Kathryn Pope has a lot on her plate. AS UK ICF president, this tenacious and unconventional coach has set an ambitious agenda for a historically cautious body – and fully intends to meet it. Liz Hall discovers how.
Kathryn Pope has a reputation for getting things done. And as president of the International Coach Federation’s UK chapter (UK ICF), she’s very much on a mission.
She wants to bring the ICF’s global annual conference to London for the first time in 2012. She also aims to give a major boost to the number of credentialed UK members, raise the profile of the “historically shy and cautious” ICF, foster greater links with other chapters globally… the list goes on.
Kathryn describes herself as “tenacious and quite driven”. Certainly the impression you get is that if anyone can get the things on her agenda done, then it’s her. If she pulls off the London conference pitch (and as we go to press, she’s hopeful), it will be the first time the ICF has held its global conference on non-US soil.
Such a move would go a long way towards convincing those who view the ICF as US-centric that the body is truly global. “It’s very exciting. We’ve been pitching very hard for this and every single European chapter has been supporting London as a venue.”
Crown jewels
The global nature of the ICF is one of its “crown jewels”, according to Kathryn, along with standards and credentialing. “I think these are the reasons people join the ICF. It is passionate about professional coaching, standards and competence, and ethics around the world. And we’ve had credentialing for about 10 years,” she says.
The ICF hasn’t ever sufficiently flagged up its global nature and connectivity. But, she says, “It’s about the joy of being a global organisation – I can go to any country in the world and connect with an ICF coach. It’s brilliant. We talk about different and common themes, and that ability to share experiences is powerful, fascinating and enjoyable.”
Examples of this connectivity include one ICF member who spends lots of the year travelling in Asia and the Far East: “She acts as a UK ICF roving ambassador. When she’s planning a trip we help her access local members and she does her best to meet up and explore how coaching is operating in these areas. It’s a great win–win.”
There’s lots of learning to be had from other chapters too. Chicago, for example, is “fantastic at engaging with members, the local community and organisations”.
The UK has been sharing with others how it runs its ambassador programme, which encourages members to take on other roles to promote the ICF and coaching. “There’s lots of cross-fertilisation and none of us are too precious about re-inventing the wheel.”
Are you credentialed?
Compared with some countries, there is a low take-up of credentialing programmes among UK ICF members. Globally, around a third of 15,000 members are credentialed but this rises to 80 per cent in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. “They’re really focused on credentialing and we’re borrowing their ideas.”
In the UK, some 300 of just over 1,300 members are credentialed. Kathryn wants to push this up to more than half. “It’s a big proposal to build on this and it’s generating lots of positive energy.”
One way is helping accredited training providers promote their programmes, which Deborah Price, UK ICF ethics and credentialing director, is looking at. “People work incredibly hard to get their credentials. They have to have CPD, mentor-coach supervision, and pass a written and an oral exam. It’s a big thing and they’re really proud of it.”
Of the current debate within ICF around whether to replace its tier of standards with a single ISO, Kathryn says: “One of the great things is that it has engaged huge numbers of people in conversations about credentialing – that’s how much [it] means to people.”
Aligned with credentials is standards and ethics – the latter is the target of another UK push. “We’re making sure people are fully aware of ethics.”
Also on the agenda is professional development. UK ICF is working closely with the 12 accredited coaching providers in the UK to make sure they’re aligned to attract more members onto programmes. It is also on a drive to raise the organisation’s profile generally. “Historically, we’ve been terribly shy and cautious about raising our visibility. We’re encouraging members who are doing fantastic coaching to share best practice and case studies.”
The UK chapter is also collaborating with European colleagues. European chapter leaders now meet twice a year to “share skills, knowledge, best practice and to support each other to achieve and generally connect much more”. A European ICF conference will take place in June 2010 in Paris and the recent Baltic “coaching caravan” was a success (see news, page 9).
Getting into coaching
When Kathryn was running large corporate departments, her passion was to enable people to achieve their best. When she worked at Shell (1996-98), she put herself and her most junior team member on NLP practitioner training with ITS. “It was transformational for us both.”
After taking the Master Practitioner programme, Kathryn moved into consultancy, facilitation, change management and one-to-one work, launching the Beechurst Consultancy. “My journey towards becoming a coach had begun. I also embarked on having my children (three under four at one point), so life became very full and rich.”
Meanwhile, her “very bright, quick and witty” fellow NLP student also left to work with his passion – comedy. The comedian, Jimmy Carr “still maintains his links with his old dinosaur boss”, says Kathryn.
Kathryn graduated as an ITS coach in 2002, going on to work as an executive and team coach with senior clients in global businesses, narrowing her focus to coaching over the past two to three years. She first volunteered and got involved with the UK ICF in 2004. “I went to an ICF conference, met lots of people with lots of passion to make a difference to people and I was hooked.”
A fantastic space
In 2007, she stepped up into a board role as board secretary, establishing the UK ICF legal entity, among other things. Being president is a big commitment and she volunteers two or three days a week.
“For me, it’s something I passionately believe in so it’s worth it. I’m a coach, and increasing the reputation of coaching worldwide will benefit my business. “Working with clients is a privilege. It’s a joy to enable, encourage, support and facilitate their growth and delivery. If they’re doing that much better, it has tangible benefits for so many. I love to see the light in their eyes.
“I really like people and I get lost with a client. I have no sense of me when I’m with that client and it’s a fantastic space to be in. “The feedback I get is that I’m very present and on their side, and that I’m very challenging, although I make it fun.” In terms of key influences Kathryn names NLP trainer Jan Efline: “She made me realise that it’s the way you are with clients that makes the difference.”
Kathryn also cites ontological coach proponent Julio Olalla. “He is phenomenal. I did his four-day mastery course… it’s all about getting you out of your head and into your body.” It’s certainly not all work and no play for Kathryn though. She’s someone who likes to fill her life to the brim. She loves dancing and socialising – at the last ICF global conference she danced until 6am.
Being authentic
And, despite her corporate background, she is unconventional too. She has developed her psychic ability – she studied with Doreen Virtue and is an Angel therapy practitioner. She is an ex-county gymnast and loves Strictly Come Dancing and the countryside. She grows vegetables and has chickens – next year it’s pigs and bees.
“Nature is important to me as are my family, who are very grounding. I get the most challenging coaching feedback from my kids – they highlight when I am not being congruent and authentic.
“We have an open house. There’s lots of chaos, and clients come to the house for coaching. I’m very real and there are no subjects I won’t discuss openly and honestly. I get that from the kids. I’m not a different person when I’m their mum, a coach or the ICF president.”
So what is Kathryn’s vision?
“I want everyone talking about coaching, I want coaches at high levels with high ethics and standards… But it’s also about fun and connecting.”
Kathryn Pope: CV
- 1983-86 History degree, Leeds University.
- 1986 Joined the Grand Metropolitan Group as a marketing graduate trainee, working in the dairy industry for Eden Vale, manufacturers of Ski yogurt and Munch Bunch, progressing to brand manager for Munch Bunch.
- 1989-92 Joined SmithKline Beecham as a senior brand manager for Marmite, then Aquafresh toothpaste, bringing bendy toothbrushes to
- the UK.
- 1992-96 Global marketing manager, fragrances and bath luxuries, for Yardley of London.
- 1996-98 Marketing strategy manager, then head of marketing for Shell UK Retail.
Volume 5, Issue 1