COMPARING THE ICF AND MCF — How do they Compare? — — How do they Differ? —

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

As the field of Coaching continues to evolve, so are the organizations which are providing Coach Training and those which are providing Coach Credentialing and Assessment. Historically the ICF (International Coach Federation) has been the oldest organization involved in the later— credentialing coaches and so it is the most well-known organization. In 2003, Michelle Duval took the lead in initiating the MCF (Meta-Coach Foundation) for the credentialing and assessment for Meta-Coach Certification and Accreditation. And there are many other organizations doing the same.

• So what is the difference between the ICF and the MCF?

• Are the standards, values, and definitions of Coaching different?

• Are the assessment and coaching skills different?

• Which certification and credentials is best?

Inasmuch as these, and many other similar questions, are frequently now being raised, this article is design to begin to answer them.