How do we Executive Coaches and Organizational Consultants help our clients create the cultural conditions for sustainable high performance? We need to look no further than the powerful process of coaching. We already know that coaching assists individuals to grow and develop. Imagine what would happen if the entire organization were able to tap the power, ideas, and wisdom of its own members…through people learning how to deliver and respond to feedback in powerful and healthy ways.
What is the vision of a “coaching culture”?
A coaching culture is present when…all members of the culture fearlessly engage in candid, respectful coaching conversations, unrestricted by reporting relationships, about how they can improve their working relationships and individual and collective work performance. All have learned to value and effectively use feedback as a powerful learning tool to produce personal and professional development, high-trust working relationships, continually-improving job performance, and ever-increasing customer satisfaction.
How do we know we have one? It looks like this…
The 7 Characteristics of a Coaching Culture
The Emerging Results
Organizations have seen the powerful impact on the effectiveness of Executives who retain external Executive or utilize internal Business Coaches. They are also beginning to connect-the-dots and extrapolate the incredible power of an organization whose capacity for growth and change is enhanced through the systematic practice of coaching.
Crane Consulting is actively engaged with several leading organizations that are focused on creating their own coaching culture. We see this work as the nexus of BOTH continuing external coaching with Executives AND showing their organizations how to coach one another. Rather than reduce or eliminate the role of Executive Coaches, this transformational organizational work actually provides Executive Coaches more to work with their executive clients on…how THEY become coaches for the teams they have the privilege of leading!
This article first appeared in Business Coaching Worldwide (Premier Issue 2005, Volume 1, Issue 1).
Thomas Crane, M.B.A., is an experienced OD consultant, coach, author, and speaker who specializes in working with leaders and their teams to build “feedback-rich coaching cultures” that create and sustain true “high-performance.” His book, The Heart of Coaching, is published by FTA Press, San Diego, CA. His next book, “Creating Coaching Cultures — The Next Wave” will be available in the fall of 2005. Read more about Tom’s work at www.craneconsulting.com.
Measuring ROI? In business coaching? Yes and yes.
Isn’t this just a fad? Isn’t this impossible? No and no.
As more and more organizations use business coaching as a human resources, performance improvement, and leadership development approach, many executives question its value, particularly as coaching expenditures grow. Whether the engagement takes place in the context of an internal department for coaching or through arrangement with a business coaching firm, coaching assignments and commitments are planned and executed with good intentions. Unfortunately, however, not all coaching engagements produce the value desired by either the individual being coached (participant) or the sponsor who often pays for it. It will be increasingly important that business coaches measure a significant return on investment (ROI) and show the value of business coaching in terms that managers and executives understand.
It’s Not a Fad . . .
Measuring ROI enjoys a history of nearly thirty years of application in a variety of human resource and performance improvement processes and across the full spectrum of industries and organizations. Thousands of trained practitioners implement an ROI process in their own settings and thousands of impact studies are generated annually worldwide. The methodology is the subject of many books in many languages.
It’s Not Impossible . . .
Successfully measuring ROI for business coaching involves much more than simply assessing results achieved. The most effective ROI processes involve four phases: planning, data collection, data analysis, and reporting.
In the planning phase the coach, the person being coached, his or her manager, and the sponsor (client organization) agree on the evaluation plans and establish a baseline for expectations.
The data collection phase occurs in two time frames. Data is collected first during the coaching experience and then at the conclusion of the engagement or at an appropriate follow up time. The data collected include satisfaction and reaction, learning, application and implementation, business impact, and ROI. See Figure 1.
| Evaluation Levels | |
| Level | Measurement Focus |
| 1. Reaction & Planned Action | Measures participant satisfaction with the coaching experience and captures planned actions |
| 2. Learning | Measures changes in knowledge, skills, and attitudes |
| 3. Application and Implementation | Measures changes in on-the-job behavior and progress with application |
| 4. Business Impact | Captures changes in business impact measures |
| 5. Return on Investment | Compares coaching engagement monetary benefits to the program costs |
The third phase in the ROI Methodology–data analysis— isolates the effects of the coaching on the business. The process includes converting data to monetary values using conservative figures (higher figures for costs, lower figures for benefits), capturing costs, calculating the return on investment, and identifying intangible measures and benefits.
Phase four–reporting–requires reaching conclusions, generating reports, and communicating the information to target groups. This new knowledge affords all involved–from the coach and the person being coached to upper level executives in the client organization–the ability to assess the value of the coaching engagement and the opportunity to make adjustments going forward.
Final Thoughts . . .
Developing the ROI in business coaching is not a fad, and it’s not impossible. Measuring ROI in business coaching is, and will increasingly become, an imperative for organizations and coaching firms pursuing the highest standards of accountability.
This article first appeared in Business Coaching Worldwide (Premier Issue 2005, Volume 1, Issue 1).
Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D, is a world-renowned expert on measurement and evaluation, chairman of the ROI Institute, and consultant to many Fortune 500 companies. He facilitates workshops for major conference providers throughout the world. His most recent books are Proving the Value of HR (SHRM, Winter 2005) and Investing in Your Company’s Human Capital (AMACOM, Spring 2005). Find out more about Jack’s work at http://www.roiinstitute.net.
WABC Full Membership—advancing business coaching excellence and professional practice—is designed for experienced active professional business coaches.
WABC Full Membership—advancing business coaching excellence and professional practice—is designed for experienced active professional business coaches.
WABC Full Membership is our advanced-level for experienced active professional business coaches who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant).
Professional business coaches at this level have an appropriate professional background, training in evidence-based business coaching and a minimum of 3 years of business coaching experience. And, virtually all hold at least one WABC business coaching credential (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) based on meeting eligibility requirements.
Once you become a WABC Full Member, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
WABC Full Membership is our advanced-level for active professional business coaches.
Because WABC membership at the appropriate level is required for all WABC business coaching credentials, and because our credentials specifically prepare you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing this membership level and any WABC business coaching credential.
As the business coaching industry has evolved, having an evidence-based business coaching credential is often expected by diverse clients in markets around the world. Virtually all current WABC members hold at least one WABC credential because our clients understand that our work is specialized and requires the right experience, knowledge and skills. Currently WABC offers two levels of membership for active professional business coaches at various stages in their careers.
WABC seeks to have an inclusive member community, and base our requirements on business experience, coaching experience and references. We highly prefer that you have successfully completed a WABC Accredited® Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway and earned a WABC credential(s), or are currently enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway to earn a WABC credential commensurate with your level of business coaching experience. If you wish to be considered for membership and do not hold, or are seeking to earn, a WABC credential, you must have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment from another organization.
Yes. Your WABC Membership is connected to you as an individual, not your organization. So even if your employer paid for your membership, it is fully portable should your employment change and you continue to meet WABC’s eligibility requirements.
The membership term is valid for one year from the date your application is approved and your full payment is processed.
Memberships are required to be renewed on an annual basis.
As a WABC Member, you’ll receive your personalized WABC Member Promo Package (digital package including a letter, certificate, badge and personalized verification page) enabling you to promote your membership on websites, email signatures and other marketing materials.
For WABC Accredited Programs: Learn about the best time to join in the Applying & Fees section.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Yes, as you’ll be required to join WABC before registering in the Portfolio Pathway.
Choosing your membership level will be based on your business coaching experience
Let’s ensure WABC Full Membership is right for you:
Timing is everything – when you join depends on your professional goals and if you’re currently pursuing a WABC credential through a WABC Accredited® Program or Portfolio Pathway
Let’s find the best time for you …
You have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment and are actively providing business coaching services.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
You have enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program.
Pause: See Enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program?
If joining now is right for you, proceed to step 3!
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Full Member.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
Applying to become a WABC Full Member is very straightforward – you’ll submit an application and make your payment
Application: We’ll first ask you some pre-qualifying questions to ensure this membership level is right for you. If it is, the application will ask you about your business coaching activities and other related information. Your application will be supplemented by an appropriate résumé or CV and five references*.
Are you enrolled in, or have graduated from, a WABC Accredited Program?
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV and exempted from providing five verifiable references.
Are you a pre-approved applicant in the WABC Portfolio Pathway?
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Full Member.
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV and exempted from providing five verifiable references.
Payment: We offer a variety of ways to make payment (e.g., credit or debit cards). (Check if payment already made)
When enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program to earn RCC™ , CBC™ or CMBC®:
Please ask your training provider if a WABC Membership and WABC Credential Promo Package were included in their program fee.
NOTE: It’s also possible that your employer has made joining arrangements on your behalf. Please inquire with them before proceeding.
Don’t hesitate to contact WABC if you’d like further guidance at this early stage and before you start the application process.
Our review commences once all required information (e.g., application, résumé or CV (if applicable), five references (if applicable)) and payment is received. The full review generally takes 1 – 2 business days unless additional information is required and/or WABC is observing a bank holiday or scheduled break.
As the world’s leading business coaching association, sharing your affiliation with WABC can build your professional reputation. Our new membership and promo packages are designed to enhance your credibility, verify the authenticity of your affiliation, and share your accomplishment with your network.
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC) Programs only
OPTION1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$540
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW CMBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$505
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW CMBC Promo Package
Available to new members, re-joining members and pre-approved applicants in the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC, CBC, CMBC or ChBC)
OPTION 1:
US$505
WABC Full Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
Available to current WABC Full Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC) – US$35
Available to current WABC Full Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (CBC) – US$35
Available to current WABC Full Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (CMBC) – US$35
Available to current WABC Full Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (ChBC) – US$35
New Members
Individuals may request a refund of their membership fee, less the applicable promo package(s) and administrative fees, within the first 30 days of membership at any level with these exceptions and conditions:
Since WABC has historically had an extremely low rate of new member withdrawal, members requesting refunds are asked to participate in a short exit survey.
Renewing Members
No refunds are available.
Please review the Terms of Membership for more details.
I have been a member of many professional associations of the years, and none have made as strong of an impression as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
What impressed me the most about the WABC is the level and quality of interaction from leadership. A website inquiry led to a personal call from the WABC founder, Wendy Johnson. She took a personal interest and gave sound guidance regarding membership options, as well as credentialing suggestions and explained the unique value of business coaching, which had been my focal point. This personal touch was a fresh and welcome approach, instantly making me feel a sense of belonging. There are a myriad of coaching avenues, but it was divine intervention and a fellow Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) who led me to WABC.
WABC offers a wealth of business coaching support, through networks, directory exposure, resources, along with foundational tools for coach development, executive education, and coaching selling platforms, but the personal touch is what is by far the most unique in the industry.
I am honored to be WABC credentialed and vetted. After years of confusion around certification and affiliation, I am forever grateful to WABC for the challenge, knowledge, and opportunity to obtain a greater depth of neuroscience and evidence-based methodologies that allows me to grow my passion for coaching and to serve clients alongside a sophisticated coaching community.
Having been in the coaching business for nearly 20 years, I have seen the coaching sector grow exponentially and witnessed the rise of many professional bodies. I am an advocate for WABC as there is a beautiful clarity that sits at the essence of all they do—they serve the needs of business coaches. This is in a large part to the clarity of leadership provided by Wendy Johnson, unwavering in her vision and boundaries about WABC’s place in the coaching world.
As a professional business coach, I can tell my clients that I am a member of a credible business coach professional body which acknowledges and recognizes the needs of coaches working in their sector. I have found the experience of re-certification a rigorous and provocative activity which has had me reflect meaningfully on my coaching practice. The benefit of this is being able to tell my clients, with integrity, that I have earned the right and provided the evidence to retain my WABC certification which is additive to my business coaching credentials.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
and professional practice with exclusive credentials, thought leadership and resources
and access our global community
to your clients, employer and organizations
WABC Affiliate Membership—advancing business coaching excellence and professional practice—is designed for newer and part-time active professional business coaches.
WABC Affiliate Membership—advancing business coaching excellence and professional practice—is designed for newer and part-time active professional business coaches.
WABC Affiliate Membership is our entry-level for newer and part-time active professional business coaches who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant).
Professional business coaches at this level have an appropriate professional background, training in evidence-based business coaching and less than 3 years of business coaching experience (although they could have more). And, virtually all hold at least one WABC business coaching credential available to them (RCC™, CBC™) based on meeting eligibility requirements.
Once you become a WABC Affiliate Member, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
WABC Affiliate Membership is our entry-level for active professional business coaches.
Because WABC membership at the appropriate level is required for all WABC business coaching credentials, and because our credentials specifically prepare you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing this membership level and any WABC business coaching credential.
As the business coaching industry has evolved, having an evidence-based business coaching credential is often expected by diverse clients in markets around the world. Virtually all current WABC members hold at least one WABC credential because our clients understand that our work is specialized and requires the right experience, knowledge and skills. Currently WABC offers two levels of membership for active professional business coaches at various stages in their careers.
WABC seeks to have an inclusive member community, and base our requirements on business experience, coaching experience and references. We highly prefer that you have successfully completed a WABC Accredited® Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway and earned a WABC credential(s), or are currently enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway to earn a WABC credential commensurate with your level of business coaching experience. If you wish to be considered for membership and do not hold, or are seeking to earn, a WABC credential, you must have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment from another organization.
Yes. Your WABC Membership is connected to you as an individual, not your organization. So even if your employer paid for your membership, it is fully portable should your employment change and you continue to meet WABC’s eligibility requirements.
The membership term is valid for one year from the date your application is approved and your full payment is processed.
Memberships are required to be renewed on an annual basis.
As a WABC Member, you’ll receive your personalized WABC Member Promo Package (digital package including a letter, certificate, badge and personalized verification page) enabling you to promote your membership on websites, email signatures and other marketing materials.
For WABC Accredited Programs: Learn about the best time to join in the Applying & Fees section.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Yes, as you’ll be required to join WABC before registering in the Portfolio Pathway.
Choosing your membership level will be based on your business coaching experience
Let’s ensure WABC Affiliate Membership is right for you:
Timing is everything – when you join depends on your professional goals and if you’re currently pursuing a WABC credential through a WABC Accredited® Program or Portfolio Pathway
Let’s find the best time for you …
You have successfully completed an appropriate formal evidence-based business coaching training program or assessment and are transitioning into or actively providing business coaching services.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
You are new, with no formal business coaching experience and have enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program with the intention of providing business coaching services over the next year.
Pause: See Enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program?
If joining now is right for you, proceed to step 3!
You are new, with no formal business coaching experience and have not yet enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program with the intention of providing business coaching services over the next year.
Pause: See RCC to enroll in a WABC Accredited Program
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Affiliate Member.
It’s time to join – proceed to step 3!
Applying to become a WABC Affiliate Member is very straightforward – you’ll submit an application and make your payment
Application: We’ll first ask you some pre-qualifying questions to ensure this membership level is right for you. If it is, the application will ask you about your business coaching activities and other related information. Your application will be supplemented by an appropriate résumé or CV*.
Are you enrolled in, or have graduated from, a WABC Accredited Program?
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV.
Are you a pre-approved applicant in the WABC Portfolio Pathway?
You have completed WABC’s exploratory stage and have been invited to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway pending your acceptance as a WABC Affiliate Member.
If yes, you are exempted from providing a résumé or CV.
Payment: We offer a variety of ways to make payment (e.g., credit or debit cards). (Check if payment already made)
When enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program to earn either RCC™ or CBC™:
Please ask your training provider if a WABC Membership and WABC Credential Promo Package were included in their program fee.
NOTE: It’s also possible that your employer has made joining arrangements on your behalf. Please inquire with them before proceeding.
When enrolled in a WABC Accredited Program to earn CMBC®:
You’ll join us as a WABC Full Member.
Don’t hesitate to contact WABC if you’d like further guidance at this early stage and before you start the application process.
Our review commences once all required information (e.g., application, résumé or CV (if applicable)) and payment is received. The full review generally takes 1 – 2 business days unless additional information is required and/or WABC is observing a bank holiday or scheduled break.
As the world’s leading business coaching association, sharing your affiliation with WABC can build your professional reputation. Our new membership and promo packages are designed to enhance your credibility, verify the authenticity of your affiliation, and share your accomplishment with your network.
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$340
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW RCC Promo Package
Available to graduates of WABC Accredited (Level 2 – CBC) Programs only
OPTION 1:
US$340
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
OPTION 2:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW CBC Promo Package
Available to new members, re-joining members and pre-approved applicants in the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC or CBC)
OPTION 1:
US$305
WABC Affiliate Membership
+ NEW Member Promo Package
Available to current WABC Affiliate Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (RCC) – US$35
Available to current WABC Affiliate Members who successfully completed the WABC Portfolio Pathway (CBC) – US$35
New Members
Individuals may request a refund of their membership fee, less the applicable promo package(s) and administrative fees, within the first 30 days of membership at any level with these exceptions and conditions:
Since WABC has historically had an extremely low rate of new member withdrawal, members requesting refunds are asked to participate in a short exit survey.
Renewing Members
No refunds are available.
Please review the Terms of Membership for more details.
I have been a member of many professional associations of the years, and none have made as strong of an impression as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
What impressed me the most about the WABC is the level and quality of interaction from leadership. A website inquiry led to a personal call from the WABC founder, Wendy Johnson. She took a personal interest and gave sound guidance regarding membership options, as well as credentialing suggestions and explained the unique value of business coaching, which had been my focal point. This personal touch was a fresh and welcome approach, instantly making me feel a sense of belonging. There are a myriad of coaching avenues, but it was divine intervention and a fellow Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) who led me to WABC.
WABC offers a wealth of business coaching support, through networks, directory exposure, resources, along with foundational tools for coach development, executive education, and coaching selling platforms, but the personal touch is what is by far the most unique in the industry.
I am honored to be WABC credentialed and vetted. After years of confusion around certification and affiliation, I am forever grateful to WABC for the challenge, knowledge, and opportunity to obtain a greater depth of neuroscience and evidence-based methodologies that allows me to grow my passion for coaching and to serve clients alongside a sophisticated coaching community.
Having been in the coaching business for nearly 20 years, I have seen the coaching sector grow exponentially and witnessed the rise of many professional bodies. I am an advocate for WABC as there is a beautiful clarity that sits at the essence of all they do—they serve the needs of business coaches. This is in a large part to the clarity of leadership provided by Wendy Johnson, unwavering in her vision and boundaries about WABC’s place in the coaching world.
As a professional business coach, I can tell my clients that I am a member of a credible business coach professional body which acknowledges and recognizes the needs of coaches working in their sector. I have found the experience of re-certification a rigorous and provocative activity which has had me reflect meaningfully on my coaching practice. The benefit of this is being able to tell my clients, with integrity, that I have earned the right and provided the evidence to retain my WABC certification which is additive to my business coaching credentials.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
and professional practice with exclusive credentials, thought leadership and resources
and access our global community
to your clients, employer and organizations
We offer many WABC Accredited levels for maximum impact. WABC Accredited signifies that your offering is among the world’s most elite and rigorous business coach and leader-as-coach training programs. For those seeking training that readies them for real-world business and organizational challenges, no other program distinction compares.
WABC knows that coaching training must meet the rapidly changing demands facing businesses and organizations of all kinds around the world. To meet this need, WABC offers the prestigious WABC Accredited qualification at many levels to support the development of independent professional business coaches and leaders-as-coaches.
To earn any of the levels, programs must offer either business coach or leader-as-coach training as the main focus of their curriculum, be delivered at a professional level of engagement and meet our professional standards and rigorous assessment process.
Our WABC Accredited levels – rooted in real-world organizational and business needs – cover a wide breadth and depth of development in professional business coaching and leader-as-coach coaching. Becoming WABC Accredited will take your open enrollment program to the next level or enhance your internal program’s relevance.
LEADERS-AS-COACHES
If you’re offering a training program focused on developing leaders-as-coaches who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, supervisor) and who wish to integrate core leader-as-coach coaching skills within their leadership skill set for greater impact, we offer two levels of program accreditation. If you offer our Level 2, your graduates are eligible to earn a WABC credential.
PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS COACHES
If you’re offering a training program focused on developing professional business coaches who represent many professional roles (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant), we offer three levels of program accreditation to match their progressive development from practitioner, to advanced, to master. Your graduates are eligible to earn a WABC credential.
Level 1
If your training develops professional business coaches at practitioner-level, this is the level for your program. Level 1 focuses on developing the practice elements of business coaching and is for participants who either have had little or no previous business coaching experience, or who already have some business coaching experience that they now wish to consolidate fully with best practice. Your graduates are eligible to earn the RCC credential.
Level 2
If your training develops professional business coaches at advanced-level, this is the level for your program. Level 2 focuses on consolidating technical skills and advanced development to enable participants with more business coaching experience to provide a fuller professional scope of practice and to work to more diverse agendas. Your graduates are eligible to earn the CBC credential.
Level 3
If your training develops professional business coaches at master-level, this is the level for your program. Level 3 focuses on fully exploring current approaches, methodologies and theories to enable participants with significant business coaching experience to provide a significant professional scope of practice and to work to open agendas. Your graduates are eligible to earn the CMBC credential.
Level 1
If your training program develops leaders-as-coaches, this is the level for your program. Level 1 focuses on developing core coaching skills within the context of a leadership role and is for participants who either have had little or no previous experience with coaching, or who already have some leader-as-coach coaching experience that they now wish to consolidate fully with best practice.
Level 2
If your training program develops leaders-as-coaches at certified-level, this is the level for your program. Level 2 focuses on developing core coaching skills within the context of a leadership role and is for participants who either have had little or no previous experience with coaching, or who already have some leader-as-coach coaching experience that they now wish to consolidate fully with best practice. Your graduates are eligible to earn the CLAC credential.
Prepare business coaches, leaders or other professionals to solve practical, real-world business challenges and drive new opportunities with the WABC Accredited® global mark, a program accreditation distinction that ensures you’re offering the most comprehensive and robust business coaching training available in the world.
The global business landscape is evolving at an accelerating pace. The demand for confident, competent leadership and ethical, sustainable business models has never been more pressing and necessary for success.
As a discipline that challenges leaders, teams and individuals to think more critically about clarifying and activating their strategy, business coaching is essential to sustaining organizational achievement.
As a powerful intervention, business coaching is a discipline harnessed by tens of thousands of organizations and businesses worldwide, including many Fortune 500 leaders.
It’s no wonder that such a wide array of business coach training programs are available worldwide, whether through internal corporate solutions, or through open programs offered by universities and training institutions. With such strong market growth, there’s a clear demand and abundance of choice.
Yet the global community of business coaching stakeholders—coaches themselves, their trainers, those thinking about becoming a business coach or the organizations interested in applying their skills—must discern the quality of the training they seek and they put into practice every day.
As an unregulated industry, the challenge is a lack of clarity and consistency on what defines excellence in business coaching. WABC has met this challenge through rigorous self-regulatory initiatives focused on raising the quality, credibility and profile of business coaching worldwide.
As the leader since 1997, WABC leads the business coaching industry in identifying the qualities, actions and skills of the effective business coach.
Our insights have allowed us to deeply understand the link between the quality of an individual business coach’s training and the quality of business coaching services they can deliver.
The WABC Accredited global mark was developed in direct response to this crucial need for clarity, reliable standards and quality service delivery within the industry.
As a program accreditation distinction, WABC Accredited:
WABC Accredited programs equip individuals with the evidence-based competencies that leaders, organizations, individuals and teams need to realize their potential, backed by the latest theoretical and practical knowledge designed to deliver results.
For training programs dedicated to offering the best training and education in business coaching, the route to achieve the WABC Accredited mark is through our WABC Program Accreditation Process.
Our process optimizes your program for success by ensuring your training is grounded in the business coaching best practices shaping the industry today.
Whether you represent an open enrollment program offered by a training provider, university or educational institution, or you represent an internal business coaching training program offered by a corporation, business or other type of organization, the depth and breadth of our program accreditation process ensures your program is built on research-informed best practice.
You’ll learn much more about our program accreditation process when you explore all our WABC Accredited levels.
WABC’s rigorous program accreditation process engages successful providers in a continuous lifecycle—from initial accreditation to annual monitoring to re-accreditation every five years to ensure they deliver the highest, most relevant training to business coaches today and tomorrow.
The WABC Accredited mark means:
WABC Accredited is a testament to the excellence of your program and sets you apart from other training providers. Participants know that WABC prepares them for the practical challenges of business coaching in organizational and business-specific settings.
Because it is based on best practice for both business coaching and program accreditation processes, WABC Accredited broadcasts your program meets the highest global standards and is specifically tailored to business coaching, not coaching in general.
Whether your training is available to the open market or to employees within your organization, effective business coaching training can transform how people perform their role, no matter their career stage or level of seniority.
With many levels of accreditation to suit your needs, you’ll be able to build a relevant program that brings out the best in your participants.
WABC Accredited applications are evaluated by fully qualified, independent assessors. They assess the competencies your program addresses and the quality systems it adheres to, ensuring your training meets WABC’s robust criteria.
Our transparent program accreditation process also offers providers access to fully qualified, independent advisers who provide personalized advisory support and feedback designed to make you think more critically, creatively and strategically about your program offer.
Earning WABC Accredited for your program means your graduates are eligible to receive their own individual WABC credential, a distinction available to graduates of WABC Accredited Programs.
WABC credentials signal that your graduates are equipped with the evidence-based knowledge and skills to solve real-world organizational challenges and deliver excellence in business coaching.
Carrying the WABC Accredited distinction means you get to build your program’s brand with the support of a global organization committed to excellence.
You will gain the right to leverage the WABC Accredited brand in your marketing, program and training materials.
You will also have access to exclusive opportunities with WABC to build your thought leadership profile, promote your services and access a global community of business coaches and clients.
The WABC Program Accreditation Process includes demonstrating the success of your program’s standards, approaches and learning models.
By sharing this information with WABC, you build the global body of knowledge about business coaching as an evolving, innovative practice.
Your program accreditation shapes business coaching practice, development and self-regulation around the world, to create even greater efficacy and impacts.
The program accreditation process leading to the WABC Accredited mark enables you to learn an enormous amount about effective business coaching, as your curriculum is measured against WABC’s expansive, detailed knowledge base.
Fine-tune your program for success with helpful, personalized feedback during the accreditation process, so you can offer best-in-class training built on research informed standards and best practice in business coaching and training alike.
Earning WABC Accredited for your program also means your program participants and graduates can also enjoy being part of WABC’s membership community, where they can expand their thinking with access to cutting edge knowledge and build their professional network with like-minded colleagues across the globe.
Prepare business coaches, leaders or other professionals to solve practical, real world business challenges and drive new opportunities with the WABC Accredited® global mark, a program accreditation distinction that ensures you’re offering the most comprehensive and robust business coaching training available in the world.
Whether you are a business coach trainer, a coaching organization, or an institution solidifying your existing offering, building a new program or looking to offer your participants a premium business coaching training experience, WABC Accredited distinguishes you apart from the competition.
Having your program WABC Accredited® means that your graduates are eligible to receive their own individual credential from WABC. This is an exceptional professional development opportunity that will help raise your value as a trainer.
Gain credibility that demonstrates your training is rooted in research-informed best practice. Align your program with a globally recognized distinction, and equip yourself with the confidence of knowledge and expertise from an established association, backed by research.
Align with the global standard for standards, skills and competencies that ensures continued business coaching success. Build your reputation with a specialized program accreditation, designed for business coaches, leaders, managers, directors and teams practicing in business and organizational applications.
Signify that your program is rooted in evidence-informed best practice and robust research, and incorporate thinking from adjacent disciplines, such as neuroscience and psychology, to complement your programs.
Offering a WABC Accredited internal training program builds an engine of business coaches, leaders and other employees that are dedicated to the continued success of your people, your strategies and your performance as an organization.
By supporting your leaders, managers, directors and teams with the knowledge and skills to better identify opportunities, unblock challenges, and work together towards shared objectives and priorities, there’s no limit to how far your organization can go.
Having your program WABC Accredited means that your leaders and employees are able to access high-quality training from you and receive their own individual credential from WABC. Taken together, this is an exceptional professional development opportunity that will help raise your value as an employer.
Clarify your leadership purpose and vision, and engage employees more effectively in achieving your priorities. Establish strategic destinations that strengthen your organization’s alignment and integrate diverse stakeholder and market requirements. Build trust and loyalty with teams and clients more quickly by improving your relationship building and persuasive skills.
Guide your team with clarity and communicate strategic intent to create clearer project asks. Build more trusted relationships with colleagues and reports alike, built on sound advice and authentic leadership. Develop strategic roadmaps and benchmarks that address challenges realistically, to ensure your team can reach them.
Foster a positive work environment that outlines clear expectations and drives more focused mindsets. Build a culture of support, respect and collaboration that is aligned with your core values, expertise and business objectives. Unify teams with diverse perspectives and attract and retain top performers. Operate with integrity and discretion to drive trust across your organization.
Fully engage team members to drive top performance and innovation. Improve each individual’s level of confidence, emotional intelligence and communication skills to motivate collaboration and accountability. Equip your teams with the empathy skills needed to build relationships with diverse stakeholders across the organization.
Build customer experiences that are distinct and increase loyalty and reputation in the market. Enhance your service by building a culture focused on active listening, effective communication and customer satisfaction.
Our company is thrilled to be the first in the world to achieve the WABC Accredited® mark for our two leader-as-coach programs, The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach and The Blueprint: How to Lead with a Coach Approach – Credential Edition. What we witnessed from the leaders was profound – they quickly grew more self-aware, confident and resilient, and were able to navigate complexity with clarity, purpose and a renewed sense of possibility. And as leaders, they turned their learning into meaningful action—elevating the people around them, sparking trust, deepening accountability and lifting the well-being and performance of their teams.
What makes these programs exceptional is their foundation. They are built on WABC’s evidence-based competencies and global standards, grounded in decades of research and shaped by real-world coaching and leadership practice.
Any participant will tell you—the transformation is undeniable. They leave not only equipped to accelerate their careers but grounded in a deeper understanding of themselves and empowered to lift others, strengthen their teams and lead with confidence and impact in today’s rapidly evolving professional environments.
Weplusnetwork is an Italian consulting company with a network of executive consultants and coaches, experts in developing leaders, managers and other talented professionals within organizations. Since 2013, Weplusnetwork Business Coaching Training School has answered the growing need of companies and individuals for expert relational, coaching and leadership competences through our training programs for senior professionals and managers interested in gaining a better understanding of how business coaching can improve their effectiveness to thrive in complexity and uncertainty within their organizations.
It quickly became clear as we began our journey as a coaching training school that we needed to align our training with a global accrediting body, and WABC was the clear choice given its world-class evidence-based competencies and professional standards for business coaching. In 2015, our Business Coaching Lab program earned the WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC)® qualification. This WABC recognition has been a distinctive mark for our training offer, and many HR professionals and managers of large, multinational or Italian companies choose our School because we pay special attention to organizational and business needs for people developmental paths. Additionally, and equally importantly, both our faculty and alumni have enjoyed being part of an international cohort that acknowledges best practice business coaching.
Since our program was initially accredited, we have engaged in the WABC Program Re-accreditation Process necessary for us to maintain our program accreditation. Both the initial and re-accreditation processes allowed us to systematize and enrich our training content offered to delegates, and to confer with senior advisers on the WABC Program Accreditation Team. WABC proves very helpful to keep our programs up to date, distinctive and reinforced with global best practices.
We are grateful to WABC and can attest to the value WABC provides for both training participants and training providers.
We serve a diverse and fast-evolving leadership landscape in Singapore, where organizations are navigating new expectations for collaboration, resilience, and human-centered leadership. For years, I had been designing and delivering coaching interventions that helped leaders grow in these areas. As demand increased, it became clear that our program needed the kind of structure, quality assurance, and global legitimacy that only a respected global accreditation body could provide.
WABC’s reputation for rigorous professional standards and its grounding in evidence-based business coaching made it the natural partner for us. Their framework aligned well with the needs of the leaders we support—who operate in complex, multicultural environments and require practical, applicable coaching skills that strengthen their ability to think strategically, influence effectively, and build meaningful relationships across their teams.
Going through the WABC Program Accreditation Process was an unexpectedly rewarding experience. The WABC Accreditation Team was kind, responsive, thoughtful and genuinely invested in helping us bring out the best in our program. Their guidance pushed us to articulate our intentions more clearly, refine our content, and design a learning journey that would set leaders up for fundamental behavioral shifts. The process helped us strengthen both the depth and the discipline of our approach.
Earning the WABC Accredited® mark has elevated our work in multiple ways. Leaders now experience a more intentional, structured coaching methodology, and they appreciate that their learning aligns with a globally recognized professional standard. The accreditation has also offered our participants a pathway to pursue the Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) credential, which they have found motivating and meaningful for their professional development.
For us as a program provider, the accreditation has brought clarity, credibility and renewed purpose. It reinforced our belief that coaching can play a pivotal role in shaping future-ready leadership in Singapore and provided the solid foundation for continued growth.
We are proud to partner with WABC—not only for the recognition, but for the learning, support and global perspective that have strengthened the way we serve leaders and organizations. The accreditation has set a strong trajectory for our program, and we look forward to expanding its impact in the years ahead.
Our organization passionately serves the healthcare industry, and our services include a range of coaching programs for developing leaders. As healthcare organizations face increasing complexity, we wanted to ensure our programs met the highest, globally recognized standards while remaining practical, relevant and results oriented. When we discovered WABC, we knew we’d found the right accrediting body for us and are thrilled to have earned the WABC Accredited® qualification for three of our programs.
We began with earning the WABC Accredited (Level 1 – RCC)® qualification for our Healthcare Certified Coach Program / Leadership Certified Coach Program. Grounded in WABC’s leading evidence-based standards, earning this accreditation strengthened the confidence of our participants and partners and reinforced the value of the program and its role in developing capable, ethical and impactful healthcare coaches.
Building on our first success, we next earned both the WABC Accredited (Level 1 – Leader-as-Coach)® and WABC Accredited (Level 2 – Leader-as-Coach)® qualifications for our respective CTI Leader-as-Coach Program and CTI Leader-as-Coach Certification Program. These programs – built on WABC’s evidence-based competencies that enhance trust, accountability and sustainable performance – align closely with the realities of healthcare leadership and reflect a rigorous standard for developing leaders who integrate coaching skills into everyday leadership practice.
The WABC Program Accreditation Process experience itself was both rigorous and constructive. The process validated the strengths of our programs’ approaches and further elevated the clarity and consistency of our programs’ offers. The WABC Program Accreditation Team provided clear direction, timely feedback and a high level of professionalism that made the process purposeful rather than procedural.
Our decision to choose accreditation through WABC was a deliberate investment in quality, credibility and long-term impact. Our decision reflects our strong, ongoing alignment with a global accrediting body recognized for excellence, credibility and impact. We appreciate WABC’s leadership in advancing the coaching profession and are proud to be part of its community.
WABC builds excellence at every level of business coaching. From creating robust evidence-informed standards to ensuring that program providers offer exceptional business coaching training, we continually find new ways to support business coaching achievement. Take the next step to build a better training program.
Are you a champion of business coaching within your organization and want to introduce WABC to your employer to see what’s possible?
Whether your organization has a business coaching program or is interested in building one, WABC accredits in-house programs to ensure that your employees are trained to coach using the latest research-informed best practice and global standards.
With WABC, program providers can expect a program accreditation process unlike any other in the coaching industry.
In fact, the path to earn the WABC Accredited mark is an important professional and business developmental opportunity in its own right. By design, you will move through our process of progressive stages and steps that enable you to showcase your program offering for evaluation.
Many training providers and organizations want to enhance their credibility and build WABC Accredited programs that drive tangible business results, but aren’t sure where to start.
WABC helps providers develop WABC Accredited training programs, and offers a range of consulting and business services to identify opportunities and improve coaching within organizations.
ChBC—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
ChBC—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
Chartered Business Coach (ChBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering.
As the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches, you’ll confirm your role as an influential thought leader in the field.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, internal or external business coach), if you’re doing business coaching at this level, WABC offers its Portfolio Pathway as the exclusive route to become a ChBC.
Once you earn ChBC, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
Chartered Business Coach (ChBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
Because the ChBC credential specifically prepares you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credential.
Choosing your credential will be based on your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs
Let’s ensure ChBC is right for you:
WABC Portfolio Pathway is the exclusive route to earn ChBC
Achieving our highest credential is not about taking more training, but rather about demonstrating your senior expertise, specialized knowledge and professional competence. Open to eligible professionals, you’ll engage in our Portfolio Pathway, a self-directed process that guides you through your examination and evidence of six ChBC learning outcomes. Your journey culminates in the submission and evaluation of your ChBC Candidate Portfolio, which showcases your professional business coaching performance.
Portfolio Pathway is the right route to explore if you:
Joining WABC: You will join before registration in the Portfolio Pathway, as a WABC Full Member™.
Your Next Step: If you’d like to explore the Portfolio Pathway, see below for guidance and how to contact us. Offered directly by WABC, your eligibility is determined via an exploratory screening stage.
Our WABC Portfolio Pathway was introduced on October 17, 2025
We’re fortunate to have an extensive waiting list, so if you’re on it, we’ll be re-connecting with you very quickly. Please contact WABC if you’re visiting here for the first time and would like to explore our Portfolio Pathway.
You’ll become a Chartered Business Coach once you:
*To prove your excellence to the world, you’ll receive your personalized ChBC Promo Package (digital package of letter, certificate, badge and personalized verification page (linked to your badge)) enabling you to promote your Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential on your website, email signature or social media platforms.
Earning your ChBC involves the following fees:
*See the WABC Portfolio Pathway information provided to you
**See WABC Full Member
Maintaining your ChBC: Please see “Maintaining Your Credential” below.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
You must be a current WABC Full Member before registration in the Pathway. If you have allowed your membership to lapse, you have one year from your ChBC Candidate Portfolio pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., re-join as a WABC Full Member, complete the final administrative needs).
Being a current WABC Full Member™ is among requirements to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway, so you’re expected to keep your membership in good standing at all times. If you allow your membership to lapse prior to your Portfolio Pathway completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC at the required level and pay the associated fees before receiving your ChBC.
Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental body recognizes an individual who has successfully met predetermined qualifications. As an advanced, evidence-based credential, ChBC falls within this type of qualification
It is the most rigorous level of professional credentialing available for individuals. Professional certification credentials that follow industry best practice require validation, carry re-certification requirements and are subject to revocation. ChBC adheres to these best practices.
ChBC is a professional certification which means it is a “working or applied” credential. Unlike certificates and degrees which transfer knowledge and skills, professional certifications measure how an individual uses knowledge and skills in real-life situations. By certifying that the holder is able to currently practice at a certain level, certification maintains public trust in the delivery of service.
For a professional certification credential to remain valid, the holder must stay relevant with current practice and theories. That’s why it’s a certification best practice for holders to meet ongoing requirements, such as continuing professional development, to maintain their certified credentials.
Yes, to maintain your ChBC, there are two ongoing requirements which both require fees:
Taking a sabbatical during your career may affect your ChBC credential.
Yes, your ChBC credential can be revoked under certain circumstances.
The Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your ChBC Promo Package.
Each WABC credential for professional business coaches is intended to be a stand-alone credential—choose the one that matches your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and/or employer needs.
| PRACTITIONER RCC™ |
ADVANCED CBC™ |
MASTER CMBC® |
ELITE ChBC® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About |
| Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering. |
WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential designed for professional business coaches. CBC positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering. |
WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering. |
Chartered Business Coach® (ChBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
ChBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering. |
| Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates |
NOTE: If you have a minimum of 1 year of business coaching experience, you will be able to consider either a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. |
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| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
| WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 150* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 9–18 months* Hours: 400* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Option: Full Length Duration: 18–24 months* Hours: 1200* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
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WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
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WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
| WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your ChBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance |
| CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
| There are no requirements to maintain your RCC credential |
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| WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. |
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
I have been a member of many professional associations of the years, and none have made as strong of an impression as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
What impressed me the most about the WABC is the level and quality of interaction from leadership. A website inquiry led to a personal call from the WABC founder, Wendy Johnson. She took a personal interest and gave sound guidance regarding membership options, as well as credentialing suggestions and explained the unique value of business coaching, which had been my focal point. This personal touch was a fresh and welcome approach, instantly making me feel a sense of belonging. There are a myriad of coaching avenues, but it was divine intervention and a fellow Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) who led me to WABC.
WABC offers a wealth of business coaching support, through networks, directory exposure, resources, along with foundational tools for coach development, executive education, and coaching selling platforms, but the personal touch is what is by far the most unique in the industry.
I am honored to be WABC credentialed and vetted. After years of confusion around certification and affiliation, I am forever grateful to WABC for the challenge, knowledge, and opportunity to obtain a greater depth of neuroscience and evidence-based methodologies that allows me to grow my passion for coaching and to serve clients alongside a sophisticated coaching community.
Having been in the coaching business for nearly 20 years, I have seen the coaching sector grow exponentially and witnessed the rise of many professional bodies. I am an advocate for WABC as there is a beautiful clarity that sits at the essence of all they do—they serve the needs of business coaches. This is in a large part to the clarity of leadership provided by Wendy Johnson, unwavering in her vision and boundaries about WABC’s place in the coaching world.
As a professional business coach, I can tell my clients that I am a member of a credible business coach professional body which acknowledges and recognizes the needs of coaches working in their sector. I have found the experience of re-certification a rigorous and provocative activity which has had me reflect meaningfully on my coaching practice. The benefit of this is being able to tell my clients, with integrity, that I have earned the right and provided the evidence to retain my WABC certification which is additive to my business coaching credentials.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
ChBC positions you as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
CMBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering.
Set your extensive experience and skills apart and establish yourself as a leader in the business coaching global community.
Regardless of what professional role you have (e.g., leader, manager, internal or external business coach, external consultant), if you’re doing business coaching at this level, WABC offers different routes via WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC)® Programs or the WABC Portfolio Pathway to become a CMBC, based on your experience.
Once you earn CMBC, you’re part of our global community, where professional business coaches from across the world come together to enhance their skills, expand their professional networks and influence our business coaching profession more broadly.
WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC), grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level.
Mastery comes over time and diverse experiences—simply counting coaching hours doesn’t accurately measure impact.
Because the CMBC credential specifically prepares you for business coaching in any kind of business or organization across sectors and industries, an appropriate professional background is essential to ground your coaching in real-world situations.
No matter your business or organizational context, your professional experience is the foundation for pursuing any WABC credential.
Choosing your credential will be based on your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs
Let’s ensure CMBC is right for you:
WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC)® Programs and WABC Portfolio Pathway are routes to earn CMBC
WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Programs are third-party programs that have undertaken WABC’s rigorous assessment and committed to ongoing re-evaluation* to ensure they are delivering high quality, evidence-based business coaching training rooted in real-world organizational and business needs.
All WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Programs engage in a continuous five-year process lifecycle to ensure they meet our standards of excellence—from initial accreditation through annual monitoring to re-accreditation. This continuous lifecycle ensures the providers’ programs remain relevant in the market and continue to meet our exacting, evidence-based global standards for business coach training programs.
Training is the right route to explore if you:
Joining WABC: You may join before, during or after the Program as a WABC Full Member™:
Your Next Step: If you’d like to explore training***, see the calendar below where you can select a provider and contact them to learn about their program and fee. Your eligibility is determined during their initial screening interview.
WABC Portfolio Pathway is an alternative to a training program. Open to eligible professionals, you’ll engage in a self-directed process that guides you through your examination and evidence of six CMBC learning outcomes. Your journey culminates in the submission and evaluation of your CMBC Candidate Portfolio, which showcases your professional business coaching performance.
Portfolio Pathway is the right route to explore if you:
Joining WABC: You will join before registration in the Pathway, as a WABC Full Member.
Your Next Step: If you’d like to explore the Portfolio Pathway, see the calendar below for guidance and how to contact us. Offered directly by WABC, your eligibility is determined via an exploratory screening stage.
Calendar is frequently updated, so please check back anytime.
Our WABC Portfolio Pathway was introduced on October 17, 2025
We’re fortunate to have an extensive waiting list, so if you’re on it, we’ll be re-connecting with you very quickly. Please contact WABC if you’re visiting here for the first time and would like to explore our Portfolio Pathway.
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
No programs are currently available — please check back anytime as our calendar is frequently updated.
Full length programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
Fast-track programs are ideally suited for professionals with business coaching experience
Add custom message when needed.
You’ll become a WABC Certified Master Business Coach once you:
*To prove your excellence to the world, you’ll receive your personalized CMBC Promo Package (digital package of letter, certificate, badge and personalized verification page (linked to your badge)) enabling you to promote your WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential on your website, email signature or social media platforms.
Earning your CMBC involves the following fees:
*Fee set by the training provider
**See the WABC Portfolio Pathway information provided to you
***See WABC Full Member
Maintaining your CMBC: Please see “Maintaining Your Credential” below.
Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables you to choose the credential that is right for your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and employer needs at any point in your career.
Our non-linear approach is purposefully designed to offer flexible and responsive learning options and credentials.
Generally yes. Once a Program earns the “WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC)” mark, then you would be eligible to earn CMBC assuming you have successfully completed all Program requirements and met all WABC requirements within applicable deadlines.
For WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Program: You must be a current WABC Full Member to earn CMBC. You have one year from your Program pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., upgrade to, or join/re-join as, a WABC Full Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: You must be a current WABC Full Member before registration in the Pathway. If you have allowed your membership to lapse, you have one year from your CMBC Candidate Portfolio pass date to meet all applicable requirements (e.g., re-join as a WABC Full Member, complete the final administrative needs).
For WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) Program: If you were already a WABC Member while taking your Program but allowed your membership to lapse prior to Program completion, you’ll be required to re-join as a WABC Full Member and pay the associated fees before receiving your CMBC. Also see FAQ above.
For WABC Portfolio Pathway: Being a current WABC Full Member is among requirements to enroll in the WABC Portfolio Pathway, so you’re expected to keep your membership in good standing at all times. If you allow your membership to lapse prior to your Portfolio Pathway completion, you’ll be required to rejoin WABC at the required level and pay the associated fees before receiving your CMBC. Also see FAQ above.
Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental body recognizes an individual who has successfully met predetermined qualifications. As an advanced, evidence-based credential, CMBC falls within this type of qualification.
It is the most rigorous level of professional credentialing available for individuals. Professional certification credentials that follow industry best practice require validation, carry re-certification requirements and are subject to revocation. CMBC adheres to these best practices.
CMBC is a professional certification which means it is a “working or applied” credential. Unlike certificates and degrees which transfer knowledge and skills, professional certifications measure how an individual uses knowledge and skills in real-life situations. By certifying that the holder is able to currently practice at a certain level, certification maintains public trust in the delivery of service.
For a professional certification credential to remain valid, the holder must stay relevant with current practice and theories. That’s why it’s a certification best practice for holders to meet ongoing requirements, such as continuing professional development, to maintain their certified credentials.
Yes, to maintain your CMBC, there are two ongoing requirements which both require fees:
Taking a sabbatical during your career may affect your CMBC credential.
Yes, your CMBC credential can be revoked under certain circumstances.
The WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential must be listed in a specific way. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to your CMBC Promo Package.
Each WABC credential for professional business coaches is intended to be a stand-alone credential—choose the one that matches your professional role, previous coaching experience, skill level, ambition, goals and client and/or employer needs.
| PRACTITIONER RCC™ |
ADVANCED CBC™ |
MASTER CMBC® |
ELITE ChBC® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About | Credential: About |
| Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with practitioner-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
RCC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a strong foundation and the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at practitioner-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to a range of fixed agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being an RCC means you can provide a professional offering. |
WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly respected evidence-based global credential that raises your credibility and positions you as a professional business coach with advanced-level knowledge and specialized coaching skills.
CBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, enables you to access a broader and deeper range of competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at advanced-level. As you support clients, co-workers and organizations, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to more diverse, although largely fixed, agendas that are directly related to business and organizational goals and objectives. Being a CBC means you can provide a fuller professional offering. |
WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is a highly esteemed, world-class distinction that positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
CMBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates your mastery of the competencies and knowledge as a professional business coach at master-level. As you support senior levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply your specialized skills to tackle complex business and organizational challenges with open agendas, the outcomes of which may impact broader business and organizational goals and objectives. Furthermore, you may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and you may also choose to specialize. Being a CMBC means you can provide a significant professional offering. |
Chartered Business Coach® (ChBC®)—held by professionals around the world—is the first-ever chartered status for professional business coaches and the industry’s most coveted, world-class distinction. Position yourself as being among the best of the best in our profession worldwide as a professional business coach with elite-level expertise, specialized knowledge, coaching skills and professional competence.
ChBC, grounded in research-informed best practice, demonstrates you possess specialized knowledge, professional competence and mastery of the competencies as a professional business coach at elite-level. As you support the highest levels of leadership, you’ll be able to apply a wide range of business coaching initiatives and activities to tackle complex business and organizational challenges across a wide diversity of contexts and open agendas, the outcomes of which may be unpredictable. Furthermore, at this highest level of professional practice, you’ll be able to exercise substantial personal autonomy along with your significant influence, leadership and contribution within businesses, organizations and the profession. Being a ChBC means you can provide a substantial professional offering. |
| Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates | Eligible Candidates |
NOTE: If you have a minimum of 1 year of business coaching experience, you will be able to consider either a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. |
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| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Options, Duration & Hours |
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WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: 150* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 9–18 months* Hours: 400* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited® Program Option: Full Length Duration: 18–24 months* Hours: 1200* Option: Fast Track WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Option: Full Length Duration: 6–12 months* Hours: Highly variable* *Self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Formats |
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WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Each program chooses from a range of formats–In-person, virtual or blended. WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Virtual self-directed |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Supervision |
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WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Appropriate supervision is provided WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Not applicable |
| ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
ROUTES AVAILABLE: Completion Deliverables |
| WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Accredited Program Pass a written and performance related assessment) WABC Portfolio Pathway |
WABC Portfolio Pathway Submit and pass your ChBC Candidate Portfolio representing your professional business coaching performance) |
| CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
CREDENTIAL: Ongoing Requirements |
| There are no requirements to maintain your RCC credential |
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| WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards | WABC Standards |
| Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Registered Corporate Coach (RCC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Business Coach (CBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. | WABC reserves all rights in connection with the Chartered Business Coach (ChBC) credential and its requirements, including the right to change, replace or discontinue. |
When you earn any of WABC’s credentials for business coaches (RCC™, CBC™, CMBC®, ChBC®) and for leaders-as-coaches (CLAC™), you’ll enroll in a WABC Accredited Program or WABC Portfolio Pathway. All WABC Accredited Programs undergo rigorous independent initial assessment, and providers are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to be relevant to the market and meet our exacting global standards of excellence for business coaching or leader-as-coach coaching training programs. The WABC Portfolio Pathway, developed and offered directly by WABC, draws upon our deep insights, knowledge and expertise and offers an alternative, self-directed route for eligible professionals seeking business coaching credentials.
I have been a member of many professional associations of the years, and none have made as strong of an impression as the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches.
What impressed me the most about the WABC is the level and quality of interaction from leadership. A website inquiry led to a personal call from the WABC founder, Wendy Johnson. She took a personal interest and gave sound guidance regarding membership options, as well as credentialing suggestions and explained the unique value of business coaching, which had been my focal point. This personal touch was a fresh and welcome approach, instantly making me feel a sense of belonging. There are a myriad of coaching avenues, but it was divine intervention and a fellow Registered Corporate Coach™ (RCC™) who led me to WABC.
WABC offers a wealth of business coaching support, through networks, directory exposure, resources, along with foundational tools for coach development, executive education, and coaching selling platforms, but the personal touch is what is by far the most unique in the industry.
I am honored to be WABC credentialed and vetted. After years of confusion around certification and affiliation, I am forever grateful to WABC for the challenge, knowledge, and opportunity to obtain a greater depth of neuroscience and evidence-based methodologies that allows me to grow my passion for coaching and to serve clients alongside a sophisticated coaching community.
Having been in the coaching business for nearly 20 years, I have seen the coaching sector grow exponentially and witnessed the rise of many professional bodies. I am an advocate for WABC as there is a beautiful clarity that sits at the essence of all they do—they serve the needs of business coaches. This is in a large part to the clarity of leadership provided by Wendy Johnson, unwavering in her vision and boundaries about WABC’s place in the coaching world.
As a professional business coach, I can tell my clients that I am a member of a credible business coach professional body which acknowledges and recognizes the needs of coaches working in their sector. I have found the experience of re-certification a rigorous and provocative activity which has had me reflect meaningfully on my coaching practice. The benefit of this is being able to tell my clients, with integrity, that I have earned the right and provided the evidence to retain my WABC certification which is additive to my business coaching credentials.
The WABC Certified Business Coach™ (CBC™) and especially the WABC Certified Master Business Coach® (CMBC®) have set my coaching practice on a much higher plane of professionalism and utility. WABC holds their members to a very high level of standards, education and development that differentiate them in the business coaching industry.
CMBC positions you at the leading edge of your field with master-level expertise, specialized knowledge and coaching skills.
