COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK

September 2009

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Four Levels of Coach/Mentoring

EQA Level Descriptors
Foundation
Appropriate for individuals: who wish to gain an understanding of the practice of coaching/mentoring and to have the core skills of coaching/mentoring likely to be working with others using coaching/mentoring conversations to support and encourage development of skills/performance who wish to use a coaching/mentoring approach within their own field/role and clearly understand how their coach/mentor role integrates with their vocational roles.

Practitioner
Appropriate for individuals: who will either be working as an internal coach/mentor, use coaching/mentoring as part of their main job or starting up as an external coach/mentor who are likely to be working with a small range of clients/contexts and within own area of experience to improve performance, build confidence and stretch capability who will typically be able to apply a limited range of models, tools and processes.

Senior Practitioner
Appropriate for individuals: who will practice as professional coaches/mentors and can draw on a range of models and frameworks who are or wish to work with a range of clients, contexts and organisations whose focus of work will be building capacity for progression, managing complex and challenging relationships, working with ambiguity and change.

Master Practitioner
Appropriate for individuals: who will practice as professional coaches/mentors and will create their own coherent approach drawing on a wide range of models and frameworks who are or wish to work with a range of clients, contexts and organisations.

EIA Level Descriptors

Foundation
Individuals with an understanding of the practice of coaching/mentoring and having the core skills of coaching/mentoring. Likely to be working with others using coaching/mentoring conversations to support and encourage development of skills/performance. Individuals who use a coaching/mentoring approach within their own field/role and clearly understand how their coach/mentor role integrates with their vocational roles.

Practitioner
Coaches /mentors who may either be working as an internal coach/mentor, use coaching/mentoring as part of their main job or starting up as an external coach/mentor. Likely to be working with a small range of clients or contexts and possibly within own area of experience to improve performance, build confidence and stretch capability. Method of working is typically applying a limited range of models, tools and processes.

Senior Practitioner
Professional coaches and mentors who draw on a range of models and frameworks. They role-model good practice Likely to be working with a range of clients, contexts and organisations. The focus of work is building capacity for progression, managing complex and challenging relationships, working with ambiguity and change. Likely to be working fluidly in the moment, with varied and often complex client issues in demanding contexts.

Master Practitioner
Professional, experienced and expert coaches / mentors who create their own coherent approach drawing on a wide range of models and frameworks, Likely to work with clients using their skills/experience flexibly to widen clients perspective beyond the current issue/context and thus stretching their learning and development. Method of working typically involves creating innovative approaches tailored to the requirements of each client Actively contributes to the development and promotion of raising standards in the coach/mentor field. Contributions could include: - developing models and tools - publishing about the profession - supervision of peer coaches and mentors - education of other coaches and mentors - developing the work of a recognised coaching /mentoring professional body,

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009

Eight Coaching/Mentoring Competence Categories

1. Understanding Self
Demonstrate awareness of own values, beliefs and behaviours, recognises how these affect their practice and uses this self-awareness to manage their effectiveness in meeting the clients, and where relevant, the sponsors objectives

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Commitment to Self-Development
Explore and improve the standard of their practice and maintain the reputation of the profession

Managing the Contract

Establish and maintains the expectations and boundaries of the coaching/mentoring contract with the client and, where appropriate, with sponsors.

Building the Relationship

Skilfully builds and maintains an effective relationship with the client, and where appropriate, with the sponsor.

Enabling Insight and Learning

Work with the client and sponsor to bring about insight and learning

Outcome and Action Orientation

Demonstrate approach, and use the skills, in supporting the client to make desired changes

Use of Models and Techniques

Apply models and tools, techniques and ideas beyond the core communication skills in order to bring about insight and learning

Evaluation
Gather information on the effectiveness of their practice and contributes to establishing a culture of evaluation of outcomes

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009

Capability Indicators
The table below sets out Capability Indicators (CIs) for each of the Eight Competence Categories across the Four Levels of Coaching/Mentoring. The progression principles used are: at each higher level, the CIs should describe greater breadth and depth of knowledge; greater synthesis of ideas; ability to evoke more significant insights; working effectively with increasingly complex issues and contexts, and, at the higher levels, the creation of a coherent personal approach to coach/mentoring

COMPETENCE CATEGORY Understanding Self

Demonstrate awareness of own values, beliefs and behaviours, recognises how these affect their practice and uses this selfawareness to manage their effectiveness in meeting the clients, and where relevant, the sponsors objectives

FOUNDATION CAPABILITY INDICATORS behaves in a manner that facilitates the

coaching/mentoring process (1)

PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS builds self-understanding based on an

established model of human behaviour and rigorous reflection on practice (34)

SENIOR PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS builds self-understanding based on a

range of theoretical models and structured input from external sources with rigorous reflection on experience and practice (73) to suit the needs of the client (74)

MASTER PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS synthesises insights derived from

extensive exploration of theoretical models and personal evidence (96) decisions during their practice (97) paradigms and their impact on clients and client systems (98)

manages issues of diversity in their

coaching/mentoring practice (2)

identifies when their internal process is

interfering with client work and adapts behaviour appropriately (35) becoming personally involved (36)

accounts for moment by moment critically reflects on practitioner

describes their own values, beliefs and

attitudes that guide their coaching/mentoring practice (3)

proactively manages own state of mind

responds to clients emotions without

behaves in alignment with their values

and beliefs (4)

Commitment to SelfDevelopment
Explore and improve the standard of their practice and maintain the reputation of the profession

practises and evaluates their

coaching/mentoring skills (5)

demonstrates commitment to personal

development through deliberate action and reflection (37) order to develop their practice (38)

continuously reviews, reflects on and

participates in regular supervision in evaluates the effectiveness of supervision

(39)

updates personal beliefs, attitudes and skills to improve their coaching/mentoring (75) knowledge and attitudes and uses a structured process to meet learning needs (76) models to explore and develop their practice (77) evaluates (78)

keeps up to date with and evaluates

research and thinking on coaching/mentoring (99)

proactively identifies gaps in skills,

invites feedback from peers by

demonstrating their practice before them (100)

selects relevant themes, ideas and

translates new learning into practice and

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009

COMPETENCE

CATEGORY Managing the contract

Establish and maintains the expectations and boundaries of the coaching/mentoring contract with the client and, where appropriate, with sponsors.

FOUNDATION CAPABILITY INDICATORS explains their role in relation to the

client (6)

PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS follows the EMCC professional code of

ethics or an equivalent (40)

SENIOR PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS establishes an ethically based

coaching/mentoring contract in ambiguous and / or conflicted circumstances with the client (and with sponsors where relevant) (79)

MASTER PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS identifies clients who may have an

emotional or therapeutic need which is beyond their professional capability to work with safely (101) specialised agencies /sources when needed (102) outside of safe and contracted boundaries and takes appropriate action (103)

explains the benefits of

coaching/mentoring both for the client and in relation to the clients context (7) confidentiality and communication to others (8) conversation (9)

establishes and manages a clear contract

for the coaching/mentoring with the client and, where relevant, with other stakeholders (41)

supports client in self-referring to

agrees appropriate levels of both

agrees a framework for scheduling when,

where and how often the sessions will take place (42)

recognises when clients have a need

manages the conclusion of the

describes own coaching/mentoring

process and style to client so that client is empowered to make an informed decision to go ahead with coaching/mentoring (43)

recognises boundaries of own

competence and advises the need to refer on and possibly conclude contract (44) engage in coaching/mentoring work and takes appropriate action (45) and, where relevant, policies and procedures of the sponsoring organisation (46) (47)

recognises when client is unable to

works effectively with client preferences

manages the conclusion of the contract

Building the relationship

Skilfully builds and maintains an effective relationship with the client, and where appropriate, with the sponsor.

explains how own behaviours can affect

the coaching/mentoring process (10) maintains clients dignity (11)

demonstrates empathy and genuine

support for the client (48) established for effective coaching/mentoring (49)

attends to and works flexibly with the

treats all people with respect and describes and applies at least one
method of building rapport (12) (13)

ensures requisite level of trust has been

clients emotions, moods, language, patterns, beliefs and physical expression (80)

demonstrates a high level of

attentiveness and responsiveness to the client in the moment while holding responsibility for working towards outcomes (104)

recognises and works effectively with

clients emotional state(s) (50)

uses language appropriate to the client develops trust through keeping

adapts language and behaviour to

accommodate clients style while maintaining sense of self (51) coach/mentor (52)

commitments and being non-judgemental with client (14)

ensures clients non dependence of the

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009

COMPETENCE

CATEGORY Enabling insight and learning

Work with the client and sponsor to bring about insight and learning

FOUNDATION CAPABILITY INDICATORS demonstrates belief in helping others to

develop (15)

PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS explains potential blocks to effective

listening (53)

SENIOR PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS uses a range of techniques to raise

awareness, encourage exploration and deepen insight (81) to increase awareness, insight and responsibility for action (82)

MASTER PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS supports clients effectively with their

increasingly complex range of needs (105)

believes that others learn best for

themselves (16)

is alert to tone and modularity as well as identifies patterns of client thinking and
actions (55)

to explicit content of communication (54)

uses feedback and challenge effectively

enables significant and fundamental adapts approach / technique in the

checks thoroughly for understanding (17) uses an active listening style (18) explains the principles of questioning and
at least one framework (19) (20)

shifts in thinking and behaviour (106) moment in response to client information, while also holding a focus on outcomes (107)

enables client to make connections

listens at a deeper level (83) flexible in applying a wide range of

questions to facilitate insight (84)

between feelings, behaviours and their performance (56)

offers feedback in an appropriate style offers advice and ideas only when
appropriate (21)

uses a range of questioning techniques to

raise awareness (57)

uses language to help client reframe or

enables client to create new ideas (58) uses feedback and challenge at
appropriate times to help client gain different perspectives, while maintaining rapport (59) client to consider alternatives (60) and commitment to action (61)

challenge current thinking/understanding (85) understanding and insight (86)

applies a systems perspective to building recognises the uncertainties, possibilities

and constraints of the clients situational context and helps client to appreciate their impact (87)

remains impartial when encouraging the uses reviews to deepen understanding

Outcome and Action Orientation

Demonstrate approach, and use the skills, in supporting the client to make desired changes

assists client to clarify and review their

desired outcomes and to set appropriate goals (22) goals and the context they are in (23) the goals (24)

assists clients to effectively plan their

actions including appropriate: support, resourcing and contingencies (62) actions that best suit their personal preferences (63) their own decisions, actions and learning approach (64) applying actions (65)

encourages client to explore wider

context and impact of desired outcomes (88) and methods to facilitate achievement of outcomes (89) for building commitment to outcomes, goals and actions (90) change (91) change (92)

ensures congruence between clients

helps client to develop and identify

draws on a range of diverse techniques

explores a range of options for achieving ensures the client chooses solutions (25) keeps appropriate notes (26) reviews progress and learning (27) ensures the client leaves the session
enabled to use new ideas and learning (28)

ensures client is taking responsibility for

describes and applies a range of methods

helps client identify potential barriers to describes and applies at least one

helps client explore their approach to works effectively with resistance to

method of building commitment to outcomes, goals and actions (66) outcomes and goals and revises as appropriate (67)

reviews progress and achievement of

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009

COMPETENCE

CATEGORY Use of Models and Techniques

Apply models and tools, techniques and ideas beyond the core communication skills in order to bring about insight and learning

FOUNDATION CAPABILITY INDICATORS bases approach on a model or framework

of coach-mentoring (29)

PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS develops a coherent model of

coaching/mentoring based on one or more established models (68)

SENIOR PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS connects various models and new ideas
into their own model (93)

MASTER PRACTITIONER CAPABILITY INDICATORS demonstrates own unique approach to

coaching/mentoring based on critical evaluation of accepted models and learning from own practice and supervision (108) improve effectiveness (109)

uses several established tools and

applies in depth knowledge and

techniques to help the client work towards outcomes (69) clients context (70)

explains and works with models from

experience of models, tools and techniques to help the client deal with specific challenges as well as the overall outcome (94)

formulates own tools and systems to

Evaluating
Gather information on the effectiveness of their practice and contributes to establishing a culture of evaluation of outcomes

evaluates outcomes with client (and

stakeholders if relevant) (30)

uses a formal feedback process from the

client (71)

establishes rigorous evaluation processes

with clients and stakeholders (95)

critiques diverse approaches to

evaluation of coaching/mentoring (110) evaluating coaching/mentoring (111) themes, trends and ideas related to evaluation processes, coaching/mentoring processes and client themes (112)

monitors and reflects on the

effectiveness of the whole process (31) coaching/mentoring (32) appropriately (33)

has own processes for evaluating

effectiveness as a coach/mentor (72)

participates in building knowledge on

requests feedback from client on receives and accepts feedback

uses knowledge gained to comment on

EMCC COMPETENCE FRAMEWORK September 2009