Blog

Since publishing our earlier article on the ICF Mentor Coach Specialisation (MCS), many coaches have continued reaching out with practical questions and concerns. This post is designed as an ongoing Questions and Answers discussion space where you can ask questions and we can share answers based on the information currently available. Rather than responding individually to emails, we will answer broader questions here so that the responses can support the wider coaching community and ongoing discussion.

If you've been trying to make sense of the new ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) changes lately, you are definitely not alone. Across the global coaching community right now, there is a great deal of discussion, confusion, clarification and interpretation happening as coaches, mentor coaches and training providers all try to understand what these changes mean in practice. The changes are substantial, the timelines are relatively short, and new information is still continuing to emerge. At the same time, we also believe these changes represent a very important and very positive step forward for the coaching profession. For many years, mentor coaching has varied enormously in quality, structure and developmental rigour across the industry. The new MCS framework is designed to increase consistency, professionalism, accountability and developmental quality in mentor coaching worldwide. In many ways, this is exactly the direction ReciproCoach has already been moving toward for more than a decade. Since 2016, ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training and Group Mentor Development has focused heavily on: structured observation of coaching competency-based feedback developmental mentor coaching processes ongoing mentor coach education reflective practice and supervision alignment with evolving ICF standards, including the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies and Minimum Skills Requirements So while the current changes may feel overwhelming, hopefully there is also some reassurance in knowing that if you have been learning, mentoring, observing, reflecting and developing within the ReciproCoach community, you are already building strong foundations for the direction the profession is now moving. At ReciproCoach, we've been following the MCS updates very closely and working hard behind the scenes to: monitor new information and clarifications released by the ICF translate complex updates into practical guidance review and update our mentor coach training pathways develop accessible and affordable support and training options support existing mentor coaches in preparing for the new requirements without needing to start from scratch Navigating the MCS changes To help the community navigate the changes, we've now created a detailed MCS updates page summarising the latest information currently available, including: the key 2027 transition dates the new MCS pathways Credit for Prior Learning requirements group mentor coaching implications ICF evaluation training requirements enhanced mentor coaching and documentation changes what coaches and mentor coaches should be doing now Read the full MCS update here. We have also created a separate page specifically for coaches who have previously completed ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training. This explains how earlier ReciproCoach training fits into the new MCS requirements and what additional steps, if any, may still be needed. Read the Mentor Coach Training upgrade information here. For coaches who are preparing for the MCS via the Credit for Prior Learning Pathway and still need mentor coach education aligned with the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies, you can view the full ReciproCoach MCS-Aligned Mentor Coach Training here. The training is currently being offered at early bird pricing for the first one hundred participants, and while the ICF continues finalising elements of the MCS rollout and implementation requirements. View MCS Mentor Coach Training Early bird pricing limited to the first 100 participants While there are still some areas awaiting final clarification from the ICF, the overall direction is becoming increasingly clear: mentor coaching is becoming more rigorous, more developmental, more documented and ultimately more effective. In many ways, these changes formalise and validate the kind of mentor coaching approach ReciproCoach has been advocating, training and delivering for well over a decade. We'll continue updating our pages, training and support options as further information becomes available. About the author Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC, is the founder and global coordinator of ReciproCoach. Kerryn has been coaching since 2002 and her PhD explored the learning processes underpinning coaching. Since 2005, she has been dedicated to making ongoing professional and personal development through coaching, mentoring and supervision more accessible to coaches around the world. Drawing on both educational and coaching expertise, Kerryn creates collaborative, practice-based learning opportunities that support reflective practice, meaningful development and high-quality coaching.

A step-by-step guide shared by Betsy Block, PCC, ReciproCoach Mentor and Supervisor. One of the benefits of belonging to the ReciproCoach community is being part of a coaching community where colleagues support each other not only through coaching, but also by sharing knowledge, experience and resources. This article is one such example. Many thanks to ReciproCoach mentor and supervisor Betsy Block, PCC, for generously sharing the process she used to identify five successful mentees for her ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) Prior Learning Pathway application. Is this guide for you? This guide is intended for mentor coaches who have provided mentor coaching independently, including through ReciproCoach. It is particularly relevant for mentor coaches who work independently outside of an ICF-accredited education program, including ReciproCoach group mentors, recommended mentors, and mentors participating in individual mentoring rounds. If your mentor coaching was provided through an ICF-accredited training provider, they will usually issue you with a letter of attestation directly and you may not need to track this evidence yourself. If you are planning to apply for the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) via the Prior Learning Pathway, one of the requirements is demonstrating that you have successfully mentored coaches who later earned an ICF credential within the last three years. For many mentor coaches, particularly those who mainly facilitated group mentoring sessions or one-off individual mentoring sessions, the mentoring relationship may have developed organically over time. In many cases, mentors did not necessarily follow mentees all the way through to their credential application, and record keeping may not always have included whether the mentee ultimately achieved their credential. As a result, tracking and verifying this information retrospectively can take more time than expected. If you have maintained organised mentor coaching records, you may already have much of this information available. However, you will still need to identify which mentees successfully achieved a credential. The following process is the system that worked for Betsy, along with a few additional tips from ReciproCoach to make the process easier. How to Track and Verify Your Successful Mentor Coaching Clients Step 1: Search your email archives for ICF Mentor Coaching Notification emails Each time a coach who received mentor coaching from you applies for an ICF credential and lists you as their mentor coach, ICF typically sends an email with the subject line: "ICF Mentor Coaching Notification" Search your email archives for this subject line and review the emails one by one. These emails can help you verify: Who identified you as their mentor coach Approximate mentoring dates Which credential they were applying for If you are a ReciproCoach group mentor, you can also review your mentoring session history through ReciproCoach to identify participants who attended your mentoring sessions. As you work through this process, begin collating the following information: Name: the mentee’s full name Mentoring Date(s): important if the coach later achieved multiple credentials over time Credential Level: if you were mentoring a group of mentees at different credential levels, you may not know this until the next step in the process Step 2: Cross-reference and organise your records Create a spreadsheet or tracking document to organise your evidence. Add names from your session records Add names from ICF notification emails Cross-reference dates where possible Highlight any coaches you believe may have successfully achieved their credential Step 3: Verify credentials via the ICF directory For each person on your list, ICF members can verify credentials via the ICF directory here. When checking credentials, make sure you: Look for the date the credential was awarded Only include mentees whose credential was awarded after the mentoring took place Only include mentor coaching connected to a new credential application. Under the current Prior Learning Pathway guidance, mentor coaching provided for credential renewals cannot be used towards an MCS application. Automation Tips: Save Time with AI If you have a large number of mentees or mentoring sessions to review, AI tools may help speed up the process. Add your ReciproCoach mentoring records to an AI tool such as Claude and ask it to extract mentee names, dates and mentoring details automatically Be mindful of coaching ethics and confidentiality. You may need to de-identify records by removing surnames before uploading them to any third-party platform Connect your Gmail account to an AI tool to help search for “ICF Mentor Coaching Notification” emails and extract relevant details Use AI tools to cross-reference mentoring records against ICF notification emails and identify likely matches That’s it. While identifying and verifying your five successful mentees may initially feel overwhelming, these three relatively straightforward steps can make the process much more manageable. For many mentor coaches, particularly those who have been mentoring for years across multiple settings and platforms, much of the required evidence already exists. It simply needs to be located, organised and cross-referenced. Hopefully Betsy’s process, along with the additional tips shared here, helps make your MCS Prior Learning Pathway preparation clearer, easier and less time-consuming. Preparing for the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) Prior Learning Pathway? ReciproCoach offers a comprehensive ICF Mentor Coach Training program designed to help mentor coaches develop mentor coaching skills in line with the MCS requirements and prepare for the upcoming 2027 mentor coach changes. The training includes mentor coach education aligned with the ICF Mentor Coaching Competencies, practical mentor coaching experience, and extensive resources related to the updated 2025 ICF documentation and Minimum Skills Requirements.

Coaching ‘homework’, sometimes referred to as coaching ‘commitments’, ‘action’, ‘experiments’ or ‘practice’, or more formally as inter-session activity, is a widely used coaching practice. While coaching conversations can create powerful insight, much of the change is thought to happen between sessions. This is where clients begin to apply their learning, try out new approaches, and begin to embed new ways of thinking and acting. In many ways, this is the work of coaching.   Yet despite its importance and prevalence, there is surprisingly little research on coaching homework, and there is ongoing debate among coaches about what it should look like in practice. Some coaches actively assign homework, while others prefer for actions to emerge organically from the session. There are also differing views on how much structure, accountability or follow-up is appropriate. The language itself is not neutral. The term ‘homework’ can imply a hierarchy of power, which may sit uneasily within a partnership approach to coaching. At the same time, coaches can feel challenged when clients do not follow through, raising questions about what influences completion and the impact this has on coaching outcomes. This article draws on a systematic review of inter-session activities across coaching, counselling and therapy to explore what the evidence tells us about what works, who should decide, and what matters most.     Read full article here: https://reciprocoach.com/en/coaching-research/199

Coaches are trained to ask open questions. And for the most part, we do. But many of the 'open' questions we ask are not quite as open as they seem and still subtly direct our clients. "What do you think?" "How do you feel?" "What do you see?" Each of these questions invites reflection, but they also channel it into thinking, feeling, or seeing. In so doing, these 'open' questions quietly influence how our clients process their experience, and limit the depth of our partnership. Open-channel questioning works differently. Rather than opening the answer, open-channel questions open the way the client arrives at the answer. They remove the words that channel our clients' processing, and allow them to respond in whatever way is most natural and meaningful to them. This is where questioning becomes a powerful tool for partnering with our clients, as our questions can either limit that partnership or fully open it. For a third year running, ReciproCoach is offering a group mentoring session dedicated to developing the skill of open-channel questioning. Led by MCC Melanie Parish, this session is fast-paced, highly interactive, and practical. An open-channel questioning bootcamp, with live coaching, stop-and-start guidance, and immediate application, participants experience how quickly questions can narrow a client's thinking, and what it takes to keep question channels open. You will practise open-channel questioning, notice your own default patterns, and begin to reprogram how you ask questions in real time. You will experience the difference both as coach and as client, and develop a skill you can take directly into your very next coaching conversation. This session also qualifies for 1.5 MCC group mentoring hours or ICF Core Competency CCEs. Register Now Register by April 29   The 2025 ICF Core Competencies place strong emphasis on partnering, responsiveness, and respect for the client's identity, perceptions, style and language. Open-channel questioning supports all of these. It nurtures openness and curiosity, enables true responsiveness, and requires us, as coaches, to let go of subtly directing the process and become more comfortable working in a space of not knowing. Once you experience open-channel questioning, you start to hear your own questions differently. You notice where you are subtly directing, and begin to fully open the coaching space for the kind of transformation that only happens when both you and your clients step outside default channels and into the open channels of the unknown. Observer-only option Can't attend live or missed out on a place? You can still learn from the session as an observer at a fraction of the live participant price and receive access to the recording, along with any written or visual materials used in the session. Register as an observer here.   Supporting you in your ongoing learning and development, Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC Global ReciproCoach Coordinator

Here are the ReciproCoach learning and development opportunities open for registration in April. Dates are listed in US ET, and registration typically closes the week before. This Month's Featured Event Open-Channel Questioning with MCC, Melanie Parish (2026/5) May 6, 2026 Register by Apr 29, 2026  Register   All April Learning and Development Events (NOTE: Dates below are for US ET) 8  APRIL  Casual Group Supervision Session (2026/4.2) For coaches who are currently coaching individuals and looking to engage in a one-off group supervision session. This 1.25-hour session includes active reflection, discussion and learning based on recent coaching practice, under the guidance of a qualified coaching supervisor within a collaborative group setting. Register Register by Apr 7, 2026 8  APRIL  General Coaching - Experienced Coaches (2026/4.1) For experienced coaches with 100 or more client coaching hours. This reciprocal peer coaching round offers practice across a range of client topics, with partners typically matched at a similar level of experience. Register Register by Apr 5, 2026 General Coaching - Student/New Coaches (2026/4.2) For student and new coaches with fewer than 100 client coaching hours. This reciprocal peer coaching round offers practice across a range of client topics, with partners typically matched at a similar level of experience. Register Register by Apr 5, 2026 ACC Group Mentoring (2026/4.1) For coaches applying for their ACC credential and working towards ACC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an ACC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full 9  APRIL  ACC/PCC Group Mentoring (2026/4.2) For coaches applying for or renewing their ACC and working towards PCC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with a PCC-level competency focus and distinctions at the ACC level. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full 13  APRIL  ACC Group Mentoring (2026/4.3) For coaches applying for their ACC credential and working towards ACC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an ACC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full 15  APRIL  Business Coaching - Student/New Coaches (2026/4.4) For student and new coaches with fewer than 100 client coaching hours who want to grow their coaching business. This reciprocal peer coaching round focuses on business development through coaching on real business goals with a matched partner. Register Register by Apr 12, 2026 Business Coaching - Experienced Coaches (2026/4.3) For experienced coaches with 100+ client coaching hours who want to grow their coaching business. This reciprocal peer coaching round focuses on business development through coaching on real business goals with a matched partner. Register Register by Apr 12, 2026 PCC Group Mentoring (2026/4.4) For coaches working towards PCC-level coaching, including those applying for their PCC or renewing their ACC. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with a PCC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Register Register by Apr 9, 2026 16  APRIL  ACC/PCC Group Mentoring Series (2026/4) For coaches applying for or renewing their ACC credential and working towards PCC-level coaching who prefer to work with the same group of peers across three sessions. This 3-session interactive mentoring series includes observation, discussion and learning, with a PCC-level competency focus and distinctions at the ACC level, and an opportunity for every participant to submit a recording or coach live. Register Register by Apr 9, 2026 MCC Casual Group Supervision Session (2026/4.1) For MCC-credentialed coaches looking to engage in a one-off group supervision session with other MCC coaches under the guidance of a qualified MCC coaching supervisor. This 1.25-hour session includes active reflection, discussion and learning based on recent coaching practice with peers, with the option to continue. Register Register by Apr 9, 2026  20  APRIL  ACC Group Mentoring (2026/4.5) For coaches applying for their ACC credential and working towards ACC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an ACC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full 22  APRIL  PCC to MCC Group Mentoring (2026/4.6) For PCC-credentialed coaches working towards MCC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an MCC-level competency focus and distinctions at the PCC level. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Register Register by Apr 16, 2026 23  APRIL  Internal Coaches Casual Supervision Group Session (2026/4.1) For internal coaches who are currently coaching within organisations and looking to engage in a one-off group supervision session. This 1.25-hour session includes active reflection, discussion and learning based on recent internal coaching practice, under the guidance of an experienced internal coaching supervisor within a collaborative group setting. Register Register by Apr 16, 2026 28  APRIL  Casual Group Supervision Session (2026/4.1) For coaches who are currently coaching individuals and looking to engage in a one-off group supervision session. This 1.25-hour session includes active reflection, discussion and learning based on recent coaching practice, under the guidance of a qualified coaching supervisor within a collaborative group setting. Register Register by Apr 21, 2026 29  APRIL  ACC Group Mentoring (2026/4.7) For coaches applying for their ACC credential and working towards ACC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an ACC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Register Register by Apr 22, 2026 29  APRIL  Client-Attraction Website Peer Coaching (2026/4) For coaches who are not yet consistently generating leads from their website or are building or refining one. This peer coaching round combines expert guidance and peer support to create a clear, credible and engaging site that encourages visitors to reach out. More info here. Register Register by Apr 26, 2026 Client-Attraction Website Peer Coaching (2026/4-Past Participants) For coaches who have previously participated in the Make Your Website Work Peer Coaching Round or already have access to the Guide. This round provides the opportunity to revisit and further develop your website without repurchasing the Guide. Register Register by Apr 26, 2026 30  APRIL  ACC/PCC Group Mentoring (2026/4.8) For coaches applying for or renewing their ACC and working towards PCC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with a PCC-level competency focus and distinctions at the ACC level. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full 4  MAY  ACC Group Mentoring (2026/5.1) For coaches applying for their ACC credential and working towards ACC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with an ACC-level competency focus. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Full ACC/PCC Group Mentoring (2026/5.2) For coaches applying for or renewing their ACC and working towards PCC-level coaching. This 1.5-hour interactive session includes observation, discussion and learning, with a PCC-level competency focus and distinctions at the ACC level. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Register Register by Apr 28, 2026 6  MAY  Open-Channel Questioning with MCC, Melanie Parish (2026/5) For coaches at all levels looking to deepen their questioning skills. This 1.5-hour interactive session focuses on open-channel questioning through live coaching, practice and feedback. An observer-only option is also available for this session, allowing you to learn in your own time by listening to the session recording. Register Register by Apr 29, 2026 ANYTIME  On Demand Learning ICF ACC Individual Mentoring (Paid) ICF PCC Individual Mentoring (Paid) ICF MCC Individual Mentoring (Paid) ICF ACC Renewal Individual Mentoring (Reciprocal) ICF PCC Individual Mentoring (Reciprocal) ICF MCC Individual Mentoring (Reciprocal) Individual Supervision UPDATED ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training (Paid/2026) UPDATED ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training (Reciprocal) UPDATED ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training (Upgrade-Only) Register In addition to the opportunities above, we encourage you to plan your learning and development beyond this month. There are always several months of events open for registration .Membership credits and discounts apply to all standard rounds shown in blue above. Non-standard rounds appear in white and are not eligible for membership credits or discounts. Supporting you in your ongoing learning and development Kerryn Griffiths, PhD, PCC Global ReciproCoach Coordinator Give another coach the opportunity to develop themselves personally and professionally by letting them know about ReciproCoach. As a thanks for helping to grow our community (giving us all more choice for coaching, mentoring and supervision), we'll reward you .       ReciproCoach.com  coordinator@reciprocoach.com  +1 (323) 486-2542  Share         

Most coaches have websites, but few actually work. How many clients has your website brought you in the last week, month, year, or ever?   There are two parts to the equation of a working website. One is getting website traffic. The second is knowing what to do with visitors once they arrive.   Traffic → Website → Call → Client   Kenn Schroder, website designer for coaches for over 20 years and author of The Coaching Website Guide, says the problem is that many coaching websites are a MESS! They’re confusing, weak at showing value, low on credibility, and poor at leading visitors to take action.   This is exactly what our Create a Client-Attraction Website Peer Coaching Round is designed to address.   In this round, you will combine peer coaching with expert guidance from Kenn Schroder through The Coaching Website Guide (book is included in the round). You will work with two peer coaching partners (one is your coach and the other your client), providing the structure and support needed to do the work to make your website FLOW:   Focused on the client and clear in its message Legitimately building credibility and trust Organized to bring leads and guide people to the next step Working perfectly everywhere, especially on mobile   Whether you're building a new website or revising an existing one, this specialised peer coaching round gives you the structure, support, and accountability to create a website that attracts clients.   Register here. If you participated in the Make Your Website Work Peer Coaching Round in the past and are due to update or further refine your website, you’re welcome to join again. Past participants can register without purchasing the book again here, making this round a simple way to revisit and build on your previous work.   In fact, I plan to do that myself!

With the digital age evolving at such a rapid pace, and AI on the rise (see this month's Coaching Research in Practice article, "Can AI Outperform a Human Coach?"), coaching ethics is increasingly coming into the spotlight.   Every day, thousands of coaching sessions are recorded and shared across the globe, between coaches, mentors, assessors, and credentialing bodies, as well as transcription and other AI-based services. Digital platforms store, transmit, and analyse these conversations as a matter of course. And with the rapid rise of AI tools, technology is now interacting with coaching conversations in ways that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.   Against this backdrop, the ethical foundations of coaching matter more than ever. Confidentiality, data security, clear agreements about how information is shared, and careful management of roles and relationships all sit at the heart of professional coaching practice.   In light of the changes that have occurred even in the last few years, and our commitment to professional responsibility in an increasingly digital coaching environment, ReciproCoach has updated its Privacy Policy to reflect current coaching ethics, contemporary international standards and improve transparency about how personal information is collected, used and protected when you use our Website and Services. The updated Privacy Policy will take effect immediately for new members and on April 1, 2026 for existing members, giving you time to review the changes before they go into effect. Naturally, if you do not agree with the updated Privacy Policy, you may close your account before the effective date.   On that note, if you have recently been tempted to coach someone close to you, you may be interested to know that our next Gift Coaching Round is coming up. It allows you to offer coaching to a loved one without coaching them yourself. Your loved one is coached by another ReciproCoach, while you coach someone else's loved one in return. This enables you to support someone close to you without taking on the complexities of coaching them directly.   Our Gift Coaching Rounds are designed to help you bypass the ethical tightrope that can arise when coaching someone too close to you. If you have 100+ client coaching hours and someone in your life who would benefit from coaching but is too close for you to coach directly, you may wish to join the next round. Register here. Registrations close 29 March 2026. Before registering, please ensure your chosen recipient is willing and able to participate in all four sixty-minute sessions.   As coaching continues to evolve in an increasingly digital and interconnected world, ReciproCoach is here to support coaches in navigating the ethical considerations that come with professional practice.