Part of the ICF core competencies of coaching is the notion of the “coaching presence.” This is essentially modeling the “coach approach” through extra-coaching interactions, maintaining an ethic of honesty while inspiring clients and potential clients to look forward along the best path they can find toward the realization of their leadership or personal vision and their God-given vocation.

When an Orthodox Christian coach demonstrates this competency, she communicates the authenticity of her coaching. She assures her interlocutors that coaching is not merely a technique or a method but is a genuine mode of being and interacting for the good of others — a faithful Christian ministry.

Honesty is valued above every other trait among those who have described their experiences with exemplary leaders. People want to know that the one they follow or seek help from can be trusted and that they are truthful, ethical, and moral. This kind of leadership and engagement builds confidence and increases a client’s or follower’s ability and willingness to “go the distance” in honor of the trusted relationship. As well as being most sought after, this is the most personal quality of a coach or leader. When you engage with someone known to have strong character and high integrity, you are more likely to be viewed the same.


For this reason, people need to know our beliefs and that those beliefs are grounded in the highest standards of ethics and integrity. People do not trust others who do not live by a clear set of values, ethics, and standards. Therefore, an Orthodox Christian coach must be as good as her word and strive to be as good as the Word himself!

And in addition to this honesty of a genuine coaching presence, the coach who is a leader remains forward-looking, inspiring, and competent — a trustworthy, dynamic expert — to lead others along the path to greater flourishing and leadership in their own right.

So to be competent as Orthodox Christian coaches, we are faced with a two-fold challenge: first, we must live our faith in hope and love, by grace obeying the commandments of Christ relative to God and our neighbor; and second, we must perpetually hone our craft as coaches and strive for excellence in the delivery of our ministry therein.

This means we will establish, little by little, a track record of getting things done, advancing the cause of coaching in the Church, or accomplishing whatever other professional goals lie before us as coaches. Further, we will persist in faithfulness to Christ and His Church, praying, fasting, and doing works of mercy unto our salvation and those around us. Finally, people will know that we are well-grounded and capable because we have put effort into learning and developing as Christians and as coaches.

We will also endeavor to inspire others with our energy, excitement, and positive vision for the future. In a word, we give life to other people’s dreams by encouraging a deadline. Our positive attitudes and emotions resonate among our client’s relationships with their followers and constituents, becoming a net benefit for more than one person at a time.

An Orthodox Christian coach also models the way by looking ahead with a heaven-oriented sense of direction and purpose. If the coach is going to help people know where they ought to go, either in reality or metaphorically, the coach, too, has to be turned toward his own best future, pursuing a fulfilling vision that is more than just a re-vamp of the status quo. And this personal or professional vision has to connect with the image of fulfillment or success that any desired clients also have for themselves.

Finally, an Orthodox Christian coach is consistent in all these traits across time and place. So that this competency of the “coaching presence” has the advantage of being something that others value and likewise consistently look for in a coach or a colleague.