Mentor Coaching Agreement
I am delighted to be able to work with you and look forward to a rich and rewarding experience. Signing up to coach mentoring makes a powerful statement about your commitment to professional development.
Having a clear Mentor Coaching Agreement establishes a foundation for our work together.
In agreeing to mentor coaching sessions, we commit to meeting at the agreed times and to making best use of the time.
Coach mentoring:
Like the relationship you have with your clients, our mentoring partnership will be one we design together. However, unlike a pure coaching approach, while mentoring I will offer guidance and suggestions for development. While we will do some goal setting and action planning, our focus will be on developing your coaching skills in line with the ICF core coaching competencies.
MENTOR COACHING FOR CREDENTIALING: THE ICF’S DEFINITION **
"Mentor Coaching for an ICF Credential consists of coaching and feedback in a collaborative, appreciative and dialogued process based on an observed or recorded coaching session to increase the coach's capability in coaching, in alignment with the ICF Core Competencies. "For purposes of credentialing exam requirements, mentor coaching means an applicant being coached on their coaching skills rather than coaching on practice building, life balance, or other topics unrelated to the development of an applicant’s coaching skill.”
BEING A MENTOR COACH For the ICF Credentialing Process
Definition by International Coach Federation:
"Providing professional assistance in achieving and demonstrating the levels of coaching competency demanded by the desired credential level sought by a coach applicant (mentee) (i.e. offering coaching on coaching skill / competency development)".
Mentoring sessions are designed to be a safe, non-judgmental, collaborative space for developing coaching skills. Together, we will be observing, coaching, identifying feedback and discussing the learning in relation to the ICF Core Competencies. In order to learn from the perspective of coach and observer, I highly recommend that you routinely listen back to a sample of your recorded coaching sessions. It is in the observation that we all get the opportunity to learn. Observation is in itself a powerful learning process, especially when combined with a structured feedback discussion with a mentor coach, focused around the observed
strengths and
stretches in relation to the ICF Core Competencies, and especially the PCC Markers.
- Strengths indicate those areas where the coach meets coaching standards/competencies or those behaviours the coach demonstrates that utilise the ICF Core Competencies in support of the client.
- Stretches indicate those areas where the coach needs to develop his/her coaching skills in order to better attain coaching standards/competencies or those areas where the coach could have utilised the ICF Core Competencies more fully to better support the client.
This kind of specific feedback and learning is one outcome of ICF credential focused mentoring sessions. The other invaluable outcome of our mentoring sessions is that you learn a process for thinking about and developing your coaching skills that will continue to serve you long after the session has ended. Wherever possible, recordings will be used for coaching observations. In a 60 minute one to one mentoring session, we usually listen to
excerpts from a coaching session, rather than
entire coaching sessions.
Process
- As per ICF Code of Ethics, ensure you have your client's permission for their recording to be used for credentialing and mentoring purposes.
- Typically, I highly recommend that you listen to the recorded session BEFORE our mentoring session and listen FOR strengths (ICF competencies demonstrated), stretches (possible missed opportunities) and queries (what could be done differently or better). I invite you to select your competency focus that you believe will most help you grow in our mentoring session.
- There is no need to send audio recordings to me in advance. At all times, your client's recording remains in your safe-keeping. You will be required to share your audio recording during our session, via Zoom.
- Many clients find it useful to email me a session transcript, especially if they are considering submitting a recording for credentialing purposes. A transcript is extremely useful in helping both mentor and mentee pinpoint exactly where coaching competencies have been demonstrated. You may also highlight segments you wish to focus on during our mentoring session.
Preparation
Observation and feedback in mentoring sessions are based on the ICF Core Competencies and, prior to the session, you should print, read and become familiar with the following documents:
Courtesy of Reciprocoach, you can also use the following feedback forms to support your learning. I recommend that you use one of these feedback sheets as you listen back to your recording, prior to our mentoring session. Self-review, against the ICF PCC Markers is one of the best ways to quickly develop your coaching skills.
- Digital ICF mentoring worksheet: If you can type while listening, this feedback form allows you to type your feedback and learning directly into the worksheet and then copy and paste your observations and learning directly onto the Feedback and Learning page to support each other in deepening and extending your learning. It provides a general focus on the competencies.
- Brief ICF feedback sheet: If you prefer handwriting, this feedback form gives you a general focus on the core competencies.
- Detailed ICF Core Competencies feedback sheet: If you prefer more detail, this handwritten feedback form provides specific focus on the behaviours associated with each competency.
- Detailed ICF PCC Markers feedback sheet: If you prefer more detail and are focusing on the PCC Markers, this handwritten feedback form provides specific focus on the PCC Marker behaviours associated with each competency.
Feedback and Mentoring HoursThe requirements for ICF credentialing are a minimum of 10 hours mentor coaching over at least three months, at least 3hr of which is one-to-one mentoring. Please note that the guidelines are a set as a minimum, additional sessions can be arranged as needed. You can find out further details about the requirements at
www.coachfederation.org
- I encourage you to share your mentoring focus at the beginning of each session, and review your progress towards your outcome with me throughout our session.
- If you have requested our mentoring session to be recorded, be sure to listen back to it as soon as possible.
- I invite you to share your observations, questions, feedback and learning after listening back to our mentoring session recording, as this helps both consolidate and extend your learning.
- It is important to also decide on how you plan to experiment with implementing your learning as you develop your coaching skills in practice.
- ICF verifies all mentor coaching hours with the mentor coach at the time of credential application, so be sure to let me know if you would like to include my name as (one of) your mentor coaches.
Mentoring is a partnership between two individuals, the mentor and the mentee. To make the most of our mentor coaching partnership,
As your mentor coach, you can expect me to:
- Model effective initiation and contracting of client relationship
- Explore fully with you as a mentee what you are looking to achieve
- Ensure we are both clear about the purpose of the mentoring
- Establish measures of success in partnership with you, the mentee
- Fully discusses fees, time frame, and other aspects of a mentor coaching relationship.
- Inform and brings alive the ICF code of ethics
- Inform you of the availability of the Ethical Conduct Review Board
- Support your self‐confidence
- Make no guarantee that as a result of the mentoring that you will obtain the credential level you are seeking.
- Verifying mentoring time and/or level of coaching competency observed.
- Demonstrate that I am learning about you, the mentee, at many levels at once, and am able to hold all of that in the context of
- Who you are
- What you are seeking
- Honouring your unique style
- Focus on core competency development by reviewing and providing oral feedback on a series of coaching sessions. These sessions are to be conducted one at a time, with a feedback session between each one, giving enough time between sessions to allow for incorporation of your learning and development.
- Provides specific verbal and/or written feedback, using targeted examples from the sessions so that:
- You know exactly what you are doing well.
- You understand what needs to be done to develop a deeper level of mastery in coaching.
- As an ICF Registered Mentor Coach and Reciprocoach Recommended Group and Individual Mentor Coach https://reciprocoach.com/recommended-mentors you can rest assured that I have completed specific mentor coach training, evaluation and continuous assessment against best practice process and standards.
(Reference: Mentor Coaching Duties and Competencies - Offered by the Association of Coach Training Organizations (ACTO) in partnership with the ICF, May 2011)
I expect that you, as my mentee will:
- practice and demonstrate what has been learned.
- decide upon the amount of help and guidance you need and articulate your needs to me as your mentor coach
- take the initiative to ask for help or advice and to tackle more challenging skills and competencies
- Listen and respect the opportunities, limitations and format of the relationship
- Use active listening skills during our discussions.
- Take notes when appropriate, ask good questions and have a purpose for your questions.
- Prepare the goals and objectives you have for your mentor coaching journey and share these
- Take the initiative to ask for feedback. Feedback, although difficult to hear at times, is critical to your personal and professional growth and development.
- Demonstrate that you are open to hear new ideas and suggestions to bring out your best and overcome any blind spots. Get feedback on specific issues, for example, how you come across to others. Ask for specific details to ensure you understand specific behaviours required to demonstrate coaching core competencies.
- Tell me, as your mentor, how you prefer to get feedback (for example, direct, with humour, softened).
- Don’t get defensive. Remember, providing honest feedback requires a level of risk on my behalf as your mentor. My intention is to give you the opportunity to improve yourself and help you to move towards your coach credential goal.
- Be thorough, but succinct in your explanations, experiences and comments.
- Seriously consider all advice or suggestions you receive. If you find yourself arguing why the mentor’s advice would not work, bring this up in with me as your mentor, or in coach supervision, as it may highlight an area for further exploration or insight.
- Demonstrate that you have followed advice or commitments for action at every opportunity, even if you have modified your plan.
- Sharing your wins, challenges and outcomes is an important part of the mentor coaching process.
- If you disagree with my values, behaviours, or attitudes, please discuss it with me directly, so we can reach a shared understanding of each others perspectives at the earliest opportunity
- Follow up with me after termination to keep in touch, to share your progress and to complete the Recipro-Coach Mentoring Feedback
Schedule: As agreed
Activities: Mentor coaching sessions as per ICF Recipro Mentor Coach Agreement
Permission: You give permission for our sessions to be recorded for the purposes of mentoring, supervision, ICF Credentialing and reflective learning. During recordings, I request that only first names are used to protect all participant's identities.
Procedure: You (the client) will meet virtually with me (your mentor coach) at pre-arranged times via Zoom as agreed.
Private Client Access: Everything we will be using in during our mentor coaching agreement (tools, forms, schedules, documents, resources, etc) will all be housed conveniently on a secured and confidential "Private Client Website." Upon agreeing to the terms of this coaching agreement, you will be given a unique username and password. At your convenience you may access this "Private Client Website" area to access, review and/or update the tools, documents, resources, etc that we’ll be using through our coaching.
Through this Private Client Website, in between our mentor coaching sessions, we will use email "post-session recaps" to enhance and anchor the benefits of your mentor coaching. This will create a "journaling" of your success and help us to optimise our sessions. In between each mentor coaching session you will have access to me via your Client Log tool so that you can celebrate progress or identify areas for discussion on our upcoming call.
Changes:
Re-scheduling or cancellations of appointments to be done at least 48 hours before planned date, or may incur loss of session. Late calls mean we’ll have less time for our work.
Problems:
Whether coaching or mentoring I strive to be honest and direct. You may find sessions with me challenging at times .For us to work effectively together, it is important that you tell me if you are uncomfortable with my approach. If I as your coach ever say or do anything in a session that you don’t feel comfortable with or if you have any concern with the way we are working, please let me know as soon as possible. To get the most from our time together, you will need to be accountable for taking actions you agree to.
Termination: Either party may terminate at any time, giving notice one week prior to next session.
Confidentiality: The coach recognises that anything the client shares is regarded as confidential, whether it is business or personal information. The coach undertakes not to, at any time, either directly or indirectly, use or disclose any information the client shares with them during their session, except within the scope of the ReciproCoach Agreement, for the purposes of ICF credentialing, mentor coaching and reflective practice. The recordings will be deleted once they have fulfilled this purpose. Email correspondence may be kept for up to 10 years.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Confidential Information" does not include information that is:
(a) previously known to the Coach prior to discussions regarding this Agreement, free from any obligation to keep it confidential, or
(b) publicly disclosed by the Client either prior to or subsequent to the receipt by the Coach of such information, or
(c) independently developed by the Coach without any access to Confidential Information, or
(d) rightfully obtained by the Coach from a third party lawfully in possession of Confidential Information who is not bound by confidentiality obligations to the Client.
The Coach may disclose Confidential Information if required to do so under applicable law, rule or order; provided that the Coach, where reasonably practicable and to the extent legally permissible, provides the Client with prior written notice of the required disclosure. The Coach will return, or at the Client's request, destroy, all copies of the Confidential Information in the Coach’s possession or control upon termination of this Agreement.
Your coaching sessions may at times be recorded. Such recordings are used for training and development purposes only and your anonymity will be preserved. Before sharing any of your session recordings with a coaching mentor, supervisor or assessor, I will always ask your written consent pertaining to the restricted release of a particular session recording first. You may also request a copy of any of your session recordings at anytime, and if a recording of that session has been made, it will be made accessible to you. You may also request that all your sessions be recorded, and all recordings made accessible to you at the end of each session. If you would prefer that none of your sessions are recorded, you may also advise me accordingly.
Data Privacy Policy
By accepting this Agreement, you acknowledge you have reviewed and accepted the terms provided in our Privacy Policy as well. CLICK HERE to open a separate window to read the Privacy Policy which includes important information such as:
- the data we collect
- how we use, store, transfer and protect it
- how your data might be shared
- how long the data will be retained for
- your legal data protection rights
Payment: The agreed Reciprocoach rate for ACC/PCC/MCC mentoring with a MCC Mentor Coach is €125 per hour or pro rata equivalent. Payment for the agreed number of sessions is made by PayPal or Electronic Bank Transfer in advance.
Nature of mentor coaching: Mentor Coaching services are not in any way to be construed as, or a replacement for, psychotherapy, legal counsel, or medical advice. You are responsible for creating your own decisions and results. You agree not to hold me, or any company I am affiliated with, liable for any outcomes resulting directly or indirectly from the mentor coaching process. Mentor Coaching results are not guaranteed. As the client, you enter into the mentor coaching with the full understanding that you are responsible for creating your own results.
Ethics
I am a member of three professional coaching bodies and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
As a credentialed member of the International Coach Federation (ICF), I adhere to the ICF's strict code of ethics. I abide by the code when I am coaching, mentoring or supervising clients.
As as a credentialed member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), I adhere to the Global Code of Ethics when I am coaching, mentoring or supervising clients.
As a credentialed member of the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC), I adhere to their Code of Ethics when I am coaching, mentoring or supervising clients, specifically on topics related to health and wellbeing.
As a pharmacist registered with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, I adhere to the Code of Conduct for Pharmacists, when I am practising as a pharmacist. NOTE: This agreement is a COACHING agreement, which does NOT include pharmaceutical services, advice or consultancy. If you desire pharmaceutical advice, services or consultancy, this requires a different agreement.
If either of us has an ethical query, or potential conflict of interest, we commit to naming that with one another in the first instance. If a concern still persists, we commit to discussing that with each other. If it remains unresolved, we retain the rights/responsibilities to follow our professional bodies codes of ethics/conduct guidelines.
Disclaimer regarding ICF credential assessment
Although I am an experienced coach mentor, and have completed the ICF PCC assessor training, as your mentor, for ethical reasons, I will not serve as an ICF assessor for your performance evaluation recordings. I commit to giving you thorough, evidence-based feedback on your coaching, but cannot guarantee that the official ICF assessors examining your accreditation submission will agree with my opinion.
By clicking accept, you indicate that you have read, understood and agree to abide by the above.
