Code of Ethics

My Definition of Coaching

Coaching provides an ongoing professional relationship that helps people produce transformational results in their leadership, their careers and the organizations they work for. Through the process of coaching, clients can deepen their personal insight, improve their leadership behaviour and enhance their sense of wellbeing.

My approach to coaching concentrates on helping clients understand both where they are now and how they can get to where they want to be in the future. In each session, I ask the client to choose the focus for the conversation. My role is then to listen and contribute observations, questions and commercial and leadership expertise. This interaction helps clients create clear options for action and the motivation to move forward in a positive spirit. Ultimately though, it is essential to recognize that results are a matter of the client’s own intentions, choices, activities and behaviour.

My Standards of Ethical Conduct

For all of my coaching clients, I commit to:

  1. Accurately identify my qualifications, expertise and experience as a coach and make no false claims about what any client is likely to receive from the coaching process.
  2. Ensure that, at the time of our first session together, the client understands the nature of coaching, the bounds of confidentiality, the financial arrangements and any other terms of the coaching agreement.
  3. Carefully create, maintain and store confidential records of the client’s contact details and notes of the topics covered in our conversations to support the effectiveness of the coaching over time. All data held about my clients will be processed in line with the Privacy Policy outlined below.
  4. Keep the client’s name confidential and obtain their agreement before using any references for PR or business development purposes.
  5. Be responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
  6. Seek to avoid conflicts between my own interests and the interests of my clients and to recognize any personal issues which may impair or interfere with the coaching. If ever any actual or potential issue or conflict of interest arises, I will promptly seek relevant professional assistance or supervision and determine the action to be taken. I will then disclose it and discuss with the client or sponsoring party how to deal with it in a way which best serves their interests. If appropriate, this might require a suspension or termination of the coaching relationship.
  7. Be alert to indications that the client is no longer benefiting from the coaching relationship and suggest that they seek the services of other professionals if deemed appropriate or necessary.
  8. Where the partnering client has a sponsoring party, I will:
  • Request a three-way meeting at the start and end of the relationship to ensure objectives, outcomes and responsibilities for confidentiality are aligned with everyone involved.
  • Respect the confidentiality of the partnering client’s information, except when there is a direct conflict with the sponsoring client’s objectives. In this case, I will advise the client that they should disclose the information to the sponsor, after which the coaching relationship can be reviewed.
  • Respect the client’s right to terminate coaching at any point during the process and, if necessary, ask for a three-way meeting to determine the best course of action.