Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Evidence Is the Start
62 Plays2 months ago
Across the coaching industry, there is an increasing emphasis on being evidence-based.
And it matters. A lot.
In this solo episode of PRIME SPACE, host Elias Scultori, MCC explores why evidence-based coaching is a vital foundation for the credibility and sustainability of our profession.
From there, the conversation opens into what evidence makes possible—how strong research and standards create the conditions for innovation, adaptability, and deeper presence in real coaching conversations.
This episode is an invitation to honor the science, respect the standards, and use them as a springboard for continued growth.
You’ll hear reflections on the pioneers of coaching, the responsibility we carry today, and why you, in every coaching conversation, contribute to shaping the future of our profession.
Episode Highlights & Timestamps
00:13 – Why “evidence-based” matters more than ever in coaching
02:15 – Coaching pioneers: building the airplane while flying it
03:57 – Why waiting for evidence would have killed innovation
05:55 – The sustainability of coaching depends on research and rigor
09:33 – When evidence alone makes us obsolete
12:48 – Coaches as creators of the next wave of evidence
Memorable Quotes
“Evidence-based is not the finish line. It’s the starting point.”
“If the pioneers had waited for evidence, coaching would never have existed.”
“Innovation is at the core of the coaching mindset.”
“It’s not the ICF staff that sets our standards—it’s you, in every coaching conversation.”
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Prime Space Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to Prime Space, a Prime Coaching Academy podcast with your host, Elias Scultori.
The Role of Evidence-Based Practices in Coaching
00:00:13
Speaker
Coaches, today I want to talk about this term I hear showing up in the coaching industry more and more, evidence-based.
00:00:26
Speaker
This book is evidence-based. This program is evidence-based. This workshop is evidence-based. And isn't that wonderful? It is wonderful that we coaches can now say we have gathered enough evidence to legitimize our practice.
ICF's Commitment to Evidence-Based Coaching
00:00:49
Speaker
I feel super excited about this. Every day now, a new study or paper about coaching is being released supporting and clarifying some of the practices we have been using for decades now.
00:01:07
Speaker
The ICF is actively invested in research and ensuring that everything we release as a community is evidence-based.
00:01:19
Speaker
There are some some questions about the research methods of the ICF, but you know the fact that we are committed to scientific examination and sound practices is phenomenal.
00:01:35
Speaker
and paramount. I'm super excited about it. The sustainability of our industry depends on the quality of the research we conduct and the evidence that emerges from this work.
00:01:52
Speaker
We can't simply do things off the cuff forever. This is a profession and we need to be serious about it. Standards, ethics, legitimacy, reputation, the value that we bring to our clients, all of this comes from being evidence-based.
00:02:10
Speaker
And to me, evidence-based is like, it's the bottom line.
Legacy of Coaching Pioneers
00:02:15
Speaker
We are lucky now that we have been doing this for a while.
00:02:23
Speaker
We have grown enough as an industry to benefit from the results of this research. Because... It was not always the case.
00:02:36
Speaker
when When we talk with with the pioneers of the coaching industry, we quickly realized that in the beginning, they had no clue what they were doing, and simply because they were doing something new, right?
00:02:52
Speaker
They did not have evidence to base their work on. They were pioneers, intrepid souls who had a hunch, a feeling, an idea, a belief, a vision that they were very passionate about.
00:03:11
Speaker
They believed in it so wholeheartedly that they just kept going, trying to figure things out, build the airplane as we fly it, right?
00:03:23
Speaker
But they were smart enough to come together, organize, and set the foundation. That's when the ICF, the core competencies, and the initial conversations about ethics started.
00:03:41
Speaker
But they didn't have any evidence or sophisticated research back then to back up what they were doing. There was not enough time. There was not enough material.
00:03:54
Speaker
It was all new.
00:03:57
Speaker
However, they didn't wait for evidence. And I'm so glad that they didn't. Because if they had waited for evidence back then, the phenomenon of coaching...
00:04:13
Speaker
would never have happened. Today, coaching is a multi-billion dollar industry that covers every corner of this world because of these courageous individuals.
Innovation and Evidence: A Necessary Balance
00:04:30
Speaker
If they had waited for evidence, they would have never gathered enough material to have evidence. For us to have evidence, we have to do something. We have to start with something, right?
00:04:48
Speaker
What I'm trying to say here is that for us to be evidence-based today, someone had to get started.
00:04:59
Speaker
And, you know, this is this is not just for coaching. Every industry, every field, every piece of innovation... only happens because someone dared to think differently.
00:05:18
Speaker
Someone dared to do things differently. And in that moment of doing something different, that person tried something new.
00:05:31
Speaker
There was no evidence that it would work. But they did it anyways. There was just a belief, an intuition, an excitement, a thought, and most importantly, right, the courage to think outside the box and to try it.
00:05:55
Speaker
I'm saying all of this first to recognize the privilege we have today and the gift that these pioneers gave us, So that today we can say this is not just wishful thinking.
00:06:11
Speaker
There is strong evidence of the legitimacy of our practices and the value of coaching. I'm saying this to emphasize how imperative it is for us to continue investing in research and remain evidence-based.
00:06:28
Speaker
There is no sustainability on any industry or any individual coaching practice if we are not evidence-based. There is no future for coaching if we are not evidence-based.
Standards and Training in Professional Coaching
00:06:45
Speaker
I hope you understand that. That's why pursuing solid coach training and remaining current with industry standards is paramount. If you have not engaged in solid coach training, that is a must. that is There is no excuse for anyone nowadays to simply call themselves coaches because of past experiences in another field or because they want to label themselves coaches. Coaching is a serious profession and it requires serious training.
00:07:20
Speaker
But also, like, ah oh i i just did my level one training and got my ACC. Wonderful. And you know, like, I am a coach trainer, and I train people at level one. We just started a level one cohort right now at Prime Coaching Academy, and I'm super excited for the dedication of these individuals to go through a level one program.
00:07:42
Speaker
And I am looking forward to celebrating with them when they get their first level of certification with the ICF. But that's just the beginning.
00:07:54
Speaker
And if we go on the other extreme, oh, I got my MCC years ago. Fantastic, wonderful achievement.
00:08:06
Speaker
How are you aware of what's happening in the industry today? Coaching is an ever-evolving industry. We are learning new things every day and we need to keep ourselves up to date.
00:08:27
Speaker
The Prime Coaching Academy, we don't use the term evidence-based much. I don't think there is any place in our material that we label ourselves evidence-based because we consider this a given.
00:08:44
Speaker
Every single piece of our program, every single module, every single course material is parsed through the current standards of our profession.
00:08:55
Speaker
Emmy and I are relentless about that. And we are even actively engaged with individuals who are now at the cutting edge research and gathering evidence, working alongside our students and to see what what's the what is the research that comes out of it.
00:09:15
Speaker
As I said, being evidence-based is fundamental.
Innovation Beyond Evidence in Coaching
00:09:21
Speaker
However, and it took me a little while to get here, but this is my primary message for today.
00:09:29
Speaker
We can't stop there.
00:09:33
Speaker
Just like the pioneers of coaching didn't wait for evidence to march forward, I believe that we shouldn't either. If we wait for evidence to do anything, we're behind.
00:09:51
Speaker
We're behind the ones who dare to do something innovative first. We are behind the ones who had the courage to try something new.
00:10:03
Speaker
In this fast-paced world, if we base our work solely on evidence... we are most likely already obsolete.
00:10:16
Speaker
I'm a firm believer of that. This industry was created out of a need to disrupt the status quo, to disrupt what people believe to be the norm.
00:10:30
Speaker
Innovation is at the core of the coaching mindset. So yes, let's benefit from the gift of the evidence we are gathering now. This is fabulous and fantastic. But let's use this evidence not to simply conform, but instead as a springboard for more innovation.
00:10:57
Speaker
That's the combination I aim for every day and the commitment we have at Prime Coaching Academy. We are evidence-based. But we are not simply evidence-based.
00:11:10
Speaker
We go a step further. And I would encourage you, coach, to do the same. Commit to polishing your skills.
00:11:22
Speaker
Have depth of understanding of coaching, the skills of coaching, the mindset of coaching, the standards of coaching. Commit to your development and training on a daily basis.
Continual Development and Engagement Opportunities
00:11:33
Speaker
And with that, standing there, standing solid in this evidence, in this knowledge, in this science, in the foundational work, dare to go further.
00:11:49
Speaker
Experiment. Listen. Pay attention. What is truly happening with my client right now? What is behind that question that I just asked? What made me pay attention to this instead of that?
00:12:06
Speaker
I learned that it is essential that I establish a session agreement with my client in every conversation. How am I going to do that in a way that is not simply checking the box, but in a way that is authentic to my client in the moment?
00:12:24
Speaker
Checking the boxes. It's not that I'm going to forget the boxes. I've said this many times here at Prime Space. I'm going to be grounded in those standards. But how do I customize to the moment?
00:12:40
Speaker
And maybe, or perhaps most likely, things will be a little different. Why is that? Why was that different?
00:12:53
Speaker
Did it work? Am I doing this because i'm being sloppy? this because because i don't command these kills? Or is this perhaps a new way of doing this?
00:13:08
Speaker
And then let's sit together and collect evidence.
00:13:14
Speaker
It is not the ICF staff that sets the standards for our profession. It is you doing your work in every single conversation and then collecting evidence to push our industry forward.
00:13:33
Speaker
Make sense? The bottom line here is that evidence-based is a given. It's fantastic. It's fabulous. But that is just the start.
00:13:47
Speaker
Now that we are the industry that we are today, evidence is where we start from.
00:13:58
Speaker
And it is up to all of us.
00:14:02
Speaker
What comes next?
00:14:08
Speaker
Thank you so much for listening and thank you so much for participating in the Prime community. Please subscribe if you haven't subscribed yet. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Go to our YouTube channel. Lots of resources there, including coaching demos, and I'm going to put more coaching demos there for you.
00:14:29
Speaker
And let me know what you think of these podcasts. Ask me questions, send me any emails. And i love to engage with you and to see you at one of our prime hours as well. We have closed registrations for our spring 2026 cohorts. But we will open registration for the fall very soon. So stay tuned and be ready to engage with us as well.
00:14:56
Speaker
Okay? Otherwise, will see you next time. Take care.