The 2016 ICF Global Coaching Study Executive Summary outlines key findings from ICF’s large-scale global survey of the coaching industry.

This represents the third iteration of ICF’s research on the size and scope of the coaching profession. Since the publication of the benchmarking and follow-up study in 2007 and 2012, respectively, the coaching profession has continued to evolve. Moreover, as a growing number of individuals and organizations have adopted coaching, the use of coaching skills and
approaches have expanded beyond professionally trained coach practitioners to include managers, leaders, and human resources and talent development professionals who apply these competencies in their daily workplace interactions.

Based on survey responses from 15,380 coaches and managers/leaders using coaching skills, the summary includes details about coach practitioners, managers/leaders using coaching skills, and the coaching industry. It also provides insight into coaches’ income and revenue from coaching, as well as respondents’ experiences with and perspectives on coaching education and coach credentialing and their thoughts on future obstacles and opportunities facing the coaching industry.