Ethical Guidelines for My Coaching Practice

As a coach I adhere to the following ethical guidelines regarding
my professional conduct as a whole:

1. I will conduct myself in a manner that reflects positively upon the coaching profession and I will refrain from engaging in conduct or making statements that may negatively impact the public's understanding or acceptance of coaching as a profession. I will proactively engage in the development of
   the public's accurate and positive understanding and acceptance of coaching as a profession.
2. I treat my colleagues, competitors, and the coaching profession with honor and respect.
3. I will respect different approaches to coaching.
4. I will not knowingly make any public statements that are untrue or misleading, or make false claims in any written documents relating to the coaching profession.
5. I will be aware of any issues that may potentially lead to the misuse of my influence by recognizing the nature of coaching and the way in which it
   may affect the lives of others.
6. I will proactively keep myself on a growing edge personally and professionally.
7. I will at all times strive to recognize personal issues that may impair, conflict or interfere with my coaching performance or my professional relationships. Whenever the facts and circumstances necessitate, I will promptly seek professional assistance and determine the action to be taken, including suspending or terminating my coaching relationship(s), if appropriate.
8. As a trainer or supervisor of current and potential coaches, I will conduct myself in accordance with these ethical guidelines in all training and supervisory situations.
9. I will conduct and report research with competence, honesty and within recognized scientific standards. My research will be carried out with the necessary approval or consent from those involved, and with an approach that will reasonably protect participants from any potential harm. All research efforts will be performed in a manner that complies with the laws of the country in which the research is conducted.
10. I will honor the efforts and contributions of others and not misrepresent them as my own.

My ethical guidelines specifically regarding my clients are the following:

1. I agree to hold the client's Big "A" Agenda and little "a" agenda so as to point the client to Fulfillment, Balance, and Process as well as Forwarding the Action and Deepening the Learning.
2. I align with the belief that my clients are naturally creative, resourceful,
   and whole, capable of finding their own answers. I hold myself as naturally creative, resourceful, and whole as well, in service of holding clients this way.
3. I shall manage my own saboteurs in such a way that they do not deter the client's progress and in such a way that enables me to hold the client's agenda rather than mine.
4. I will design alliances with my clients in service to their greatest good. I
   will invite them to initiate the alliance-designing process as they deem necessary and good.
5. I will train my clients in coaching concepts in service of them bringing more of themselves to the coaching relationship and to their lives.
6. I will construct clear agreements with my clients, and will honor all agreements made in the context of professional coaching relationships.
7. I will ensure that, prior to or at the initial session, my coaching client understands the nature of coaching, the bounds of confidentiality, financial arrangements and other terms of the coaching agreement.
8. I will accurately identify my qualifications, expertise and experience as a coach.
9. I will not intentionally mislead or make false claims about what my client will receive from the coaching process or from me as their coach.
10. As a professional coach I do not enter into financial agreements with my clients based on results of the client.
11. When I enter into agreements with corporations, I hold the individuals as
    my clients, and respect their right to confidentiality.
12. I will not give my clients or prospective clients information or advice I know or believe to be misleading.
13. I will not knowingly exploit any aspect of the coach-client relationship for my personal, professional, or monetary advantage or benefit.
14. I will respect the client's right to terminate coaching at any point during
    the process.
15. I will be alert to indications that the client is no longer benefiting from our coaching relationship and will seek to redesign the alliance to create
    benefit for the client. If indicated that the client will indeed no longer benefit from the coaching relationship with me or is complete with
    coaching in general, I will terminate the relationship in a holding-the-client's-Big-A-agenda way.
16. I endeavor to champion and/or see the growing edges in my clients. In the cases when I am unable to do so, I refer these clients to coaches who I believe will serve the clients better.
17. If I believe the client would be better served by another coach, or by
    another resource, I will encourage the client to make a change.
18. I will suggest that my clients seek the services of other professionals when deemed appropriate or necessary.
19. I will be responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern any physical contact that I may have with my clients.
20. I will not become sexually involved with any of my clients.
21. I will take all reasonable steps to notify the appropriate authorities in the event a client discloses an intention to endanger self or others.
22. As a professional coach I do not break the law for my clients. I do not act as an accomplice to my clients' acts of violence.

My ethical guidelines regarding confidentiality/privacy are the following:

1. I will respect the confidentiality of my client's information, except as otherwise authorized by my client, or as required by law.
2. I hold the content of my relationships with my clients as confidential. Even the names of my clients are confidential unless the client gives me permission to mention or use his/her name.
3. I will obtain agreement from my clients before releasing their names as clients or references or any other client-identifying information.
4. I will obtain agreement from the person being coached before releasing information to another person compensating me.
5. I will accurately create, maintain, store and dispose of any records of work done in relation to the practice of coaching in a way that promotes confidentiality and complies with any applicable laws. 
6. I will use ICF member contact information (email addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) only in the manner and to the extent authorized by the ICF.

My ethical guidelines regarding conflicts of interest are as follows:

• I will seek to avoid conflicts between my interests and the interests of my clients.
• Whenever any actual conflict of interest or the potential for a conflict of interest arises, I will openly disclose it and fully discuss with my client how to deal with it in whatever way best serves my client.
• I will disclose to my client all anticipated compensation from third parties that I may receive for referrals of that client.
• I will only barter for services, goods or other non-monetary remuneration when it will not impair the coaching relationship.