Why is CPD (Continuous Professional Development) important for Life Coaches?
The CPD certification service defines Continuing Professional Development (CPD) as: “the term to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive.”
Imagine a doctor who did not engage in CPD. Would you put your trust in someone who had no knowledge of recent changes in the science of diagnosis, or who didn’t use the latest techniques? No of course you wouldn’t.
Would you hire a lawyer who didn’t know the most recent changes to the law? No way!
“A whopping 87% of Millennials say that CPD and career growth are significant to them. And since Millennials have surpassed Gen Xers as the largest generation in the U.S. labour force, this is a statistic that just can’t be ignored,” says Shifte Learning.
Is CPD mandatory for life coaches?
The requirement for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for life coaches varies and depends on several factors, including the country or region in which the life coach practices; the coaching organisation they are affiliated with or are independently accredited with, and their own personal and professional goals.
Some coaching organisations and associations have mandatory CPD requirements for their members, while others provide recommendations. It is important that as a life coach or mentor you do your due diligence and research what is required by your preferred certification and accreditation bodies (you do have the choice from country-specific bodies, to European, to Internationally recognised accreditation authorities such as the International Authority of Coaching & Mentoring (IAPC&M) who is the only one approved by the British Industry Ombudsman.
The IAPC&M specify 30 hours as a minimum per rolling year. They provide a complimentary CPD log HERE to keep track of your CPD activities.
What is a CPD Credit/Point?
I hour spent on CPD equals one CPD credit/point.
The IACP&M do not charge for CPD credits, all their CPD and business building masterclasses are complimentary because they believe CPD should be freely available for everyone’s benefit regardless of their accreditation status.
How will CPD time benefit me?
CPD is an investment of time. Your time is precious so you, understandably, want to be sure that spending time on CPD will benefit you. The main benefit the IAPC&M’s accredited coaches and mentors share with us is that CPD maximises their confidence and effectiveness as a coach.
This is a list of the main benefits CPD provides. It:
- Increases your credibility
- Increases client confidence in your ability
- Enables you to deal with change positively and effectively
- Demonstrates your commitment to fulfilling professional standards
- Enhances career development and the direction of your professional development.
How many hours must I spend on CPD?
CPD is a practice that includes taking time out, on a regular basis, to do something that helps you stay up to date, so you continue to practice efficiently and effectively.
CPD is a concise heading for a broad topic. It includes anything and everything that keeps your skills and knowledge relevant and fresh so you can be the best you can possibly be.
Here are some activities that count toward your CPD Target, but remember this list below is by no means extensive:
- Watching videos
- Listening to podcasts and TedTalks,
- Reading blogs, reports, surveys, and books
- Attending seminars, webinars, and workshops
- Business-building activities also count towards your CPD target.
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”. ~ Benjamin Franklin
Download the IAPC&M’s CPD Guide
What is the IAPC&M’s CPD Target?
When you undertake CPD it positively affects you, your business, and your clients, and serves the coaching industry as a whole.
That’s why IAPC&M heavily invests in CPD, most of which is complimentary to you whether you are a member/accredited coach or mentor or not. It’s one of our core values is everyone matters, and we believe promoting CPD opportunities free of charge, is one of the ways we make a positive difference to our international community.
You can check out our new online calendar of CPD webinars HERE
How do I track my CPD Activities?
At the IAP&M we’re not prescriptive about what you do, as long as you do it, and are recording it on your CPD log.
If you don’t yet keep a record of your CPD hours, you can start now by downloading our complimentary log here.
Your CPD record must show how you have applied your learning to your professional practice in terms of:
- Inputs – the time taken
- Outputs – what you did
- Outcomes – how you will apply this in your practice.
Find out more about the IAPC&M’s approach to CPD
To go deeper see here:
Remember you can get a list of our events and view our events calendar at https://coach-accreditation.services/blog/events/