AC Competency Framework - FAQs
1. Q: Why have you created an AC framework when there are so many others to draw from?
A: By creating the AC competency framework we add to the pool of perspectives which inform the coaching industry specifically of what behaviours, capabilities and knowledge is needed to be an excellent coach. This is a step forward.
2. Q: Could not yet another competency framework confuse coaches?
A: It could if coaches believe a competency framework is carved in stone and is definitive. The AC has approached this project with a different belief. A competency framework is a dynamic document which clarifies a perspective. It provides a shop window as to what the AC believes to be important. It is not definitive but a perspective, and amenable to alteration through time by the AC membership which it represents.
3. Q: What gives you the right to tell others what capabilities, beliefs and knowledge they need to be effective coaches?
A: A passion to see coaching become a fully fledged profession in the future, and the dedication to make it happen. The AC has a large and diverse membership base. This represents an excellent and professional resource, who collectively can provide a responsible and balanced perspective on the qualities of an excellent coach. It has been developed by coaches for coaches and will continue to be informed by our membership.
4. Q: How did you arrive at the competencies you have?
A: An invitation was sent out to the AC membership in early 2005, to provide their key competencies. After 6 months these were collated, and used as the basis to develop the AC competency framework. The team who developed the starting point for the framework was Jan Brause, Anne Morrison, John Driscoll, Phillip Foster and Bruce Grimley. This was done during the months of August and Early September and consisted of numerous email and 2 1 and a half hour tele conferences.
5. Q: How representative of the AC membership is your framework?
A: Not as many members came forward with ideas as we had hoped for! All together 13 AC members kindly spent time to frame what they believed was important in being an excellent coach. We would like to see ongoing suggestions and input into the framework so that it evolves in the same way as the profession.
6. Q: Does such a low involvement invalidate the Competency framework?
A: If by valid you mean can you generalise from the framework and say this is what the AC membership believe to be core to coaching, then the answer would be yes. We also believe the AC competency framework to be a valid document as it represents the start of a project which will be built upon. The document will organically grow as other AC members contribute in the future. There is an expectation it will become more valid in the above sense, the longer the project continues.
7. Q: How will the competency framework grow?
A: AC members are free to email the competency team to provide any additions, deletions, or amendments they would like to see. These will be collated and discussed by the competency team quarterly. If a sufficient number of comments are saying the same thing, and the competency team agree this is relevant, subject to ratification by the AC council such competencies will be added to the growing, (or diminishing) list of competencies. The competency team will of course be available to field any enquiries from AC members.
8. Q: What was the rationale behind the AC competency project?
A: The rationale was that since competencies became popular in the 1980's, they have become a useful way of clearly defining the characteristics of excellence in performance. At this time in the evolution of professional coaching it was believed by the team clarification of who coaches are and what they do was essential in supporting end users and coaches alike. Each competency has both positive and negative indicators and a rationale. The indicators describe the capability, and the rationale describes the thinking behind the inclusion of the capability.
A further rationale was that by creating such a process the AC would be inviting individual coaches to become more constructively critical of their professional identity and behaviours. This can only be good for individual coaches and the industry as a whole at present.
9. Q: Are the ethical guidelines, best coaching practice and accreditation program in any way linked to the competency framework?
A: The competency framework began development at the same time as the accreditation scheme and after the best practice and ethical guidelines were produced. It is inconceivable that these other processes have not influenced the formation of certain competencies in one way or the other. However the source data for the framework follows the process described above. In this way the competency framework ideally needs to align itself with accreditation, ethical practice and best practice, however it may often be the case in a dynamic culture which the AC has that the competency project might in some instances drive those other processes.
