Volunteer Leader Spotlight
IMG Associations is proud to spotlight an outstanding volunteer leader from among our association partners. This month, we are pleased to feature Kay Cannon, a former president of the International Coach 
Federation and current chair of the ICF Brand Development Task Force, which is seeking to know more about ICF members in order to redesign the organization's messaging and communication vehicles. Cannon is an award-winning executive coach who redefines how Type A individuals get great results without collateral damage.
Q. What is the goal of the Brand Development Task Force, and why is it such an important initiative for ICF?
A. The International Coach Federation was founded in 1995 by a small group of visionary coaches in North America. Since that time, the ICF has grown exponentially and now has more than 13,000 members in 90 countries. Obviously, the tremendous growth of the ICF speaks to the organic power of the ICF brand within the professional coaching world. However, because we have been so busy developing and supporting our global membership and our widely-respected programs such as our credentialing and ethical conduct review programs, we have not focused much attention on defining and clearly articulating the ICF's brand. We — the members of the ICF — know that in order for the ICF to have the biggest positive impact in the world, we must have a brand message that reflects the power and strength of our global membership and our position as a leader in professional coaching. The ICF strategic plan sets our direction for the future while the ICF brand is the emotional glue that holds our membership together.
Q. What is your process and what steps have already been completed?
A. When it comes to making decisions the ICF uses a knowledge-based approach. This means that our brand development process has involved an enormous amount of data collection and analysis and is a very thoughtful, deliberate approach. A team of individuals including our dedicated ICF staff, the ICF Brand Development Task Force consisting of volunteer ICF members from seven countries and our extraordinary branding consultant, William Arruda, have invested hundreds of hours to obtain, process and interpret this data.
Focus groups were held around the world with both coaching members and non-members to identify potential elements of the brand. In addition, focus groups were also held with HR managers from North America, Europe and Australia to understand their perceptions of the ICF. Out of these focus groups, the ICF staff worked with William Arruda to design a detailed branding questionnaire that was sent out to a statistically valid sample of ICF members around the world. The ICF Brand Development Task Force then convened in Philadelphia for three days of intensive deliberation under the guidance of William Arruda. Hundreds of pages of data were reviewed and discussed. An analysis of the competitive landscape was also done. Out of this work, the Task Force developed its branding recommendations. In July the Task Force presented its branding recommendations to the ICF Board of Directors which voted to approve the Task Force's recommendations.
The next stage — developing a detailed, global implementation plan — is now underway.
Q. Looking back a year from now, how will you know if you succeeded in this effort?
A. A successful branding initiative is not a year-long endeavor. It is a long-term investment in creating a vibrant, living identity for an organization. For the ICF, I believe that in one year's time, we will be seeing tangible evidence of success reflected by an even greater level of member alignment and engagement. I also believe we will be seeing new stakeholder groups becoming active participants in the ICF's global community.
Q. Why did you join ICF, and how has your participation and leadership brought value to you?
A. I joined ICF when I first began coaching ten years ago. As a healthcare practitioner and executive, I had always belonged to my professional association. When I entered coaching, joining the ICF felt like a natural and smart thing to do. The greatest value I have received from my ICF membership and leadership roles is — without a doubt — the global network of top-notch coaches that I can now call my friends.
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About Kay Cannon
Kay Cannon is an award-winning executive coach who redefines how Type A individuals get great results without collateral damage. She can reasonably predict when a top performer is on the path to a train wreck long before any visible signs appear. Cannon has interviews in more than 50 publications including The New York Times, Forbes Online, The London Financial Times, The Washington Post, Newsday, CIO Magazine, CFO Magazine and Executive Travel. Visit her blog at www.KayCannon.com.
About the International Coach Federation
An IMG client since 2005, the International Coach Federation is the leading global organization dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of credentialed coaches. With more than 13,000 professional personal and business coaches representing over 90 countries, the ICF is the voice of the global coaching profession. The organization's core purpose is to advance the art, science and practice of professional coaching.