentialing Our Coach Accelerator Program can help you quickly materialize your entrepreneurial dreams We offer last-mile support in  ICF-credential renewals You can take your coaching quotient to the next level through our executive leadership coaching intensives – Coaching Unlimited. Watch our video – A Guide on How to Become An ICF Certified Coach Supriya Padmanabhan (ICF-PCC) is an Impactful Interactions Coach. She helps leaders build authentic leadership persona. A seasoned corporate leader, an Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapist with a Diploma in Applied Buddhist Psychology, and a parent-facilitator in the International Association of Facilitators -Supriya brings multiple competencies to her coaching profile. View Supriya’s Linkedin profile here . Siddhi Japee (ICF-PCC) is an executive/leadership development/life coach with over 22 years of experience in leadership, communication, and learning in the academic & private sectors. She is certified in neuroscience-based approaches to anchor change and enables individuals to achieve their goals. Visit Siddhi’s Linkedin profile here .

While there is a straight answer to ICF coaching certification, (There are 5 Steps) many aspiring coaches get confused, manipulated, and trapped in the certification quagmire! Can you guess, what is the most frequent question we hear from aspiring coaches like you… It is “How can I become a Coach?” Hence in this blog, we will attempt to tell you “How NOT to become a Coach?” These are the common pitfalls that an aspiring coach like you can be wary off and make an informed choice… While the image gave a snapshot of the pitfalls, here is a more nuanced take on each of the pitfalls. Read below👇 Pitfalls to avoid while selecting a coach training institute 1) Is the Institution ICF Accredited While this may sound very basic, but the reality is that many firms and coaches do not have ACTIVE Coaching Credential. A litmus test would be to search the Coach Trainer or the Institution on ICF Website or ask the coach for the Credentials (and whether they have renewed their credentials) The focus here is on the word “Institution.” Recently ICF has been emphasizing that the Coach Training should be provided by a registered firm/institution not by individual coaches in their personal capacity! Hence, while selecting the Coach Training Institute – check for Accreditation for Level 1 or 2 or 3 2) Do they offer Mentoring also? As per ICF requirements, the learner coach has to get 60 hours of Training + 10 hours of Mentoring (towards ICF ACC Credential). Many Coaching Institute offer only the Training and then charge separately for Mentoring!  Since they do not offer Mentoring, these institutions offer lower prices. Aspiring coaches fall for the lower prices only to discover later the additional hidden charges. A good question to ask your Coach Trainer is – Do you offer Mentoring Support also? Is mentoring factored in the pricing you are quoting? 3) Who is your Trainer? Identifying and talking to your trainer (and not the salesperson from the institution) is extremely important!  You ought to know the background of the Trainer/Mentor and their Coaching and ICF Coaching Certification and Training experience. At times, the Core Trainer for the program becomes a guest appearance. The accessibility to the trainer/mentor is critical for your success as a Coach. Also ensure that the Coach Training is LIVE, not the pre-recorded sessions where one-way interaction happens! After all, Real life Coaching is a conversation – not a pre-recorded session. A good question to ask while selecting the Coach Training Institute is – How accessible is the core trainer? Are the sessions synchronous (meaning LIVE training) or the sessions are Pre-Recorded? 4) What is their Credentialing Rate? ICF Coaching Certification & Coaching Credential are two different things. Certificate is issued by the training Institute, while Credentialing is given by ICF. The goal is to get ICF Credential (ACC, PCC or MCC badge) and not stop at mere Certification.  The question arises, What is Credentialing rate? Simplistically put, Credentialing Rate is how many coaches from the Institute (which you want to select) become ICF Credentialed Coaches. It is like the Success rate of the Coach Training Institute. If the need be; talk to a few of their trained coaches to get a feel of how the training and the entire experience is… Another soft indicator (if you are inclined to do research) is to search the LinkedIn and social media of the Coach Training Institute and see the recent coach that got the ICF Credential from them!  A good question to ask the Coach Trainer is: What is the success rate of Coaches becoming ICF Credentialed? Can I talk to a recently Credentialed Coach to get a first-hand feel of what the coach-training process is like? 5) Last-Mile Community Support Becoming a Coach is a Marathon – not a Sprint.  It takes effort, practice, and last-mile support from the community to become a Coach! It takes an ecosystem to shape a good Coach. The community supports in coaching practice, nudging each other to complete the credentialing process, handholding in the last mile to apply for the ICF, assistance in preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam and in many other ways.  Community is an overlooked aspect in the journey of becoming a Coach. The last mile of handholding is critical for a seamless experience. The journey doesn’t end with Training + Mentoring alone!  A good question to ask is – What is the community support you offer as a Coach training institution? How do you help me in preparing for the ICF Credentialing Exam? Do you have frequent events for your own community of coaches? Choose Wisely Becoming a Coach is not a Sprint, it is a Marathon. Coaching is the blessed profession of touching and impacting lives, hence you deserve to learn from nothing less than the BEST At Regal Unlimited, we take pride in nurturing a community of over 330 Coaches, all committed to the highest quality of Coaching. We have the industry-leading Success rate in Credentialing and we ensure that complete handholding is provided to the Learners. With us, you are committing to a lifelong alliance (that goes beyond the ICF Coaching Certification) We run cohorts to become ICF ACC or ICF PCC coaches every alternate month. Reach out to info@regalunlimited.com for more information. Or schedule a call with a Mentor so that we can chart the way forward, here . Is an ICF coaching certification worth it? With the best ICF accredited programs in India, Yes it is Financial Rol This means you can recover your investment within a year of beginning your ICF coaching career, even if you take on just two clients. This is the benefit of getting an ICF coaching certification from the best ICF accredited program.

Demystifying the Parent-Leader Conundrum Time and growing children wait for none. Your son’s eighth birthday or your daughter’s first guitar recital is never coming back. As leaders & professionals, it is easier to forego family vacations than miss deadlines at work. But be forewarned, you may be losing out on the things and people who matter the most. This quarter saw two very special days that celebrate parenthood – Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. What feelings did these days bring for you? Joy & Satisfaction? Or Regret & Guilt? A healthy mix of the two is, well, healthy. However, if it’s the latter, maybe it’s time to pause and reflect, and read more of this edition of Coach Guru! We shine a light on how being an active parent can not only strengthen familial bonds but also fortify your leading chops. We also discuss why many parents and leaders these days are adding coaching to their parenting/leadership style. Read on, and do let us know whether you found our spread helpful. Bon appetit! Is LEADING taking you away from PARENTING? You may be missing out, not just on the personal front but on the professional front too! Your roles as a leader and parent are more closely intertwined than you think. So being a good parent can actually make you a better leader. Read our featured article on how you can parent your way to good leadership. COACHSPEAK We are on a roll Halfway through the year, we are celebrating the credentialing of our Coaches. Whether it is the CKA format or the new format, there is no slowing down for the Regal Learners. Regal Showcase The Art of Active Listening Active listening is a vital skill that can help leaders, parents, and coaches can create mutually fulfilling relationships at work and home. Discover how you can add active listening to your communication skillset. Read More Pitfalls to Avoid in ICF Coach Certification Looking for a rewarding, hassle-free pathway to becoming an ICF coach? Then read on. Our interactions with aspiring coaches who came to us after having singed themselves elsewhere in their quest for an ICF coaching certification inspired us to write this piece. Just for Laughs Podcasts/Audio Your most important role is that of a parent. How can you make your parenthood more rewarding and sustain your most cherished relationships for a lifetime? Tune into this Mother’s Day Special from All About Coaching to find out.

ICF PCC certification journey is a life-transforming roller coaster ride that requires courage and commitment, not only to the journey but also to your life. It can be tough and rigorous but, at the same time, fun too. We invited Rekha H (MCC – ICF, Mentor Coach, Coach Supervisor & Team Coach) to help us take a look at the look at the tough and fun features and requirements of the ICF PCC certification. Features of ICF PCC certification Step up in training hours, content & complexity You will have additional 65 hours of training, out of which 80% will be in the classroom. The content is more vast and complex when compared to ACC. Greater accountability The ICF PCC certification journey differs from the ACC certification or any other training you might have gone through. Here you will be called on to be a partner. You will be asked to ‘pull’ this training towards you. We will not push you or push anything on you. The more you pull, the more you get. Therefore, the responsibility of getting maximum value from this journey lies entirely on you! More complex assignments You will do a number of assignments that are at various levels of complexity. They will trigger new levels of thinking, very similar to what we would want our clients to do in coaching sessions. More coaching hours You are required to complete 500 hours of coaching to apply for your ICF PCC certification. That’s five times more than what’s necessary at the ACC level! PCC is, therefore, a game of patience and perseverance. Sustained commitment Like most PCC aspirants, when you start the journey your enthusiasm and energy levels will be high. You will sustain this energy throughout the formal training program; the structure of the program will see to that. Once the training program is complete and the formal structure is not available to you, you will find your energy levels drop. Life takes over. Other priorities in your life take a front seat and PCC recedes to the background. You may even start asking yourself if you want to continue. Your commitment levels to the journey may drop. All of this is absolutely normal! Staying on the ICF PCC Certification path So how can one keep the momentum going? Here are some ways that also showcase the best parts of the ICF PCC certification journey Connect to your purpose Getting reconnected to your purpose is one of the ways that you’ll be able to keep going. Look back at why you enrolled in this program. Getting reconnected to your purpose is one of the ways that you’ll be able to keep going. Look back at why you enrolled in this program. What was your goal? Where did you want to reach? What for? What called you into this journey? Reflecting on your purpose and reconnecting with it once more can get you back on track. If the whole ‘why I started’ no longer appeals, inspires, or seems relevant to you, recreate another ‘why’ for the rest of your journey! It is very important to reinvent ourselves so as to feel renewed and refreshed from time to time in life. The same holds true for ICF PCC certification. Supportive cohort family And then, of course, you have the large cohort of coaches who are there to support you. They are friends who have your back. You can’t have better accountability partners! Accessible mentors You also have supervision which you can use for you to be able to deal with your challenges and for you to be able to bounce back. Increased competency As your competence levels go up, your confidence in yourself as a coach also increases. This can help you attract a more elite league of clients, something you wouldn’t have thought possible earlier. Self-transformation Last and definitely not least, you will experience the joy of witnessing the transformation in your own life as you bring yourself fully into conversations as a client and as a coach. Be ready for outcomes beyond what you would have dreamt of! So are you ready for the ICF PCC certification adventure? A journey of excitement, rigor, and fun! If you haven’t already signed up, here’s the perfect opportunity. Connect with us to book your berth in the next cohort. Enquire Now At Regal Unlimited we have the best in class Leadership Coaching programmes. We at Regal Unlimited adhere to Coaching the ICF way. For more information reach out to us info@regalunlimited.com.