Core Competencies Summit with Meredith Kimmel, PCC

The Art of Listening: Mastering ICF Core Competency Six

Listening is at the heart of every effective coaching engagement. This 90-minute virtual workshop will explore ICF Core Competency 6: Listens Actively, a foundational skill that distinguishes transactional conversation from transformational coaching.

Led by Meredith Kimmel, PCC, this session will offer a deep dive into what it means to listen beyond the words. We’ll examine how coaches can attune to language, tone, emotion, and energy to support client self-expression, insight, and growth. Participants will explore practical ways to integrate active listening into their coaching practice and reflect on how this competency enhances trust, presence, and partnership.

This session is designed for credentialed coaches and those pursuing ICF certification who want to refine their listening skills and strengthen their alignment with the ICF Core Competencies.

This 90-minute virtual workshop is a coach-specific training focused entirely on ICF Core Competency 6: Listens Actively, under the "Communicating Effectively" domain of the ICF Core Competency framework.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Deepen their understanding of what it means to actively listen in a coaching context.
Identify and apply key elements of Core Competency 6, including awareness of tone, energy shifts, non-verbal cues, and underlying meaning.
Strengthen their ability to hold space for clients by listening beyond the words, in service of client clarity, self-expression, and growth.
Recognize common listening pitfalls and explore strategies to remain present, grounded, and fully attuned to the client.
Integrate improved listening techniques into their ongoing coaching practice to build trust, evoke awareness, and support transformation.

Subjects Covered Include:
The definition and key markers of Core Competency 6.
Real-world applications of active listening in client sessions.
Emotional awareness and energetic attunement.
Recognizing patterns and themes across sessions.
Listening for what’s said, unsaid, and emotionally charged.
Reflecting and summarizing to ensure client understanding and insight.

Core Competency Addressed:
Competency 6: Listens Actively

This workshop is explicitly designed to help coaches refine their listening skills, which are essential to deep client work. All content is coach-specific, grounded in the ICF Core Competency framework, and intended to immediately enhance the quality and depth of coaching engagements.

About the Speaker: Meredith Kimmel, PCC

Meredith Kimmel, PCC, is a career development and leadership coach who guides professionals to take ownership of their careers, lead with confidence, and create lives they truly love. Known for her grounded wisdom and strategic insight, Meredith supports clients through career transitions, leadership growth, and personal reinvention.

Her coaching draws from her own lived experience: overcoming burnout, navigating major life transitions, and redefining success on her own terms. She works with clients to clarify their values, set meaningful goals, and move forward with clarity and purpose.

Meredith serves on the leadership team of ICF South Florida as a Board Coach. In this role, she supports fellow leaders in strengthening their impact and confidence. In addition to her private coaching practice, she leads workshops and speaks to organizations across industries, always focused on practical strategies that spark real change.

With a background in accounting, law, and corporate operations, Meredith blends structure with heart. Her clients value her as a clear thinker, a supportive guide, and a catalyst for growth. Outside of coaching, you’ll find her enjoying yoga, exploring the arts, and soaking up the Florida sunshine.

Learn more at www.meredithkimmel.com.