ICF: PRESENCE

In the 2021 video Updated ICF Core Competency 5: Maintains Presence by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), Pamela Richarde, Executive Coach and Coach Trainer, discusses the competency. Richarde explains that coaching presence is being fully conscious and present with the client and employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded, and confident.

Richarde further states that compassion and empathy are the foundation for what makes coaching distinct in the world from other professions in relation to communication. She suggests that this competency is not new, rather is a better articulated statement for what coaches have been doing for the past 20-30 years. 

She explains that a master of this competency understands quality of care for a client. This care clearly invites an emergence of the client by allowing the coach to be curious, ask follow-up questions, and find comfort in an observant but “not knowing” space.  

A coach struggling with this competency exhibits a “too fast to solution” pace that does not allow for the “curious” space between client-coach. ACC-level coaches often are not comfortable with the “not knowing” space and want to find a solution. PCC-level coaches demonstrate more comfort and flow, are naturally curious, and are not afraid to say “hmm…I don’t know…” MCC-level coaches are more “esoteric” because they embody the competencies and skills and naturally express these in their coaching profession.

PRESENCE — Fully Conscious, Open, Flexible, Grounded, Confident, Empathetic

• What is that about?
• I don’t know.
• What do we need to do today to make it worth your while in showing up?

REFLECTIONS
• Why do spacing? The pre-frontal cortex can only process 3-7 chunks of information at any one time.
• Brain needs to refresh focus every 20 minutes.
• Multi-tasking: it’s not worth it. 50% increase in time to complete and 50% reduction of efficiency.