ETHICS CASE STUDY 2
Ethics Case Study: The International Coaching Federation (ICF)
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) developed core competencies and ethical
standards to guide coaches toward best practices. According to Boysen-Rotelli (2021), these
efforts also helped legitimize the coaching industry and gave certified industry professionals
credibility. The ICF developed eight core competencies focused on four key components:
foundation, co-creating relationships, effective communication, and cultivating a culture of
learning and growth. Additionally, the accrediting body established 28 ethical standards linked to
responsibility to clients, practice and performance, professionalism, and society. This case study
highlights and analyzes a select few (ICF, n.d.).
Cultivates Trust and Safety
According to ICF Core Competencies (n.d.), the coach is responsible for creating a
psychologically safe environment and treating their client respectfully. The relationship
strengthens when coaches try to understand their clients’ ethics, values, and morals, demonstrate
emotional intelligence, and keep client-expressed vulnerabilities and feelings private to build
trust (Boysen-Rotelli, 2021). For example, a professional coach can encourage the client to be
open and transparent; however, they should refrain from making personal judgments and utilize
active listening skills to show concern and understanding (Wefald, 2022). Accordingly, clients
may communicate with the coach if they feel unsafe or judged.
Demonstrates Ethical Practices
Executive coaches demonstrate ethical practices by being transparent, honest, and
empathetic to client needs, maintaining confidentiality, and adhering to a code of ethics and
professional core values (ICF Core Competencies, n.d.). According to Boysen-Rotelli (2021),
certified, credentialed coaches have distinct skill sets, verified training, are recognized as experts,
ETHICS CASE STUDY 3
and belong to organizations that continuously monitor their client-coach relationships. Coaches
who share ethical standards, core competencies, and professional organization memberships with
clients can reaffirm legitimacy and credibility (Heitz & Leach, 2022).
Facilitates Client Growth
According to the ICF Core Competencies (n.d.), coaches help clients develop a growth
mindset and support them throughout the coaching relationship by introducing new worldview
insights, providing autonomy, and celebrating milestones and successes. According to
Birknerova et al. (2022), coaches also create growth opportunities by asking effective questions
and guiding clients toward new information. For example, a coach could actively challenge
workplace gender inequality perceptions by asking the client to present both sides of the issue by
utilizing peer-reviewed research and statistically significant data to formulate an educated
opinion centered on facts. Coaches provide clients with opportunities to learn; however, the
client has overall autonomy to seek and implement the new information or ignore it.
Listens Actively
Coaches who practice active listening are effective communicators who can better
understand their client’s wants, needs, and expectations (ICF Core Competencies, n.d.). This is
also connected to the coach’s ability to identify context, emotions, and non-verbal behaviors
(Birknerova et al., 2022). According to Wefald (2022), coaches with superior active listening
skills also provide clients with opportunities to analyze their situation and lead to the creation of
near-autonomous goal-setting. The Scripture promotes active, empathetic listening in Proverbs
2:2, ‘Make your ear attentive to wisdom which inclines your heart to understand’ (ESVB, 2001).
Avoid Discrimination
ETHICS CASE STUDY 4
Executive coaches must respect and honor their clients’ cultures, and worldviews, respect
local laws and regulations, and should commit to inclusive, equitable, and non-discriminatory
practices (ICF Code of Ethics, n.d.). For example, an executive coach with a theistic worldview
could violate this ethical standard and push religious beliefs onto a client committed to Far
Eastern thought and mysticism. Additionally, clients with differing worldviews may feel
discriminated against if ethnocentric and unethical tactics are utilized in the coach-coachee
relationship strategy. Coaches can reduce the risk of violating this ethical standard by
recognizing their cognitive biases and working towards heightened moral maturity (Hullinger &
DiGirolamo, 2020).
Cultural Boundaries
ICF-certified coaches are responsible for maintaining culturally sensitive boundaries
governing personal and professional interactions (ICF Code of Ethics, n.d.). These boundaries
may be unintentionally violated if the coach lacks cultural intelligence and has a limited
worldview (Presbitero, 2020). An example of breaking a cultural limit could be related to a
Western-trained coach sharing overly personal information and displaying strong emotions;
however, a Japanese client could feel uncomfortable with this practice because it violates societal
norms and acceptable workplace standards (Chiang et al., 2020). Coaches could mitigate this
ethical violation by studying Hofestede’s cultural dimensions model and asking clients about
their cultures during the initial consultation (Budur, 2020).
Maintain Confidentiality
According to the ICF Code of Ethics (n.d.), certified executive coaches must maintain
agreed-upon client confidentiality and abide by laws surrounding personal data and distributed
communications. Clients who sign confidentiality agreements expect their information to be
ETHICS CASE STUDY 5
safeguarded and may lose trust and psychological safety when violations occur. Coaches could
inadvertently break agreed-upon confidentiality agreements by posting client data to a shared
drive or company network where others could gain access (Heitz & Leach, 2022). Coaches can
mitigate the impact of potential data breaches by leaving personally identifiable information off
of records, saving the information onto a personal, secured network, and password-protecting
client folders (Poritskiy et al., 2019).
Manage Conflicts of Interest
Executive coaches must resolve conflicts of interest surrounding the coach-client
relationship. Additionally, coaches may have to suspend or terminate services if the situation
cannot be rectified (ICF Code of Ethics, n.d.). Coaches may find themselves in a conflict-of-
interest scenario if they utilize their coaching relationship for personal gain (Birknerova et al.,
2022), such as using the client to seek a favorable position for a family member. The client may
perceive these behaviors as unethical and question the coach’s motives. Coaches and clients can
successfully mitigate these situations by following ICF standards and guidelines, being
transparent with the client as issues arise, and agreeing on a strategy to solve the perceived
conflict (Boysen-Rotelli, 2021).
Understand Societal Impact
According to the ICF Code of Ethics (n.d.), coaches must understand how their and
clients’ actions impact society and should commit themselves to doing good. Coaches and clients
can create and establish corporate social responsibility goals to help the client and their company
make social justice impact and positive societal change (Jarosz, 2021). For example, leaders
utilized coaches during the COVID-19 pandemic when rapid change upended traditional
business practices and organizations, demonstrating a greater need for employee-centered well-
ETHICS CASE STUDY 6
being and empathetic leadership practices (Jarosz, 2021). According to Boysen-Rotelli (2021),
coaching should center on the individual; however, organizational impact should remain at the
forefront.
Upholding Professional Relationships
Executive coaches must maintain professional relationships with their clients and avoid
romantic and sexual relationships in compliance with ethical conduct and professional standards
(ICF Code of Ethics, n.d.). Clients may form deep attachments to their coaches after working
through vulnerabilities, identifying strengths, and achieving goals. This type of coach-client
intimacy may lead to romantic feelings if the coach-client relationship lacks clear, concise
boundaries. Coaches can minimize this risk by establishing boundaries and ethical standards at
the beginning of the partnership (Graßmann et al., 2019).
Conclusion
According to Boysen-Rotelli (2021), the ICF was developed to standardize and legitimize
the coaching profession, and correlating core competencies and standards were created to hold
certified coaches to ethical standards, promoting a client-centered approach. Coaches are
responsible for sharing these competencies and ethical standards with clients to establish trust,
boundaries, and psychologically safe environments (ICF Code of Ethics, n.d.). Additionally,
these competencies and standards of behavior were implemented to remind coaches of client
obligations centered on creating growth opportunities, upholding professional, ethical
interactions, encouraging open-mindedness, and committing to lifelong learning.
ETHICS CASE STUDY 7
References
Birknerova, Z., Misko, D., & Zbihlejova, L. (2022). Determining the core competencies of a
coach: Design and validation of a new methodology. Behavioral Sciences, 13(1), 18.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13010018
Boysen-Rotelli, S. (2021). An introduction to professional and executive coaching (2nd ed.).
Information Age Publishing, Inc.
https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/reader/books/9781648022524
Budur, T. (2020). Effectiveness of transformational leadership among different cultures.
International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 7(3), 119-129.
http://eprints.tiu.edu.iq/id/eprint/390
Chiang, J. T. J., Chen, X. P., Liu, H., Akutsu, S., & Wang, Z. (2021). We have emotions but
can’t show them! Authoritarian leadership, emotion suppression climate, and team
performance. Human Relations, 74(7), 1082-1111.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726720908649
Graßmann, C., Schölmerich, F., & Schermuly, C. C. (2020). The relationship between working
alliance and client outcomes in coaching: A meta-analysis. Human Relations, 73(1), 35-
58. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726718819725
Heitz, H. K., & Leach, M. M. (2022). Ethical knowledge, dilemmas and resolutions in
professional coaching. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research, and
Practice, 15(2), 264-277. https://doi.org/10.1080/17521882.2022.2112247
Hullinger, A. M., & DiGirolamo, J. A. (2020). A professional development study: The lifelong
journeys of coaches. International Coaching Psychology Review, 15(1), 8-19.
https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsicpr.2020.15.1.8
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ICF Core Competencies (n.d.). International Coaching Federation.
https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies
ICF Code of Ethics (n.d.). International Coaching Federation.
https://coachingfederation.org/ethics/code-of-ethics
Jarosz, J. (2021). The impact of coaching on the well-being and performance of managers and
their teams during pandemic. International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and
Mentoring, 19(1), 4-27. https://doi.org/10.24384/n5ht-2722
Poritskiy, N., Oliveira, F., & Almeida, F. (2019). The benefits and challenges of general data
protection regulation for the information technology sector. Digital Policy, Regulation
and Governance, 21(5), 510-524.
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/DPRG-05-2019-0039/full/html
Presbitero, A. (2020). Foreign language skill, anxiety, cultural intelligence and individual task
performance in global virtual teams: A cognitive perspective. Journal of International
Management, 26(2), 100729.
Wefald, A. J. (2022). Coaching, listening, and leadership. Journal of Leadership Studies, 15(4),
58-62. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21793
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