The following is taken from David’s interview with Philip Cohen in 10 Super Coaches.

I believe the certification offered by the International Coach Federation is the most rigorous and the most widely respected. Certification is more than a certificate. The value of a certification lies in the credibility of the certification process. ICF requires a candidate to have formal training, document the number of hours they have coached, and to demonstrate their competency as a coach through live and taped coaching sessions. The assessors are all senior level coaches who know how to administer the exams. The certificate isn’t for just completing a program, the candidate must be able to use the skills. Numerous coaching schools around the world have created their programs based on ICF’s Core Coaching Competencies.