I will start by naming that I am writing to you in honor of my highest value, love. To me love is the fierceness in seeing and honoring truth and humanity within ourselves and others. Love calls me to speak truth to power and echos the words of bell hooks, “The heart of justice is truth telling, seeing ourselves and the world the way it is rather than the way we want it to be.” I have been an ICF member and coach for several years. Each of these years I have been proud to hold this accreditation and all that it stands for - the professionalism, the high standards of conduct and competencies, and deep roots in ethics. I have viewed the work of the ICF as a powerful tool to not only enhance my skills as a coach that I can lean on to serve my clients and grow my business, but also a community that is here to make coaching a more credible and valid profession. Even more important than that, the ICF has been a community that is committed to creating a more just and humane world. Every coach I have met through the ICF is a world changer, magnificent in their own way, and in all ways deeply and profoundly human, committed to what the ICF says it stands for. It is from this place I make both the challenge and request for the following:
To the ICF, I ask you to move the Converge Conference to another location or host it online so no ICF coach needs to consider the potential harm they may experience in Florida.
To the coaches planning to attend I ask that you boycott the conference and sign this petition created by coach Tara Robertson and attend the Unconference instead.
To the people and coaches planning to facilitate at this function, I ask that you withdraw from the conference.
It is human to have moments of hypocrisy. We all make mistakes. As coaches we vigorously work with ourselves and those we coach with to align our insides and our outsides, our actions with our values, our walk with our talk. Inevitably we have moments when we make declarations and commitments to ourselves and others and fall back into old habits of behavior. Think about when you have worked with a client in this position, what do we say? We say “fail forward” we say, “What will you do differently next time?” We ask “ What are you learning in this moment?” We ask “What is needed now?” We ask, “What is the cost of continuing the behavior?” We ask our clients to consider the impacts they are having on those around them. We ask “If this isn’t the impact you want to have, what will you do instead?” And as with everything, our mistakes, behaviors, and impacts all have rippling consequences, some good and some out of alignment with who we aim to be. The latter is where I believe we find ourselves with the ICF, out of alignment with who we aim to be. When we find ourselves in this place, what do we do? As coaches we connect people back to values, mission, and purpose. We check in with our insides to help us align our outsides.
As relating to the current decision to host a global conference in Florida I’d like to shine a light on the misalignments between the ICF talk and the current ICF walk. I also include a few links if what is missing is an understanding of the world as it is rather than what we wish it were.
First let’s dig into the ICF core values. Values are the foundation of how we view and move through life, work, and business. The purpose of defining values is to make clear what is truly important to us, define the actions that support the embodiment of the value, and guide us in making the most effective choices for ourselves or organizations.
Professionalism is the first ICF Value. Pasted below is the value, its definition, and the actions that support this value as defined by the ICF.
Professionalism: A commitment to a coaching mindset and professional quality that encompasses responsibility, respect, integrity, competence, and excellence.
I demonstrate professionalism by:
• Ensuring my professional conduct is consistently aligned with the Value of humanity and the coaching mindset competency in all my interactions.
• Being true and accurate in my statements.
• Committing to my life-long professional learning and personal development.
• Supporting ongoing personal and professional development of my clients, students and ICF professionals.
• Delivering on my commitments.
• Being aware of ethical dilemmas and issues and responding with adherence to the ICF Code of Ethics.
• Adding to the knowledge base and sharing expertise and skills as described in the ICF Core Competencies.
• Being resilient and confident when faced with challenges.
• Behaving with respect and transparency in all business dealings related to coaching.
• Making clear and accurate representations in all my interactions in relation to coaching
• Committing to honesty, courage, consistency of action, ethical practice, and the highest standards for ICF and the coaching profession.
What strikes me about this particular value of Professionalism and the part I hold dear to my heart is the call to be “consistently aligned with the Value of humanity.” The elected officials of Florida are constantly working to devalue the humanity of anyone who falls outside the white heteronormative patriarchal norms of society. That can be seen in the laws that went into effect on July 1st. These laws restrict the freedoms of all people in Florida. They endanger LGBTQIA+ people and children. One goes so far as removing children from their parents for supporting their trans children. They prevent pregnant women and people from receiving timely medical care. They prevent the accurate education of the United States’ deeply racist history furthering the harm to BIPOC folx. They also allow people to carry unregistered concealed guns. How does the ICF plan on managing the legal right for undocumented concealed guns at their event? They impede freedom of speech and disrespect the identities of others by requiring that school teachers and staff only refer to a child by their assigned gender. When I read “the Value” of humanity and then see the actual laws (not even including the bills introduced) not only do I see a state that isn’t aligned with the value of professionalism, I see a state that is making increasingly dangerous decisions that put at risk the lives of vulnerable people. And this isn’t just my opinion. The NAACP wrote this in their recent advisory, “Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color." The ICF wrote on their FAQ’s for the event that they would take into consideration any advisories. These are not the only advisories against travel to Florida. To me the choice to host an event in Florida lands us in an ethical dilemma which will be addressed when we dig into the ICF code of Ethics. In even asking BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ coaches to consider coming to Florida, the ICF fails to understand the seriousness of the current reality in Florida and the realities across the world. Here is a link for understanding anti-LGBTQ laws around the world and here is an article from the UN discussing the global need to dismantle racism. The bottomline of the value of Professionalism calls us to “honesty, courage, consistency of action, ethical practice, and the highest standards for ICF and the coaching profession.” There is nothing honest, courageous, ethical, or any kind of high standard about Florida. This is the time for courageous action - moving the event, boycotting, and withdrawing from facilitation.
Their next value is Collaboration.
Collaboration: A commitment to develop social connection and community building.
I work collaboratively by:
• Making commitments and progress towards promoting professional coaching through fostering joint creativity and resourcefulness.
• Partnering with others, both within and across multiple social-identity groups.
• Being mindful and intentional in my own participation while working in any collective effort.
• Cooperating with other ICF professionals working with Client(s) and Sponsor(s).
• Partnering and communicating with related professions, associations and people in other coaching organizations and professions.
Who is the ICF choosing to collaborate with in this choice? Is it the numerous coaches, coaching training entities, and advocacy / social justice organizations that have voiced their concerns? Unlikely. What documentation can the ICF provide to us, the members and accredited coaches, that the decision makers for this event partnered “within and across multiple social-identity groups?” A choice to not consider and take action after the NAACP advisory is not aligning with the value of collaboration. If you as coaches and facilitators are “being mindful and intentional in my own participation while working in any collective effort” knowing that lives are at risk, is it an ethical choice to participate in this event? I am reminded of this quote from Desmond Tutu, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” To take a neutral stance on the choices Florida is making is to align yourself with white supremacy and the harm that flows from it. How does aligning with harm align with the gold standards of coaching? What credibility will the ICF maintain by aligning with harm instead of their own values?
The next value is humanity.
Humanity: A commitment to being humane, kind, compassionate, and respectful towards others.
I demonstrate humanity by:
• Accepting that as humans, I am not meant to be perfect and with a coaching mindset expressing imperfections is an opportunity for me to spread a culture of openness and self-acceptance.
• Knowing I always have more to learn and being open to other points of view.
• Creating authentic relationships that support honesty, transparency, and clarity.
• Continuously seeking and developing self-awareness.
• Being willing to acknowledge and own my mistakes.
• Accepting responsibility for my actions and learning from them.
• Being modest about my achievements.
• Avoiding any behaviors or communication that suggest superiority in any way.
• Committing to inclusivity, dignity, self-worth, and human rights.
Every decision maker that led to this choice from the ICF is indeed human and we will always mess stuff up in way one or another. What is important is what we choose to do after we mess up. I am calling on the ICF to own the mistake being made, do what it takes to begin to heal the harm this decision has already caused to the coaching community, make the necessary changes now, and do better next time. There is nothing about what is happening in Florida that is humane, kind, compassionate, or respectful.
The final listed value is Equity.
Equity: A commitment to use a coaching mindset to explore and understand the needs of others so I can practice equitable processes at all times that create equality for all.
I am equitable by:
• Recognizing and respecting all identity groups and their contributions.
• Treating everyone with the same dignity and sense of fairness.
• Bringing awareness to systemic patterns of conscious and unconscious biases in my own self and in others.
• Exploring to understand and bring awareness to social diversity, systemic equality, and systemic oppression and how they show up in the coaching profession.
• Maintaining equality and partnership in all of my coach-client, trainer student, mentor-coach and supervisor-coach relationships.
As is officially a law in Florida, equity isn’t even allowed to be taught in colleges. There is nothing respectful, equitable, fair, or equal about asking BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ coaches to consider their safety before traveling to this event, or to put their safety at risk by traveling to this event. The ICF has made this equity statement, “The International Coaching Federation places diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the forefront of everything we do. We commit to valuing the unique talents, insights, and experiences that every coach and client brings to the world. To that end, we have established the Global Diversity Council to oversee, support, and influence our stakeholders to reflect on our blind spots and be aware of opportunities for improvement.” What are the council's thoughts on this? Where are they documented? Claiming that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are at the forefront of everything you do while hosting an event in a hostile state is, at best, incongruent. To me, this is where I feel the absolute biggest betrayal. With all the calls to do the DEI work and trainings, the consistent messaging, and financial investment to not be reflected in the actions the ICF is taking is absolutely gutting. ICF coaches and leaders are meant to be the best - the gold standard - leaders in supporting organizations to make choices aligned with their values.
Here is my call to you, reader. Walk your talk now. You as a coach, leader, facilitator, human, if you are serious about creating a more equitable world, do the work here and now or stop pretending like you care. We make our hope in this world and, if your vision is to see equity, do the work now. No one is coming to do it for us. No one will magically appear and right the wrongs being done. It is me and you, each of you, that must do the work. The feeling of belonging is created by each and every person doing their part. Do your part. Sometimes that part means missing out on cool events hosted in hostile states, losing money because we - or the entities we associated with - chose poorly, or choosing not to earn money because the decisions by the people hosting our facilitation are out of alignment with our values. We can and must do better. People across the globe are losing their lives to the culture spewing from Florida.
Before I sign off I want to shine the spotlight in what the ICF tells us is our responsibility to society. From the Code of Ethics it reads:
Section IV—Responsibility to Society
As an ICF Professional, I:
25. Avoid discrimination by maintaining fairness and equality in all activities and operations, while respecting local rules and cultural practices. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination on the basis of age, race, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability or military status.
26. Recognize and honor the contributions and intellectual property of others, only claiming ownership of my own material. I understand that a breach of this standard may subject me to legal remedy by a third party.
27. Am honest and work within recognized scientific standards, applicable subject guidelines and boundaries of my competence when conducting and reporting research.
28. Am aware of my and my clients’ impact on society. I adhere to the philosophy of “doing good,” versus “avoiding bad.”
There is no fairness and equality in bringing coaches to a state that threatens the existence of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folx. It is a state of discrimination working to make discrimination easier. Is the ICF “doing good” or “avoiding bad?” Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like the ICF is doing either of these. Doing good would mean they owned this mistake and made changes to keep people physically and psychologically safe. “Avoiding bad” might look more like “Alright we know it's bad here and here are all the ways we plan on keeping you safe.” This may be more along the lines of doing bad… choosing to align with oppressors.
Along with this responsibility the code of ethics tells us that should we find ourselves in a conflict of interest that we “Resolve any conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest by working through the issue with relevant parties, seeking professional assistance, or suspending temporarily or ending the professional relationship.”
After reading this, should you choose to attend - my deepest hope is that you sit with the intense discomfort of being out of integrity with words and actions. I hope that as you eat, the hollow taste of nothingness calls you into to thinking about the grave injustices that have been and will continue to be carried out on the land on which you sit. I hope that in this moment you reflect on the fact that you were okay enough with hatred, racism, homophobia, and transphobia (real harm being done to real people) to put on and attend a conference in the hostile state of Florida. Should the event move forward on its current trajectory, the coaching community will be called to grapple with the credibility of the ICF and whether they accurately portray the gold standard of coaching. Their current choice is misaligned with every brilliant coach I have met and the vision of a more just and humane world. My sincerest hope is that we see incredible brave and courageous action - that each coach and facilitator says, “I will not participate in oppression” and that the leaders of the ICF will do the hard work of practicing what they preach. To the brave coaches boycotting - I see you. We make our hope and may the shambles of this decision fuel the flames of change where leaders walk their talk.
In rage and in love,
Torin Widhammer CPCC, PCC
Radicle Fire-Starter
Radicle Coaching, LLC