ICF Membership
Your success and development as a coach are the top priority of ICF Professional Coaches, one of the six family organizations within the ICF ecosystem. ICF Professional Coaches offers a multitude of benefits to help you thrive in your career, from access to our vibrant global community to continuous learning opportunities to exclusive offers and resources.
Joining ICF aligns you with the world’s leading coaching organization, enhancing your profile and supporting your success — every step of the way.
Join a Community That Understands You
One of the most valuable aspects of ICF membership is being part of a community of peers who understand your challenges and celebrate your victories. With members worldwide, you’ll find opportunities to connect on both local and global levels.
ICF Engage
Available any time of the day from anywhere. Use our exclusive online platform ICF Engage to cultivate a network of meaningful relationships that open doors to valuable opportunities, unique experiences, and dynamic conversations.
ICF Chapters
With 140+ chapters in more than 90 countries and territories, finding a coaching community to call your own has never been easier. Our chapters connect you with a local network of like-minded individuals, all driven by a shared mission to make coaching a cornerstone of empowerment for current and future generations.
ICF Professional Coaches Board of Directors
The ICF Professional Coaches Board of Directors represents, serves, and advocates for all ICF members worldwide. It is a body of no more than nine elected individuals who guide the family organization’s efforts to lead the global advancement of the coaching profession through its members and chapters around the world. This board steers strategic development, creates policy, and leads the fiscal management and general oversight of ICF Professional Coaches.
The Board clearly defines its expectations, goals, and measures of success based on information and input from ICF staff.
Positions on the Board of Directors
In addition to director roles, the ICF Professional Coaches Global Board of Directors includes the following officer positions:
- Chair.
- Vice-chair.
- Secretary/treasurer.
- Director of member representatives.
- Global board representative.
Nomination and Election Process
When officer and/or director positions become available, there is a public call for candidates. The ICF Professional Coaches Nominating Committee reviews applications and invites select applicants to participate in an online interview. They then decide who appears on the ICF Professional Coaches Board ballot. Their selections are based on criteria for board membership, competencies required for the ICF Professional Coaches Board of Directors, and diversity and representation.
Once the ballot goes live, all ICF members in good standing are encouraged to vote for their candidates. According the ICF Professional Coaches bylaw, election results must be announced to ICF members by November 30 each year.
The nomination and election process typically takes place annually between August and November.
Requirements
Your voice and vision can make a profound impact! When you serve on the ICF Professional Coaches Board of Directors, you play a crucial role in guiding the direction of our membership and the coaching profession. This is your opportunity to contribute to meaningful governance, influence strategic decisions, and help shape a future where coaching thrives on a global scale.
Please review the following requirements for eligibility to serve on the ICF Professional Coaches Board of Directors. For additional information please see our bylaws.
Eligibility Criteria
- Active ICF membership in good standing for at least one year.
- Current ICF credential (ACC, PCC, or MCC).
- ICF committee service at the international level and/or demonstrated leadership at the local level (officer, board, or chair) preferred.
- Familiarity with ICF’s complex structure, current strategic plan, global initiatives and role in the global coaching industry.
- Consummate coaching professional who reflects the spirit, training, credentials, and integrity of the coaching profession.
Commitments
- Be available to serve a two-year term (with maximum of two terms if you choose).
- Generally, be able to dedicate up to 10 hours weekly to project work, meeting attendance, professional networking, and advocacy. An additional 10 hours weekly may be required of board officers.
- Attend at least two in-person board meetings.
- Attend and prepare for regular board tele-meetings (two or four hours each, pre-scheduled).
- Have flexibility and willingness to attend urgent or impromptu board conference calls.
- Be prepared and willing to lead the board, committee, and/or a task force.
- Attend part or entirety of a number of ICF-branded events.
- Participate in meetings/events in an ambassadorial capacity.
- Follow, participate, and contribute actively to online board discussions in a timely manner.
Desired Experience
- Senior-level leadership experience in large, multinational organizations (for-profit and/or nonprofit).
- Global business experience in operations and/or positions of influence.
- Previous board experience (private, public, or nonprofit).
- Experience working with professional services firms or third-party vendors.
- Experience leading volunteers within ICF, similar association or global organization.
- Deep understanding of the ICF ecosystem and emerging trends in the coaching profession.
Competencies
The following competencies are universal priorities across all ICF family organization boards. They are also considered necessary for successful service on the ICF Professional Coaches Board and are, therefore, among the most important factors reviewed during the application and interview process:
- Governance: Ability to lead and enhance board performance and effectiveness.
- Global Mindset: Ability to adopt the broadest possible view when attending to issues while accounting for different backgrounds and experiences.
- Collaboration: Ability to build rapport, deploy diplomacy, and effectively negotiate with various segments of stakeholders.
- Systemic Thinking: Ability to operate at a systemic level with an organization-wide lens.
- Change Agility: Ability to adapt, reconfigure, and redistribute efforts and resources in a timely manner in response to change.
Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
ICF encourages people from diverse backgrounds, institutions, and experiences to apply. ICF does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.