ABOUT CERTIFIED MASTER BUSINESS COACH (CMBC)

WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) is a highly esteemed, world-class credential designed for master business coaches. Business coaches at this level are expected to demonstrate their mastery of the WABC business coaching competencies in order to provide business coaching to an open agenda with more complex goals with non-fixed outcomes that may impact broader business and organizational outcomes. Furthermore, they may be accountable for critical analysis, diagnosis, design, planning, execution and evaluation and they may also choose to specialize.

Purpose of Credential

CMBC:

• Sets global standards for master professional business coaches, and clearly identifies these standards for buyers of business coaching
• Provides an independent, robust, transparent assessment process that recognizes appropriate levels of education and continuing professional development for mastery in business coaching
• Promotes high-caliber business coaching services for the benefit of clients
• Contributes to the definition, development and self-regulation of the business coaching profession

Type of Credential

CMBC is an independent, evidence-based credential that carries re-certification requirements (no prerequisite credential required*). 

*Each WABC credential is intended to be a stand-alone credential, which enables business coaches to pursue the credential that is right for their ambition, professional goals and client needs at any point in their careers.

Granting Institution

CMBC is awarded by WABC, headquartered in Canada.

ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES

You are an ideal candidate for CMBC if:

• You have extensive experience with business coaching and want to position yourself as a high performer in your industry, and
• You’re a senior leader or manager wishing to engage with leadership coaching, or you are moving to a development role within your organization or to freelance work as a business coach, or
• You’re an internal business coach who works at senior levels of management and provides the same level of service expected of external coaches within the confines of your own organization (you may have gained experience across a range of organizations), or
• You’re an external business coach who works across a range of organizations and at senior levels of management, or
• You’re an external consultant wishing to enhance your coaching offer and often work across a range of organizations and at senior levels of management, and
• You have a minimum of 5 years business coaching experience, plus a minimum of 7 years of business and organizational experience.

HOW TO EARN CMBC

To earn CMBC, you must meet these requirements:

• Pass a screening interview with a WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) program instructor, and
• Have at least five years of business coaching experience, and
• Meet minimum WABC membership requirements for CMBC (currently WABC Full Member^™), and 
• Be a current WABC member in good standing, and
• Successfully complete a WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) program. Completion includes passing a written and performance related assessment and submission and acceptance of a self-directed research project.

HOW TO MAINTAIN CMBC

To provide ethically sound and expert guidance, professionals in all areas of practice must keep up to date on the latest research and evidence on how to effectively serve their clients’ needs. 

A clear professional development strategy allows business coaches to stay relevant and innovative in providing the best possible expertise to their clients.

As a master-level professional credential, you have a few ongoing requirements to maintain your credential that are designed to complement your coaching practice as an opportunity for learning and growth. 

As a CMBC, you must:

• Maintain your WABC membership: Join and renew your membership every year to remain in continuously good standing, and
• Re-certify your CMBC: Submit and pass your Professional Development Record (PDR) five years from the date you graduate from your WABC Accredited (Level 3 – CMBC) program, and every five years after that.

Taking a Sabbatical

Taking a sabbatical during your career may affect your CMBC credential.

• If you offer business coaching services during your sabbatical, you will retain your CMBC as long as you continue to meet the requirements (see “How to Maintain CMBC” above). If you do not meet those requirements, your CMBC will be revoked (see “When CMBC Can Be Revoked” below).
• If you do not offer business coaching services during your sabbatical, you are no longer eligible for WABC membership. You must resign your membership as specified in the Terms of Membership, and your CMBC will be revoked (see “When CMBC Can Be Revoked” below).

When CMBC Can Be Revoked

CMBC can be revoked under certain circumstances. Examples include not meeting the credential verification or re-certification requirements or being cited for a legal or ethical violation. If your CMBC credential is revoked, you will no longer be able to use the credential and you must remove all references to it, including logos, from marketing, promotional and other materials in your control (e.g., your website, résumé, signature block, LinkedIn). You must also return your non-refundable certificate to WABC.

HOW TO LIST CMBC

The WABC Certified Master Business Coach (CMBC) credential must be listed in a specific way, and the inclusion of either the ^™ or ^® symbol will depend on your country of residence. Please log in to your dashboard for further guidance and access to applicable WABC logos.

Credential Verification

At WABC, we support credible business coaches, and another way we do this and maintain our high standards as a professional association is through our credential verification service. This service requires members who hold academic degrees or professional designations from organizations other than WABC to have those credentials verified by us if they wish to list them in materials that display WABC trademarks (e.g., WABC logo, CMBC). For full details, refer to our Credential Verification Policy.