What does it mean to coach on behalf of Earth - Part Four - Adapting the ICF Core Competencies

In the first three parts of this series, we’ve explored the essence of coaching on behalf of Earth and how deepening our connection with nature transforms not only our personal growth but the collective impact we can have on the planet.?

Now, in this fourth part, I focus on the ICF core competencies and how I’ve integrated both the NatureProcess and the EarthConnected Framework into them. With the EarthConnected Framework, I’ve created competencies to show what it means to coach on behalf of Earth.

Why Adapt the ICF Core Competencies?

Just as species in nature must adapt to survive and thrive in changing environments, the world of coaching must evolve to address the pressing challenges of our time. I know there is a lot of conversation out there about the effectiveness of the ICF Core Competencies, with a number of coaches thinking they limit their capacity for coaching.

The ICF core competencies serve as a powerful foundation for guiding coaches in personal and professional development, but the realities of today—climate change, environmental degradation, and social upheaval—demand more. That's why I adapted them over a decade ago.

Adaptation, both in nature and in coaching, is about making necessary adjustments to ensure ongoing relevance and resilience. In the natural world, organisms modify their behaviours, structures, and even genetic makeup to cope with new conditions. Similarly, as coaches, we must modify our practices and core frameworks to better serve clients who are grappling with uncertainty, ecological concerns, and a growing need for sustainability in their personal and professional lives.

While the ICF’s competencies are highly effective for cultivating emotional intelligence, communication, and goal-setting, they don’t inherently address the deep connection we have—or must rekindle—with Earth.

By aligning the ICF competencies with the Nature Process and the EarthConnected Framework, I’ve integrated principles of interconnectedness and ecological awareness. This adaptation reflects a recognition that personal and professional growth is incomplete without an understanding of how we, as individuals, influence and are influenced by Earth.

The NatureProcess and the ICF Core Competencies

Coaching with the NatureProcess enhances six of the eight core competencies:

#2 Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Coaching with Natural Attractions enhances the coach’s capacity to embody a coaching mindset by helping them to do their own inner work.

Natural Release allows the coach to enter into a felt sense of interconnectedness with the natural world before the session so that this helps inform how they coach their client.?

#3 Creates and Maintains Agreements

Coaching with Natural Communication provides a deeper way to create and maintain agreements throughout the whole coaching session.

#4 Cultivates Trust and Safety

Coaching with Natural Communication here allows the coach to demonstrate openness and transparency to display vulnerability and build trust with the client.

#5 Maintains Presence

Coaching with Natural Presence enables the coach to reach a deeper level of consciousness and presence with the client; one that is able to recognise the presence of the natural world within the coaching session and the client.

#6 Listening Actively

Coaching with Natural Body allows the coach to listen to the body and what’s been communicated beyond words and to ensure the somatic wisdom of the body is a key element of the coaching conversation.?

Natural Communication ensures that the non-verbal language of nature is included and listened to effectively; reinforcing the interconnectedness of the client with the natural world.

#7 Evokes Awareness

Coaching with Natural Attractions here helps the client reframe perspectives while challenging the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight.

Natural Release not only helps the coach to consider the client’s experience when deciding what’s most useful but also helps them to ask questions that help the client explore beyond their current thinking from a place of felt interconnectedness with nature and/or Earth.

The integration of the NatureProcess in this manner with the ICF Core Competencies allows coaches to connect with their clients on a deeper, more holistic level - one that incorporates not just the body and mind, but the surrounding environment and nature itself. This is the start of truly transformative coaching that optimises the client’s personal and professional potential while fostering a sense of responsibility to Earth.

However, this is only part of what it means to coach on behalf of Earth.

EarthConnected Coaching Competencies?

Earthself’s EarthConnected Framework was developed by synthesising a number of emerging nature-based business movements; natural capital/nature positive, biomimicry, circular economy and ESG with the evidence base on nature and Earth connection. This allowed me to identify key coaching competencies that were required for each of the inner elements of the framework; Aware, Driven, Inspired, Thought, Embodied.

AWARE of nature

1. Helps the client to become aware of the fact that they are part of nature
2. Enables the client to see the ways in which they view themselves as part of nature or as separate from nature
3. Explores impact of actions, or potential actions, upon self, others and Earth
4. Encourages the client to explore the value they place upon the natural world
5. Supports the client to identify the benefits they receive from the natural world

DRIVEN by nature

1. Explores the client’s felt sense of being part of nature
2. Brings an awareness of the client’s felt sense of interconnectedness with Earth into the coaching session
3. Facilitates a deeper understanding of the client’s sensory awareness and the ways in which this impacts their life
4. Encourages the client to develop/deepen/maintain a regular mindfulness practice that involves both movement and stillness within the natural world and explores the impact of doing so upon their personal and professional life
5. Supports the client to gain wisdom and insight from nature on personal and professional challenges

INSPIRED by nature

1. Explores the client’s thoughts, beliefs, behaviours and actions in relation to how nature works
2. Encourages the client to engage with the natural world with curiosity
3. Supports the client to explore how parts of nature and Earth’s ecosystem functions
4. Invites the client to learn from nature to help transform personal or professional challenges
5. Reminds the client to look to nature first for a solution to personal or professional challenges

THOUGHT of nature

1. Supports the client to think in systems
2. Helps the client identify the function of a system beyond its parts
3. Explores the energy, information and communication at play both within the coaching session and the client’s life itself
4. Highlights the potential system that may be at play in a client’s life and invites a deeper exploration of it
5. Uses feedback and feedforward loops to help the client gain a deeper understanding of the results of actions

EMBODIED in Earth

1. Ensures the client is clear on their overall purpose within the world
2. Helps the client align their purpose with what they value
3. Supports the client to identify the unconscious purpose behind their thoughts, behaviours and actions
4. Enables the client to explore how their thoughts, behaviours and actions impact themselves, others and Earth
5. Assists the client to review their purpose in light of the current changes happening on Earth and explore how these influence and impact it

All of these EarthConnected Competencies are mapped to only two ICF core competencies: #7 Evokes Awareness and #8 Facilitates Client Growth.?

In the final instalment in what does it mean to coach on behalf of Earth, I’ll explain why this is key as well as highlight the developmental patterns I see in aspiring and established coaches who are embracing nature and Earth into how they coach.

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Earthself’s L1 NatureProcess Coach Training Programme is an ICF accredited training programme that’s designed to help you master the art of coaching with and as nature outdoors, indoors and online in a way that’s neuro inclusive while your investment helps develop a Scottish community food forest.

Next cohort starts Autumn, October 30th with further intakes every season. Get in touch if you like to explore if the programme is right for you…