When leaders grow, organizations grow. And when organizations grow, communities benefit. This is the story of the partnership between the ICF Foundation and Special Olympics – a special project that demonstrates how coaching can create meaningful, measurable social impact.
Partnership Impact at a Glance
- 180 Special Olympics leaders coached
- 389 coaching hours delivered
- 70 ICF-credentialed coaches engaged
- 90% reported leadership growth
- 88% reported improved operational efficiency
- 86% would recommend coaching to others
A Partnership Focused on Leadership Development
Beginning in 2019, the ICF Foundation has partnered with Special Olympics to provide professional coaching to leaders across Africa, North America, and Latin America. Through six coaching engagements, Special Olympics staff members have worked alongside ICF-credentialed coaches to strengthen leadership skills, improve communication, and increase their effectiveness as changemakers.
For many participants, coaching was a completely new experience. In fact, 77% had never worked with a professional coach before, creating an opportunity for transformational growth and development.
Addressing Real World Leadership Challenges
Before beginning their coaching engagements, participants identified several areas where they wanted support:
- Communication and stakeholder engagement
- Leadership development
- Time management
- Influencing others
- Professional networking
These challenges are common among leaders working in mission-driven organizations, where balancing strategy, people, and impact requires constant adaptation and growth.
From Insight to Impact
The coaching experience helped participants develop greater self-awareness, confidence, and practical leadership skills.
Among participants who completed post-coaching assessments:
- 90% said coaching contributed to their leadership growth.
- 54% achieved between 76% and 100% of their coaching goals.
- 86% would recommend coaching to others.
- 75% said they would like to continue receiving coaching.
Participants also reported growth in leadership effectiveness, teamwork, communication, change management, and project management.
Voices from Experience
The numbers tell an important story, but the voices of participants bring the impact to life.
“This coaching partnership improved my self-awareness and truly helped me break through ways of working that were holding me back.”
Another participant shared:
“From our sessions I feel better equipped to handle any situation that is thrown at me and deal with it in a professional manner. I have grown in communication strategies internally and externally to become a better leader.”
These reflections highlight the power of coaching to help leaders move beyond immediate challenges and unlock their full potential.
The Ripple Effect of Coaching
The impact of coaching extended beyond individual leaders and into the broader organization.
Participants reported improvements in:
- Operational efficiency (88%)
- Time savings (75%)
- Employee engagement (50%)
When leaders gain new skills and perspectives, the benefits reach their teams, programs, and stakeholders. This ripple effect strengthens organizations from within, enabling them to better fulfill their missions and serve their communities.
Accelerating Social Change
The ICF Foundation envisions a world where coaching is integral to transforming societies.
Whether you give your time as a volunteer coach or invest in our mission through a donation, your support helps accelerate and amplify social system change through coaching.
Ready to make an impact? Learn how to volunteer or support the ICF Foundation and become part of the growing movement using coaching to create a better world.
