We’ve all been there - stuck in a mental loop, interrogating ourselves like we’re both detective and suspect: “How is this problem affecting my work?” “How is this setback shaping my mood?” “How is this challenge impacting my relationships?” Those “how” questions sound productive, but they’re sneaky. They keep you orbiting the problem instead of exploring the solution. Enter the magic of the “What if” question. When you swap How is X affecting Y? for What if X is affecting Y?

Every year around this time we hear a version of the same thing... A coach has been sitting on a question for months. Maybe it's about whether somatic coaching belongs in their practice. Maybe it's about why their LinkedIn profile is getting views but not conversations. Maybe it's about what marketing their coaching business should actually look like, because everything they've tried so far has felt like it was built for someone else. They've done the research. They've watche

The ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) is a new credential for mentor coaches, announced by the International Coaching Federation in April 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, all new mentor coaching hours for ACC, PCC, and MCC candidates must come from a mentor coach who holds the MCS. Starting April 1, 2027, the Performance Evaluation (recorded coaching session) requirement is eliminated for ACC and PCC Portfolio applicants, replaced by an enhanced mentor coaching model with

If you're working toward your new ICF ACC, or PCC credentialing right now (or you are renewing your ACC), you've probably heard whispers about a new requirement called the MCS.

(Hint: You’ve probably used it today.) I’m an ICF Mentor Coach. I mentor Coaches to elevate their questions and their impact. And there’s one word I’ve all but banned from my sentence starters: Why. (And you don't have to be a Coach to benefit from this tip...keep reading.) Why not Why? (I know, ironic.) Here’s the thing -“Why” is a double agent. It shows up looking curious, but it quietly works for Team Defensiveness. Ask someone “Why did you…?” and you’ve lit a fuse. Eve