Executive Consulting Certification: The Ultimate Guide [2022 Edition]

Which executive consulting certificates are the best accessible today? And do you require one?
This is one of the most often asked questions during my seminars and webinars.
I’ve written about this several times in an attempt to address concerns. Some of the blogs about consulting certifications can be found here and here.

The reality is that consulting in the United States of America remains an uncontrolled sector. This means that anyone may self-identify as a consultant. However, making empty claims will not help you grow a sizable client base!

What you require is experience, expertise, and several positive client referrals!

I’m assuming in this blog that you’re looking to improve your talents. As a result, I’ll explain everything you need to know about executive consulting certificates.

Executive Consulting Certification Programs Are Required

I discussed the benefits of degrees in my piece Do You Need Consulting Certification in 2021?

•  Earning an executive consulting credential would undoubtedly help you improve your talents. A certification in executive consulting prepares you to deal with various scenarios. Your interpersonal abilities will propel you further in your executive consulting job. Therefore, why not get a heads-up on what is coming your way? You’ll get a true sense of how diverse clients can be in a controlled classroom environment!
•  Additionally, an executive consulting credential teaches you about standardized processes. To be sure, you can bend the rules to accomplish your objective. However, you should be aware of the regulations in the first place!

•  Obtaining consulting certification promotes credibility. This cannot be disputed. In a competitive industry, earning an executive consulting certification might be one of the most effective strategies for gaining customers. A diploma in executive consulting from a recognized institution provides you with an advantage. Your abilities and dedication will determine the remainder of your career!

• Businesses are engaging executive consultants to enhance employee morale and bottom-line revenues. In the United States of America, the life consulting market surpassed $1 billion in sales last year. An executive consulting credential establishes credibility for your resume in a competitive environment.
•  An executive consultant support network will assist you throughout your career. This is perhaps the most significant advantage of an executive consulting certification program. Occasionally, you’ll run into like-minded individuals and rivals under the same roof!

• Why An executive consulting certification demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning, nothing is more evocative of commitment than, well, commitment! It shows your eagerness to acquire new talents and apply them to your consultancy business.

  • A qualification in executive consulting enables you to start your firm on your terms. It teaches you about your brand’s values. This is beneficial for all practical purposes in running your firm. For instance, you are aware of how to price your consulting services.

  These are just a few ways that obtaining an executive consulting certification might benefit your consulting practice.

  Certification in the Fundamentals of Executive Consulting

  Let us dissect the prominent Executive Consulting Certification programs’ course content. This will assist you in comprehending and selecting the program that is most appropriate for you.

  Allow us to begin with comprehending how the executive consulting certification program will benefit you.

  What is the role of an executive consultant?

  A qualified executive consultant is someone who works with high-potential personnel. They receive assistance from the consultant with the following:

  •  To increase one’s self-awareness
  •  To define objectives
  •  Achieve development objectives
  •  Maximize their potential
  •  Serve as a sounding board for others

  Is executive consulting effective?

  Will your job take off after all the effort you put into earning a degree?

  Is executive consulting effective? According to a Harvard Business Review report, it does!

  In contrast to most business processes, executive consulting engages individuals in unique ways. These recognize and value the employee’s uniqueness.

  It enables individuals to understand themselves better, live more deliberately, and contribute more abundantly. Consulting’s fundamentally human nature is what makes it work and what makes it nearly hard to quantify.

Is there a distinction between executive and business consultants?

There is.

In my blog post, I discussed The Best Executive Consultants to Follow in 2021. I’ll summarize a few of the points I made earlier.

Business and executive consultants both deal with corporate customers.

Typically, an executive consultant works with an organization’s top leaders. Chief executive officers, directors, vice presidents, and managing directors are included in this category.

The Graduate School at Stanford Business School provides the best description of executive consulting. “Executive consulting is a method of personal and professional growth that is focused on inquiry. Executive consulting contributes to the creation of awareness and motivates action. It promotes learning and development. It is geared for performance enhancement. It assists individuals in acquiring and maintaining new perspectives, attitudes, abilities, and behaviors.”

Executive Consulting Defined

Executive consulting is defined on the Graduate School of Stanford Business website.

Executive consultants’ primary responsibilities include the following:

• Collecting and providing feedback
• Identifying potential areas of development
•  Raising public awareness
•  Facilitating solutions through the use of compelling questions
•  Establishing objectives and developing an action plan
•  Encouraging learning
•  Long-term support and encouragement
•  Keeping a close eye on progress and holding people accountable

If you’re considering enrolling in executive consulting certification programs, read the entire blog.

Typically, executive consulting engagements follow the following steps:

•  Intake and evaluation (including 360-degree feedback)
•  Setting objectives
•  Consultation and skill development on an ongoing basis
•  Evaluation of outcomes

As a result, any executive consulting certification school will teach you these stages.

Executive Consulting Certification Programs Teach the Following Skills

Each executive consulting certification program will teach you soft skills, apart from a structured curriculum.

The NLP Centre lists the following as the top five soft skills that every executive consultant should possess:

•  Capacity to operate in ways that benefit everyone
•  communicate instructions/requirements
•  Apply ingenuity to accomplish goals
•  At will, enter any attitude and maintain it
•  Recognize the impact of individual choices on the overall outcome

Consider Berkeley’s 10-day intensive executive consulting certification program. It details the competencies students will acquire while enrolled in the organizational consulting certification program. The primary abilities are as follows:

• Compassion
•  Intimacy on the job
•  Presence of leadership
•  Capable of effective communication

Where Can I Obtain a Certification in Executive Consulting?

Several companies and institutes that offer executive consulting certification programs are listed below.

There are three prominent executive consulting certification organizations, according to Proto.

•  The International Federation of Consulting
• The European Council for Mentoring and Consulting and
•  Credentialing and Education Center

Each certification organization has its distinct certification procedure. They provide education and support to all consultants, regardless of stage.

These groups can assist new consultants in getting their feet wet. Additionally, they offer ongoing education for consultants who began their careers many years ago. This section contains further information about each certification provider.

•  International Federation of Consulting Firms (ICF). ICF is a not-for-profit certification organization operating on a global scale. They are widely regarded as the consulting industry’s leader in certification. Their consultants have advised many international leaders, corporate titans, and others.
•  European Mentoring and Consulting Council (EMCC): The EMCC is a European certification organization dedicated to providing consultants with the necessary skills for success. They aim to promote and enhance best practices in executive consulting by certifying consultants and training facilities around Europe.
•  Credentialing and Education Center (CCE). CCE is a certifying organization headquartered in this city. They support counselors, consultants, and other professionals in various sectors, including executive consulting. CCE does not only offer credentials in executive consulting. Additionally, they give assessments and business support on a need-to-know basis. They have qualified over 25,000 experts worldwide.

I already listed the following institutes in a blog post about the most excellent training institutes:

•  Consultant Training Alliance: Consultant Training Alliance is an accredited member of the ICF and ACSTH. It provides consultancy training in a variety of fields. This encompasses personal consultation, life consulting and consulting at the professional level. As a consultant, you can develop the necessary abilities to establish a thriving consulting practice.
•  Co-Active Training Institute: This institute is based on the leadership development paradigm. This contributes to humanity’s empowerment on the path to consciousness. It is accredited by the ICF, ACE, and HRPA. The institute offers consultancy training in a variety of specialties.
•  Consultant U: Consultant U is a global leader in consulting education. The programs impart consulting skills and assist in establishing a consulting practice. Additionally, it builds a solid basis and teaches you how to consult. It is ICF-accredited.

Education Service Center, Region 20, did a comparative assessment of the top ICF ACTP consulting schools in the continental United States (ESC 20). It gave in-depth information about the best executive consulting certification programs available, categorizing them into ten categories. According to the comparative efforts, the top three schools are as follows:

1.  The Institute for Consulting Excellence (EC)
2.  The Institute of Consultant Training (CTI)
3.  Texas A&M University-Dallas

Several more common executive consultant selections include the following:

1.  Columbia University School of Business
2.  Pennsylvania’s Wharton University
3.  Certificate in Executive Consulting at the University of California, Berkeley

Here are a few online executive consulting certification programs.

If you’re unsure which one is best for you, have no fear. Begin by registering for my complimentary webinar. I included a link to it in the final portion of this blog. Once you have a better sense of what you aim for, it will be easier to choose the best course of action.

Who Requires Certification in Executive Consulting?

Anyone interested in pursuing a career as an executive consultant serious about doing so is qualified to enroll in one of the Executive Consulting Certification programs. Berkeley-based institutes focus primarily on the following:

Corporations

• Consultancies internes

• Corporate executives

Professionals in Customer Service

• Individuals or businesses engaged in consulting, law, health care, or staffing

Consultants in Training and Development

• Individuals interested in pursuing a new career in executive consulting.

• Practicing consultants interested in acquiring new skills

The issue is not whether you are qualified to participate in any executive consulting certification program.

The following are the questions that the majority of consultants ask themselves:

1.  How will I obtain clients following the completion of my executive consulting certification program?
2.  How can I get my consulting services noticed in a crowded market?
3.  How am I going to market my startup consulting services?
4.  Will I earn enough money after completing this executive consulting certification program to live comfortably?

Are you able to identify with these concerns?

These are problems shared by all consultants, regardless of their level of success.

You can rest assured. You have arrived at the correct location. I will address each of the questions given above in this blog.

What Qualities Will Be Improved Through the Executive Certification Consulting Program?

What characteristics would your clients seek in an executive consultant?

These are the competencies you should strive to acquire during your executive certification consulting program.

There is no single quality that defines a great consultant. However, the majority of consultants share vital characteristics. These characteristics, by themselves, do not guarantee success. However, they have a significant impact on your development as a consultant.

In a previous post, I’ve discussed some of the characteristics of successful consultants. Consider my blog, How to Become an Executive Consultant (Whom people will die to HIRE!)

I’ve discussed several of the following characteristics. I’ve decided to publish the best four here.

•  Attentive listening ability: You should be able to hear both spoken and unspoken words. You should also be able to read body language in addition to hearing. The way a person adjusts their position, tone, and so forth shows their level of engagement. Create a secure place in which someone feels comfortable releasing the truth.’

•  The art of questioning: Certain types of inquiries elicit a “Yes” or “No” response. However, these will prevent you from gaining control of the issue. The questions must be more in-depth and reflect the subject’s perspective, not your own. You can review this list of 44 POWERFUL QUESTIONS EVERY CONSULTANT MUST ASK to understand better the types of questions you should pose.
•  The art of feedback: You should be able to provide candid comments positively. Additionally, feedback should facilitate the client’s self-discovery, increasing the likelihood that it will be absorbed.
•  Asserting your presence: Your customer should establish a connection with you during the initial session. You should make every effort to develop a deep relationship that demonstrates your commitment to bringing about change in your client. You must clear your mind of all other thoughts and focus exclusively on your client.

Various additional characteristics define a good consultant. You can learn more by visiting the blog I mentioned previously.

I’ve included some additional characteristics in my posts 21 Consulting Skills Every Successful Consultant Must Have and Top Consultant Qualities.

These characteristics are advantageous for all consultants. This category comprises firms that provide executive consulting services.

Client-Related Executive Consulting Certification Questions

I have outlined several client-side questions about executive consulting.

What types of questions will clients ask you during an interview? A few examples are included below. These inquiries are excellent opportunities for you to brag about your executive consulting credential!

•  How many years of executive consulting experience following your certification program?
•  Where did you study for your certification in executive consulting?
•  How long was your executive consulting certification training, and what topics were covered?
•  How can I trust you about my objectives?

Is it Possible to Practice Executive Consulting Without an Executive Consulting Certification?

You very certainly can!

And quite successfully, I should add.

There is no legal method to prevent you from beginning to practice executive consulting without first obtaining a certification.

The advantage is that the market is unregulated at the moment. This means that anyone may call themselves a consultant!

If you want to forego executive consulting certification, for the time being, keep the following points in mind:

•  If you like, you may omit the executive consulting qualification. However, do not neglect training. As I often say, invest in yourself first and then expect others to do the same.
•  Begin working even if your initial earnings are modest. Create a list of ideal firms and their target audience. Create a company plan and provide cheap services. Experiential learning will pay off!
•  Develop a network, a network, a network. Numerous individuals enroll in an executive consulting certification program to network with colleagues. Attend networking events and host library talks without such a community.

You might want to check out my blog, Can a Non-Certified Life Consultant Work? for additional hints. Maintain an up-to-date state of mind at all times. My blogs should assist you, as I always discuss current industry developments!

How much money can you earn as an Executive Consulting Certified Professional?

How much money can you earn as an executive consultant?

Allow us to pass this along to the consumer. According to this website, a client would pay the following rates:

•  $300-500 per hour for a senior executive at your organization
•  Between $200 and $400 per hour for management positions at the mid-level

Payscale.com reports that the average executive consultant pay in the United States is $98,264. However, one website indicates that the typical hourly wage for career consultants ranges from $15.96 (Career Consultant) to $81.58 (Agile Consultant).

You may be taken aback by the magnitude of the difference. This range is highlighted in greater detail at https://erickson.edu/blog/how-much-does-consulting-pay.

According to their website, the wage range for executive consultants is extensive.

These consultants work with executives such as CEOs and chief marketing officers. Salaries for most consultants begin at $150 and range up to $350. Additionally, executive consultants may charge $1,000 for each session. These experts provide life coaching, strategic sounding boards, and other assistance.

This wide income disparity is partially the result of an unregulated business. Any individual may claim to be an executive consultant. Additionally, the site offers some advice on making a higher salary as a professional consultant.

The site recognizes that experience is a significant aspect but not the only one.

“Establishing a business requires branding, niche development, and focusing on results-oriented methods.” “‘. Over time, the author asserts, you will see increased client referrals. And you’ll earn at a rate that seems comfortable for you.

Is the market for executive consultants saturated?

The reality is that consulting is a rapidly expanding sector.

Consider some commercial realities. I’ve already mentioned these facts in previous blog postings. However, this establishes a baseline for what you can anticipate earning as a consultant.

According to this article, the life consulting sector has surpassed the $1 billion level.

•  The International Consultant Federation has a membership of 53,300. It is growing at a steady rate.
•  The average annual salary for life consultants is between $27,100 and $73,100. Yearly fees for specialty consultants might exceed $100,000.
•  The life consulting industry is expected to grow at approximately 6.7 percent. By 2022, revenues would reach $1.34 billion.
•  92 percent of life consultants continue to practice.
•  Around 3,700 consultants worked in Asia. They generated a total of $113 million in annual sales.
•  Increasingly, organizations hire life coaches rather than mental health counselors to help their staff (no stigma).
•  Currently, life consultants are unregulated. State licensing is not required. This implies practice freedom but also raises questions regarding quality.
•  Executive consultants can also earn a good living. Salaries for most consultants begin at $150 and range up to $350. Additionally, executive consultants may charge $1,000 for each session.

Executive consulting outcomes would elicit similar positive emotions. Although the results have not been reported yet, it is reasonable to presume that they will be positive.

Promoting your certification in executive consulting

Because executive consultants occupy a highly specialized market, they capitalize on this vast market.

You’re probably wondering how you’ll get your brand name acknowledged. The market is constantly shifting and expanding. However, competition is becoming more fierce. You may like to consult my blog for additional information on this. In my blog, Is Marketing Critical to My Consulting Business, I discuss how you may grow your brand through marketing.