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ICF Core Competency · 2025 model

ICF Core Competency: Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Clear agreements create the container for powerful coaching. This competency ensures both coach and client are aligned on what they're working toward and how they'll work together.

ICF Core Competency 3 of 8 · B. Co-Creating the Relationship · at a glance
  • Top marker: Describes one's coaching philosophy and clearly defines what coaching is and is not
  • Most common mistake: Jumping into coaching without establishing what the client wants to work on
  • Try asking: “What would you like to focus on today?”
  • Assessed via: the Credentialing Exam and recorded sessions

What Is Agreements?

Establishes and Maintains Agreements means partnering with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans, and goals. It includes establishing agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as for each coaching session.

ICF Definition and Sub-competencies (2025)

As published in the 2025 ICF Core Competencies (released September 2025). Labels mark where the wording differs from the 2019 model.

Definition: Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans and goals. Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session.
  1. 3.01Describes one's coaching philosophy and clearly defines what coaching is and is not for potential clients and stakeholdersReworded in 2025
    2019: Explains what coaching is and is not and describes the process to the client and relevant stakeholders
  2. 3.02Reaches agreement about what is and is not appropriate in the relationship, what is and is not being offered, and the responsibilities of the client and relevant stakeholders, including commitment to working toward coaching goalsReworded in 2025
    2019: Reaches agreement about what is and is not appropriate in the relationship, what is and is not being offered, and the responsibilities of the client and relevant stakeholders
  3. 3.03Reaches agreement about the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship such as logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality and inclusion of others
  4. 3.04Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to establish an overall coaching plan and goals
  5. 3.05Partners with the client to determine client-coach compatibility
  6. 3.06Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session
  7. 3.07Partners with the client to define what the client believes they need to address or resolve to achieve what they want to accomplish in the session
  8. 3.08Partners with the client to define or reconfirm measures of success for what the client wants to accomplish in the coaching engagement or individual session
  9. 3.09Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session
  10. 3.10Continues coaching in the direction of the client’s desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise
  11. 3.11Partners with the client to close the coaching relationship in a way that respects the client and the coaching experienceReworded in 2025
    2019: Partners with the client to end the coaching relationship in a way that honors the experience
  12. 3.12Revisits the coaching agreement when necessary to ensure the coaching approach is meeting the client's needsNew in 2025

Sources: ICF — 2025 ICF Core Competencies (PDF) · ICF — 2019 to 2025 Comparison Chart (PDF). The ICF wording is ICF's; the explanations on this page are ours.

Why It Matters for ICF Certification

Without clear agreements, coaching sessions can drift aimlessly. ICF assessors specifically look for evidence that the coach establishes a clear session focus, checks for alignment with the client, and manages the session structure while remaining flexible.

Key Markers ICF Assessors Look For

  • Describes one's coaching philosophy and clearly defines what coaching is and is not
  • Reaches agreement about what is appropriate and not appropriate in the relationship
  • Reaches agreement about the coaching relationship guidelines
  • Partners with the client to identify what they want to accomplish in the session
  • Partners with the client to define success measures for the session
  • Manages time and focus of the session

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Jumping into coaching without establishing what the client wants to work on
  • Not checking back on the session goal during the conversation
  • Letting the session wander without redirecting to the agreed focus
  • Assuming you know what the client wants without asking
  • Not defining what success looks like for the session

Practice Questions for Agreements

“What would you like to focus on today?”
“What would make this a valuable conversation for you?”
“How will you know we've had a successful session?”
“We have about 30 minutes — how would you like to use this time?”
“I notice we've moved to a new topic. Would you like to continue here or return to what we started with?”

How to Improve Agreements

  1. Always start sessions with a clear contracting question
  2. Practice mid-session check-ins: 'Is this what you wanted to explore?'
  3. Define success measures early: 'What would make this session valuable?'
  4. Learn to redirect gently when sessions drift
  5. Use AI practice sessions to develop your session-opening routine

Agreements FAQ

What is "Establishes and Maintains Agreements" in the ICF Core Competencies?+

Establishes and Maintains Agreements means partnering with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans, and goals. It includes establishing agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as for each coaching session.

What changed in Establishes and Maintains Agreements in the 2025 ICF Core Competencies?+

In the 2025 ICF Core Competencies (released September 2025), ICF added a new sub-competency (3.12 “Revisits the coaching agreement when necessary to ensure the coaching approach is meeting the client's needs”) and reworded 3.01, 3.02, 3.11. The competency itself and its name are unchanged. Source: ICF 2019 to 2025 Core Competencies Comparison Chart.

What do ICF assessors look for in Agreements?+

Describes one's coaching philosophy and clearly defines what coaching is and is not; Reaches agreement about what is appropriate and not appropriate in the relationship; Reaches agreement about the coaching relationship guidelines; Partners with the client to identify what they want to accomplish in the session; Partners with the client to define success measures for the session; Manages time and focus of the session.

What are common mistakes with Agreements?+

Jumping into coaching without establishing what the client wants to work on; Not checking back on the session goal during the conversation; Letting the session wander without redirecting to the agreed focus; Assuming you know what the client wants without asking; Not defining what success looks like for the session.

How can I improve Agreements?+

Always start sessions with a clear contracting question; Practice mid-session check-ins: 'Is this what you wanted to explore?'; Define success measures early: 'What would make this session valuable?'; Learn to redirect gently when sessions drift; Use AI practice sessions to develop your session-opening routine.

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