A turning point for the coaching industry
- Emily Cardamon
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
As 2027 approaches, the mentor coaching landscape is shifting in a meaningful way. If you’re a coach planning your next credential or renewal, this isn’t just a policy update—it’s a change that will shape how you grow, how you’re supported, and how you demonstrate your coaching mastery.
Let’s walk through what’s coming, and more importantly, what it means for you.
Book time with us at Mentor Coach Collective if you are interested in completing your 10 hour mentor coaching requirement with Emily and Eliza. We will be amongst the first to hold the new designation outlined below and are still taking clients under the existing format through 2026.
A Turning Point for Mentor Coaching
Beginning January 1, 2027, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) will implement significant updates to mentor coaching as part of the new Mentor Coach Supervision (MCS) specialization requirement.
At the heart of these changes is a clear intention: to bring greater consistency, rigor, and developmental depth to the mentor coaching process, elevating the professional coaching industry at large as a result.
Here’s what the changes look like.
Mentor coaching for credentialing and renewal will need to be delivered by an ICF-approved Mentor Coach Specialist (MCS) designation holder.
MCSs will be credentialed at the ACC, PCC, and MCC levels, aligning with the level of coach they support.
The current requirement for recorded performance evaluations (used in ACC and PCC credentialing) will be removed.
This marks a shift away from one-time evaluation toward a more integrated, ongoing developmental process.
What This Will Feel Like for You as a Coach
Under the new model, mentor coaching will become a more immersive and structured developmental experience for you.
Instead of a loosely defined parameters for mentor coaching sessions, you can expect a process that’s more hands-on, standardized, personalized, and continuous.
The ICF is still releasing information. The new process is pointing towards these shifts in your experience:
Have multiple live or recorded coaching sessions observed over time to indicate your credential readiness (not one single performacne evaluation submission).
Receive feedback grounded in ICF standards specific to your level:
ACC BARS if you’re an ACC
PCC Markers if you’re a PCC
Get clear, session-by-session feedback on what’s working and where to refine
Be supported in a way that tracks your growth over time, rather than offering one-time insights
In other words, mentor coaching will feel less like a requirement to complete—and more like an ongoing partnership focused on your development.
With that comes a different kind of investment. You may need to:
Bring more recorded sessions for review
Allow more time between sessions to demonstrate progress
Engage more actively with detailed, structured feedback
The intention behind all of this is meaningful: to ensure you’re not just meeting the standard, but embodying it consistently in your coaching.
And while mentor coaches will be holding more responsibility behind the scenes—through additional training and ongoing education—what you’ll experience is a process designed to support deeper growth, clearer feedback, and stronger alignment with the competencies at your level.
A Shift in Format: From Flexible to Structured
One of the biggest questions coaches are asking right now is: What happens to group mentor coaching?
While the ICF has not explicitly banned group formats, the new requirements strongly suggest that mentor coaching will be:
Individualized
Observed directly with more rigourous evaluation
These elements are difficult to fully achieve in a traditional group model.
Today’s ICF group strucutre for mentor coaching —7 hours of group mentoring plus 3 individual hours—may give way to something closer to 10 hours of fully individualized mentor coaching.
This isn’t just a format change. It’s a philosophical one: from shared learning spaces to deeply personalized development journeys.
Cost, Time, and Capacity: What to Expect
With increased rigor comes increased investment.
As we move into 2027, it’s reasonable to expect:
Higher mentor coaching costs, reflecting:
More time-intensive observation and feedback
Additional training and qualification requirements for MCQs
More time required, including:
Recording coaching sessions
Scheduling observed sessions
Allowing space for documented development over time
The Window of Opportunity: Now Through 2026
Here’s the part we want to say gently—but clearly:
If you’re planning a credential or renewal, 2026 is a uniquely supportive window.
Under the current system, you can still:
Complete mentor coaching using a blend of group and individual hours
Work within a more flexible and accessible structure
Do so at a potentially lower cost
After January 1, 2027, the pathway becomes more structured and likely more demanding.
How to Prepare Thoughtfully
If you’re an ACC or PCC coach, here’s what we recommend as mentors who deeply care about your success:
Start earlier than you think you need to.Mentor coaching is no longer something to squeeze into the final months before renewal.
Consider completing your mentor coaching in 2026 if possible.This allows you to benefit from the current model while it’s still available.
Plan for a more developmental process moving forward (we are excited for this new format!).The new approach isn’t just about meeting requirements—it’s about demonstrating growth over time.
The Bigger Picture
While these changes may feel like added pressure, they’re also rooted in something meaningful:A desire to ensure that every coach is supported in a thoughtful, rigorous, and truly developmental way.
Mentor coaching is becoming less about “checking the box” and more about deepening your coaching presence, skill, and impact.
And that’s something worth investing in.
Check out the ICF page outlinging these changes here.
