4 Ethical Components Every Coach Needs to Follow

Author: Team xMonks | Published on: Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:08:10 +0000

As we've discussed in previous blogs on Ethics in Coaching, this blog delves into the next building block of ethical coaching.

When a professional encounters an ethical situation or issue, various factors influence their recognition and understanding. The individual's character, their inclination toward virtue ethics, professional ethical identity, and ethics training all play a role in this process. To make sound decisions, individuals need to consciously engage with the "Components of Ethical Conduct" for a deeper understanding.

We've outlined some questions that a coach can ask themselves to access their cognitions, motives, and emotions, and to foster a collaborative partnership with their client. This deep dive into "Components of Ethical Conduct" is crucial for the decision-making process.

These components have been discussed and modified over time, influenced by various philosophers. This article draws inspiration from the book "Laws and Ethics in Coaching" by Patrick Williams and Sharon Anderson.

Component 1—Ethical Sensitivity

These questions address the coach's awareness of how their choices impact others, both positively and negatively:

• What strikes you? This emphasizes the importance of awareness. In counseling terms, it signifies being present in the moment and anticipating the consequences of behavior.
• What calls to your attention? As a coach, your commitment to the client requires careful attention to detail – both explicitly stated and implicit information.
• Who is involved in this situation? This involves identifying the key individuals and their context, as understood by both the coach and the client.
• What makes you think, "Uh-oh, this doesn't feel right"? This response is often an intuitive gut feeling that something is amiss.
• What makes you think, "Yes, this feels good or right"? How do you know that what you're doing is effective? What is good or right for one client might be very different for another. How will you discern this?
• What are the issues related to diversity? To differences between my client and me? To oppression or discrimination? Awareness of diversity is not enough. As a practitioner, you must be conscious of your own worldview and that of your client.
• How does my point of privilege affect my sensitivity to this issue? As an individual with privilege, you must be able to look beyond your own experience and acknowledge the opportunities and limitations your client might have encountered. Shifting from your subjective experience to an objective reality can help you understand the impact of privilege (Anderson & Middleton, 2005).

Component 2—Ethical Thought Process

These questions highlight Kitchener’s decision-making model (2000):

• What do I know about the situation? When assessing a situation, this question helps you understand what is readily apparent and what might be less obvious.
• What else do I need to know? To fully grasp an ethical dilemma, you must seek a comprehensive understanding, upholding the dignity of the individual as outlined in Kitchener's model.
• What does the ethical code say? The ethical code provides guidelines and imperatives that regulate and clarify your behavior as a coach and your relationship with your client.
• What are the legal issues? Legal issues offer a minimum standard of expectations within your professional sphere as a coach. They provide a precedent from which to consider the potential outcomes of a situation.
• With whom should I consult? As a coach, you need to be aware of available options in terms of professional bodies, authorities, and resources that can provide guidance when ethical dilemmas arise.
• What does the client think is ethically appropriate? The client's rights include their perspective on the situation. Ultimately, as Kitchener emphasizes, loyalty to the client is central.
• If I were the client, what would I hope my coach would do? This question allows you, as a coach, to engage in parallel processing of the issue and step outside your practitioner role to consider the client's perspective and wishes.

Component 3—Ethical Motivation and Competing Values

These questions delve into the heart of the matter, the value conflicts within the coach:

• What are the conflicts inside me? This question assumes a level of introspection on your part, as a coach.
• Who benefits from which course of action? As a coach, you must meticulously analyze each course of action, hypothetically considering the potential consequences of each choice.
• What core values (personal and professional) are being stretched? As a coach, you must be grounded in your personal and professional development to understand your own limitations.
• What core values (personal and professional) are being strengthened? As a coach, you must also have a metacognitive process to observe yourself thinking or reflecting on actions that relate to your core personal and professional values, and how you allow yourself to grow as an individual.
• How does my client win or lose, depending on the course of action? You, as a coach, must work with your client to identify what helps them gain clarity or win in a situation, and what hinders progress or causes them to lose ground. Actions have consequences; seemingly benign actions might benefit one client but hinder another.
• With whom do I need to consult to see the conflicts as clearly as possible? Again, as a coach, you must be familiar with and utilize your professional resources. You should never operate in isolation in your coaching role.

Component 4—Ethical Follow-Through

These questions prompt the implementation of the chosen course of action:

• To whom do I want to be accountable? As a coach, you must understand the extent of your accountability as outlined in, for example, the ICF's ethical codes and the laws governing your coaching practice.
• Who are the people from whom I can get encouragement? As a professional coach, you must be connected with other professionals in your field.
• What core values do I need to draw upon? Knowing and identifying your basic core values is essential to provide you with a guiding compass, particularly in situations involving conflicting loyalties.
• What do I need to let the client know? The client has rights in many respects and must be informed about potential issues of concern. For example, if you provide a test to assess the client, your client has the right to refuse the test and to provide informed consent before being tested.

It's important to remember that these components are sequential in nature, meaning that Component 1 occurs first, followed by Component 2, and so on. As Rest stated, "Each of these processes must have occurred for moral behavior to have occurred."

In coaching, ethical decisions and ethical practices are key to performance. The streamlined process of "Ethical Components" provides a framework and a model that demonstrates that a coach's decision-making process is not confined to a single moment or circumstance. Various other factors influence this process, including the coach's character, the creation of virtue ethics, ethics training, and professional ethical identity, which develops through acculturation to the coaching profession. Ultimately, it's the coach who undertakes a more deliberate process to make an ethical decision.

Frequently Asked Questions