Coaching Competencies – Framework for Successful Coaching

Our IINH Nutrition and Heath Coaching Programme is underpinned by a clear Scope of Practice, our
Code of Ethics and a strong Coaching Competency Framework. A summary of our framework is
presented here. Over time we will explore each in various & different ways enabling you as students
to consider and to calibrate your own level of skill development through your Coaching
Competency Tracker as you work through the programme and beyond.

Below is a framework of competencies for you to consider, to reflect on as a focus for developing
your coaching skills over time. You can use these as a backdrop against which to calibrate your
growth and development as you coach clients over time.

Foundations of Health & Nutrition Coaching

1. Demonstrates Ethical Conduct & Professional Practice Standards – Understanding
of Health, Nutrition & Wellness Coaching Ethics and Standards and ability to apply
appropriately in all coaching situations
2. Operates within a Coaching Mindset – Develops and maintains a mindset which is
open, curious, flexible and client centred
3. Nutrition & Health Knowledge – Ability to refer to, use and present your nutritional
knowledge and expertise during your work as a Nutrition, Health and Wellness Coach

Co-Creating & Maintaining the Client Relationship

4. Establish and Maintain Client Coaching Agreement – Ability to understand what is
required in specific interactions, coming to an agreement with the prospective and
new client about the nature of the coaching process and relationship
5. Cultivates Rapport, Trust & Safety with the Client – Co-creates a safe, supportive
environment that establishes rapport, trust and enables the client to share openly,
and maintains mutual respect in the coaching partnership
6. Maintains Coaching Presence – Ability to be as fully aware as possible within the
client relationship, employing a style that is open, flexible, rounded and confident.

Communicating Effectively
 7. Active Listening – Ability to focus completely on what the client is saying and is not
saying, to understand the meaning of what is said in the context of the client’s
desires/map of the world, and to support client self-expression
8. Powerful Questioning – Ability to ask questions that reveal the information needed
for maximum benefit to the nutrition and health coaching relationship and for the
client
9. Communicating Clearly & Effectively - Ability to communicate in partnership with
the client during coaching sessions using language and tools that have the greatest
impact.

Cultivating Learning & Results

10. Planning and Goal Setting – Ability to guide coaching, develop and maintain an
effective nutrition, health and wellness coaching plan with the client
11. Co-Creating Client Action Plan – Ability to design and create a plan for an with the
client so that they can achieve the agreed goals in steps that work for them
12. Facilitates Insight & Learning – Promotes autonomy in the coaching process by
holding attention on what is important for the client, facilitating insights and
learning while leaving responsibility with the client to transform that learning into
action
13. Self-Evaluation & Personal Growth - Ability to evaluate your own development as a
Nutrition, Health and Wellness Coach and take action on areas for learning and
development
Foundations of Health & Nutrition Coaching

1. Demonstrates Ethical Conduct & Professional Practice Standards

Understanding of health & nutrition coaching ethics and standards and ability to apply
appropriately in all coaching situations

1.1 Clearly communicates the distinctions between nutrition, health & wellness coaching and
psychotherapy, nutritional therapy, dietician, consulting and other support professions
1.2 Uses appropriate and respectful language with clients (e.g., non-sexist, non-racist, non-technical,
non-jargon, non-judgemental), their sponsors, and stakeholders
1.3 Can describe and abide by the UKIHCA code of ethics – and uphold those core values in behaviour
and practice
1.4 Operates within a clear scope of practice, does not exceed capacity or competence, can articulate
SOP, refers client to another support professional as needed,is able to identify and articulate when
and why referral is appropriate
1.5 Ability to manage boundaries and duty of care with a client in an appropriate and ethical manner
and ability to manage boundaries for own health and protection.
1.6 Effectively prepares for and organises client sessions
1.7 Can manage time within client sessions
1.8 Acts within the pertinent laws at all times, maintaining confidentiality with client information as per
stakeholder agreement - establishes appropriate, secure, and confidential methods of record
keeping ensuring that this information is always secure against loss, theft and improper disclosure.
1.9 Understands and implements professional practice and conduct at all times, and does not to bring
the field of coaching into disrepute

2. Operates from within a Coaching Mindset

Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centred
2.1 Coaching is carried out in a collaborative equal partnership with the client - within a ‘do with’ not ‘do
to’ mindset
2.2 Acknowledges that responsibility for change, choices made and taking of action rests with the client
2.3 Works from a state of focus, openness and curiosity about the client’s model of the world and is
sensitive to client’s context, culture, identify, beliefs and values
2.4 Develops and maintains one’s ability to regulate one’s emotions
2.5 Mentally and emotionally prepares for coaching sessions
2.6 Aware of and can demonstrate the difference between appropriate self-disclosure and
inappropriate self-disclosure
2.7 Adapts coaching approach in response to client’s needs
2.8 Use self-awareness and intuition to benefit client (ICF 2019)
2.9 Seeks help from outside sources when necessary, can refer where required
2.10 Develops and demonstrates ongoing reflective practice to enhance one’s coaching, evaluating own
learning and development, integration of learnings into coaching practice

3. Nutrition & Health Knowledge

Ability to refer to, use and present your nutritional knowledge and expertise during your
work as a nutrition, health and wellness coach
3.1 Understands and effectively employs the IINH Nutrition & Health model of Coaching and other
models in working with the client
 3.2 Demonstrates ability to facilitate coaching intake session exploring client nutrition & health goals
and landscape, lifestyle and behaviours, relationship with food, values, beliefs and mindset in the
area of Health and Nutrition
3.3 Clearly defines client goals and desires, clarifies client concerns and areas for change and
improvement
3.4 Can use knowledge to evoke and facilitate awareness during coaching session
3.5 Can use knowledge to facilitate learning during coaching session
3.6 Can utilise learned body of knowledge to both generate and elicit ideas when co-creating
appropriate action plan with the client

Co-Creating & Maintaining the Client

Relationship

4. Establish Client Coaching Agreement/Contract

Ability to understand what is required in the specific interaction, coming to an agreement
with the prospective and new client about the nature of the coaching process &
relationship, plans and goals

4.1 Understands and effectively partners with the client to establish clear coaching engagement
agreements including e.g. logistics, preparation for coaching process, fees, scheduling, length of
sessions, duration of coaching partnership, coaching modality, closing of coaching
4.2 Explains what coaching is, and is not, what is and what is not being offered and can outline the
responsibilities of the relevant stakeholders
4.3 Clearly communicates the distinctions between nutrition, health & wellness coaching and
psychotherapy, nutritional therapy, dietician, consulting and other support professions
4.4 Explaines nutrition and health coaching’s aims and objectives, purpose, methods, structure, way of
working and activities that may be involved
4.5 Partners with the client to determine compatibility and match for the coaching relationship
4.6 Establishes agreements for the overall coaching relationship as well as establishing expectations and
goals within each coaching session
4.7 Partners with the client in identifying their goals and what they wish to achieve through coaching
4.8 Plans for and gathers appropriate and pertinent information during contact with the client
4.9 Can refer the client appropriately and sensitively to another professional and can articulate reasons
why
4.10 Ability to collaborate and end the relationship in a way that honours the coaching agreement

5. Establishing Rapport, Trust and Safety with the Client

Co-creates a safe, supportive environment that establishes rapport, trust, enables the
client to share openly while maintaining mutual respect within the coaching partnership
5.1 Can successfully initiate, foster and build a client relationship establishing rapport and trust and
respect
5.2 Creates a suitable environment and makes clients feel welcome
5.3 Seeks to understand and is curious about the client within their environmental context, including
their experiences, skills, values and beliefs, identity and purpose
5.4 Demonstrates respect for the client’s model of the world, perceptions, learning style, expression of
feelings, concerns beliefs, suggestions and personal being
5.5 Shows genuine concern, empathy and support for the client's welfare and future
 5.6 Acknowledges and respects the client’s insight and work in the coaching process
5.7 Demonstrates personal integrity, openness, and transparency
5.8 Can consistently pace the clients from the client’s current situation

6. Maintains Coaching Presence

Ability to be as fully aware as possible within relationship with the client, employing a
style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident
6.1 Is present, focused, observant, responsive and flexible during the coaching process, flowing in the
moment, seeing many ways to work with the client choosing what is most effective in the moment
6.2 Demonstrates curiosity during the coaching process
6.3 Is open to and comfortable in a space of not knowing
6.4 Demonstrates confidence in working with strong emotions and can self-manage/stay present during
the coaching process.
6.5 Confidently shifts perceptual positions and perspectives, experimenting with new possibilities for own
awareness
6.6 Can share observations, feelings and insights with mindfulness and without personal attachment
6.7 Accesses own intuition, trusting one’s inner knowing, seeking permission to share with client where
appropriate
6.8 Uses humour effectively and appropriately to create lightness and energy
6.9 Maintains awareness of own congruence/incongruence within the coaching context using this
awareness as a steppingstone for one’s own learning and growth

Effective Communication

7. Active Listening
Ability to focus completely on what the client is saying and is not saying, to understand the
meaning of what is said in the context of the client's desires/map of the world, and to
support client self-expression

7.1 Attends to the client and the client's agenda, and not to the coaches’ agenda for the client
7.2 Hears the client's concerns, goals, attitude, values and beliefs about what is and is not possible,
exploring issue constraints
7.3 Explores the client’s context & lifestyle, identity, values & beliefs, attitude, environment and
experiences in order to enhance understanding of the client’s communication and model of the world
7.4 Distinguishes between the words, the tone of voice, and the body language, queries and integrates to
determine the full meaning of what is being communicated
7.5 Ability to notice, acknowledge and explore the client’s emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues, and
other presenting behaviours
7.6 Reflects and summarises what client has said to ensure clarity and understanding (ICF 2019)
7.7 Encourages, accepts, explores, reinforces and builds on the client's expression of feelings, perceptions,
concerns, beliefs, suggestions, etc.
7.8 "Bottom-lines" or understands the essence of the client's communication and helps the client get
there rather than engaging in long descriptive stories

8. Powerful Questioning
Ability to ask questions that reveal the information needed for maximum benefit to the nutritional
coaching relationship and the client
 8.1 Asks questions about the client to explore their way of thinking, values, needs & wants, attitude and
beliefs
8.2 Asks questions that reflect active listening and an understanding of the client's perspective
8.3 Asks questions that evoke discovery, insight, commitment, or action (e.g., those that challenge the
client's assumptions)
8.4 Asks open-ended questions that create greater clarity, possibility, new learning and/or new
connections within the client
8.5 Asks questions that enable the client to move towards what they desire, not questions that ask for the
client to justify or look backwards
8.6 Asks questions to facilitate exploration beyond current thinking

9. Effective Communication
Ability to communicate in partnership with the client during coaching sessions using language and
tools (for example: metaphor or analogy, silence, powerful questioning as well as appropriately
sharing/exploring nutritional knowledge & information) that have the greatest positive impact

9.1 Clearly communicates all aspects of coaching contract - aims and objectives, purpose of methods,
structure, way of working and any activities that may be involved
9.2 Encourages the client to ask questions, can answer questions from the client and answers as fully as
possible, asks for and respects the clients views
9.3 Creates and allows space for silence, pausing and reflection
9.4 Challenges the client in such a way as to evoke awareness and insights
9.5 Can discuss agreed actions clearly with client, assess levels of engagement, understanding and
motivation
9.6 Can make changes based on client feedback to better suit client and enable them to stay engaged with
the coaching process
9.7 Invites more sharing of experience in the moment
9.8 Considers client experience when developing options with the client
9.9 Is clear, direct, respectful and articulate in sharing and providing feedback, can receive feedback from
a client and integrate to improve coaching process
9.10 Encourages the client to ask questions, answers as fully as possible, and can appropriately respond to
questions from the client on aspects of nutrition, health and wellness
9.11 Notices patterns in the client’s behaviour and emotions across sessions and can reflect this
respectfully with the client
9.12 Can assess understanding of and levels of verbal and non-verbal engagement with co-created actions
and lifestyle changes
9.13 Asks client if they want any more information, before making a decision

Cultivating Learning & Results

10. Planning and Goal Setting

Ability to guide coaching, develop and maintain an effective nutrition, health and wellness
coaching plan with the client
10.1 Prepares practically, mentally and emotionally for initial contact with client, initial coaching session
and follow-up sessions
 10.2 Can establish realistic nutrition, health and wellness smart goals/clear outcomes with the client,
exploring current issues/concerns
10.3 Ability to use IINH Nutrition and Health Coaching instruments and tools to map out the client’s context
and personal landscape
10.4 Uses perceptual positions to evaluate client landscape information and to develop ideas which may
assist concerns and major areas for change and movement towards the client goals
10.5 Partners with the client in identifying useful resources to make decisions, step forward and achieve
goals
10.6 Consolidates client results to date and review progress and achievements
10.7 Helps the client identify and/or identifies and accesses different resources for learning if required (e.g.
books, links, other professionals)
10.8 Can manage time within the context of a coaching session

11. Co-creating Client Action Plan

Ability to design and create a plan for and with the client so that they can achieve agreed
goals in steps that work for them

11.1 Invites the client to generate ideas about how they might move forward and what they are willing or
able to act on
11.2 Can develop steps appropriate for each client’s situation and the right chunk size of tasks thereby
enabling success
11.3 Advocates or brings forward points of view that are aligned with client goals and, without attachment,
engages the client to consider them
11.4 Encourages stretches and challenges but also a comfortable pace of learning and change
11.5 Adjusts coaching process as warranted by situational changes session on session
11.6 Considers the clients experience when exploring what might be useful
11.7 Asks if client wants any more information before deciding, answers clients questions
11.8 Identifies and targets early successes that are important to the client
11.9 Clearly agrees in partnership with the client actions that enable movement of the client toward their
desired goals

12. Facilitates Insight & Learning

Promotes autonomy in the coaching process by, holding attention on what is important
for the client, facilitating insights and learning while leaving responsibility with the client
to transform that learning into action

12.1 Ability to provide appropriate information enabling learning within about the nature of nutrition,
health and wellness coaching, lifestyle changes and other supporting information for the client during
the coaching process
12.2 Seeks permission to share information which can be potentially useful to the client
12.3 Demonstrates follow through by asking the client about those actions that the client committed to
during the previous session(s)
12.4 Actively discusses progress with the client, notices what is working celebrating client successes and
capabilities for future growth
12.5 Helps the client to identify factors which influence current behaviour, thinking, emotion and
motivation
12.6 Positively discusses with the client when/if the client did not take agreed-upon actions, exploring
resistances and what resources the client needs to be successful
12.7 Can confidently give and receive feedback
12.8 Can positively support the client during setbacks and help them to get back on track
12.9 Challenges client's assumptions and assists the client to reframe perspectives to enable new
possibilities and behaviours
12.10 Assists the client in learning how to learn while moving towards coaching goals (UKIHCA 2022)
12.11 Can move back and forth between the big picture of where the client is heading, setting a context for
what is being discussed and where the client wishes to go
 12.12 Works in partnership with the client in the closing of each coaching session

13. Self-Evaluation & Personal Growth

Ability to evaluate own development as a nutrition and health coach identifying and
acting on areas for learning and development
13.1 Tracks and evaluates the development of own skills and competencies
13.2 Can skilfully reflect on, and evaluate coaching sessions, harnessing and integrating learnings from
multiple perspectives
13.3 Reviews each client coaching session, reflectively learning in relation to coaching session experiences
and client needs
13.4 Can identify improvements to be made, to better meet clients aims and objectives in the future
13.5 Identifies areas for development (knowledge, skills and new behaviours) and goals for continued
professional development (CPD)
13.6 Ability to manage boundaries for own health and engages in self-care practices
13.7 Assesses own methods of working and self-organisation making improvements over time

This competency framework establishes a solid foundation for development of your skills as a
Nutrition & Health Coach. Completing our Competency Development Log (See Brightspace Assignment
Section) will enable you to monitor your own development and growth throughout the programme
and beyond.

• As an organisation IINH are aligned with both the UKIHCA and the International Coach
Federation (ICF). As such this framework has been developed referencing and adapting from
those professional frameworks to which we are aligned as coaches and trainers.