The Future of Coaching-2025 ICF Core Competencies Simplified

What the 2025 competencies ask of us - an ICF Mentor Coach’s take.

Imagine hopping into a time machine, dialing it back to 2019, and landing smack in the middle of the coaching world as it was then. No pandemic (yet), coaching mostly happening in person or by phone, and Zoom was just that app your techie cousin used for work.

Fast forward to 2025. Coaching is everywhere; online, in organizations, across continents. Clients expect their Coaches to be nimble, human, and tech-savvy.

The world changed, and so did the International Coaching Federation Core Competencies.

Spoiler alert: the ICF kept it simple. The original eight remain intact.

So on the surface, not much changed. Underneath? A lot.

• 5 brand-new sub-competencies (like hidden tracks on an old-school album you thought you knew by heart).

• 11 refreshed sub-competencies (tuned up so they read less like legal documents and more like coaching).

• 1 redefined competency (a small wording shift that changes how you see the whole thing)

• ​A fresh glossary (so we can finally stop arguing over semantics and get back to coaching).

Big Shifts You’ll Notice

1. Coaching Mindset Got a Makeover

In 2019, it was all about being open, curious, and reflective. In 2025, it’s leveled up to:

• Stay current with technology and best practices (translation: yes, Zoom fatigue counts).

• Nurture curiosity not just in yourself, but in your clients and the coaching process.

• Acknowledge your biases and notice how your thoughts and behaviors influence the coaching space.

This isn’t just mindset anymore - it’s like mindset plus wellness, plus accountability. Think of it as the competency that reminds you to drink water, keep learning, and notice if you’re cranky before you log onto a session.

2. Agreements Got More Dynamic

We’re still setting agreements with clients and stakeholders, but now:

• You need to articulate your coaching philosophy (ooh, we’re getting personal).

• Agreements aren’t one-and-done - you’re encouraged to revisit and adjust them as the engagement evolves.

• And yes, honoring closure is still a thing - but the 2025 language feels gentler and more client-centered.

So agreements are less like signing a gym membership contract and more like checking in with your workout buddy to see if yoga, CrossFit, or pickleball is what you both need this week. (Give me two more options instead of this)

3. Presence & Emotions Are Front and CenterIn 2019, “maintaining presence” was about being grounded and confident. In 2025, it now includes:

• Actively managing your own emotions so you don’t derail a session.

• Staying aware of what’s emerging for both you and the client in the moment.

• Keeping your cool when strong emotions come up — and knowing that silence is still golden.

Think of this one as coaching’s version of, “Keep calm and carry on.”

4. Facilitating Growth Now Includes Integration

2019 told us to help clients transform insights into action. In 2025, we’ve gone deeper:

• Integration and sustaining progress over time are explicitly called out.

• Celebrating progress isn’t just a nice-to-have - it’s a core skill. 

• And there’s emphasis on partnering with clients to close sessions intentionally (because ghosting your breakthroughs isn’t a good look).

It’s like the difference between a firework that fizzles out in 10 seconds and one that lights up the whole sky and lingers.

Why This Matters (Beyond Passing Your Exam)

The ICF didn’t just tweak words to make life harder for credentialing candidates (I promise). These updates reflect the real evolution of coaching:

• Coaching now lives in a more global, virtual, tech-enabled world.

• Clients want flexibility, humanity, and integration, not just checklists.

• And we as coaches are being asked to show up as whole humans - biases, emotions, intuition, wellness and all.

Final Word from Your Mentor Coach

If you’re preparing for credentialing -  or simply sharpening your practice,  don’t stress about memorizing every single line of the comparison chart.

Instead, ask yourself:

• How do these updates reflect what I’m already doing in my coaching?

• Where might I lean in a little more - technology, emotional regulation, revisiting agreements, celebration of growth?

Here’s the truth: change on paper is one thing. Living into it as a Coach is another.

It takes reflection, experimentation, and a willingness to stretch in new ways. 

Because when we allow these updates to shape us from the inside out, that’s when our coaching becomes not only credential-worthy, but truly transformational. They’re about embodying coaching at its best and that’s way more fun than it looks on paper.​

As an ICF Mentor Coach, I’ve seen firsthand how these subtle shifts in the ICF Core Competencies create ripple effects in the way we coach, connect, and grow our clients. Whether you’re brushing up for credentialing, curious about the evolution, or simply want to sharpen your practice, take a moment to notice what’s changed—and what hasn’t. Coaching continues to be both an art and a science, and the better we understand the framework, the more impactful our work becomes. The ICF has rolled out other important updates across credentialing too, and I’ll be sharing more on those in the weeks ahead.

Keep exploring, keep reflecting, and, most importantly, keep coaching with heart.

Download offical ICF document HERE

 - Amy Magyar, ICF Mentor Coach & PCC

*originally posted 9/24/25