Principle 1

To keep at the core of coaching the purpose of developing capacity for reflective practice in the client

1. Demonstrates Psychological mindedness

1. Contracts for psychological intervention
   • Makes explicit the value of psychological mindedness in coaching and supervision, and of the intention to go beyond consideration of the ‘coach-as-coach’ to explore the ‘coach-as-person’ where it might be relevant to their coaching work
   • This will be evidenced in how the coach creates trust and a space for learning and engages with the client through the contracting process

2. Facilitates deeper self-awareness in Client 

1. • Holds the relational space open to give thoughts and feelings time to emerge, allowing periods of silence where appropriate. Avoids rushing the client or pushing for premature closure
   • Picks up and reflects on underlying nuances e.g. seemingly abrupt changes of subject or what is not being said

3. Demonstrates awareness of client’s state of mind

1. • Shows awareness of the clients’s state of mind, level of arousal, mood and feelings by attending to non-verbal and well as verbal communication, and where appropriate by facilitating the clients’s processing of those feelings. This will be evident through the questions, observations and reflections that the coach offers to the client
   • Where appropriate, shows sensitivity to and concern for such feelings though the expression of empathy and care

4. Demonstrates self-awareness

1. • Demonstrates distinction between their ‘experiencing self’ and ‘observing self’ through reference to their own feelings and experience in response to what is happening in the session
   • Works with parallel process and encourages the coach to do the same

5. Refines coach’s understanding of psychological issues

1. • Where appropriate and within the terms of the contract, the coach may use issues raised in client work, their observations of the client, or their own relationship with the client to illustrate particular psychological principles or models

Principle 2

To do no harm, by recognising boundaries and staying within the limits of their competence

2. Facilitates the process

• Creates clear contracts and renegotiates as required
• Able to explain what coaching is
• Ensures an effective working alliance built on trust and collaboration
• Agrees outcomes and establishes processes to evaluate effectiveness
• Monitors and evaluates the supervisory process
• Assesses coach competency and recommends further interventions as required

3. Ensures ethical and professional behaviours for the benefit of clients

4. Ensures ethical and professional behaviours for the benefit of clients

Principle 3

To ensure the client receives best possible service at all times

5. Demonstrates credibility as a coach

• Is able to role model coaching and demonstrate essential attributes and ways of being. E.g. reflective, client focused, collaborative
• Shares where appropriate their own knowledge and experience, and is able to explain how their reflections have informed and shaped their practice

6. Enables value creation for clients and their stakeholders

• Provides perspectives of wider contexts/ stakeholders
• Explores the clients understanding of wider context and enables coach to consider how best to serve client in the context of the stakeholder needs of the client

Principle 4

7. The ability to surface and manage Group Dynamics

• Demonstrates flexibility in style of facilitation appropriate to group
• Manages the behaviours of individuals within the group
• Raises awareness of group dynamics impacting on the group effectiveness and invites the group to explore them
• Identifies group dynamics which may relate to the parallel process of the coach – client system

8. Competence in Facilitation Skills

• Creates a safe space for all group members
• Eliciting the knowledge of the group members
• Works purposefully for the group members mutual and collective benefit
• Holds the accountability for ensuring the time is used equitably amongst participants, whilst sharing responsibility with all those present