Breaking Down the VPCC: Your Path to ICF-Level 1 Certification

Phil McKinney • June 9, 2025

In today’s dynamic professional landscape, organizations and leaders are seeking morn just technical expertise—they want transformational influence. The Vanguard Professional Coaching Certification (VPCC) is our signature ICF (International Coaching Federation) Level 1 (ACC-path) coaching course, designed to empower leaders at any level to elevate their impact through professional coaching. 


What Is the VPCC? 


A foundational Leadership Development and ICF Level 1 coaching course offered in two formats: 


- 61-hour executive track 

- 80-hour comprehensive track, aligned with Army credentialing requirements 


Delivers the targeted 60 (or 80) coach education hours by aligning with the 8 Core Competencies outlined by the International Coaching Federation. 


Who Is It For? 


Designed for anyone committed to leadership growth—whether corporate leaders, HR professionals, military officers, coaches, consultants, or entrepreneurs. 


Ideal for those seeking to coach professionally or introduce coaching cultures within their organizations. 


What You’ll Gain 


ICF Credentialing Pathway 

The VPCC is an ICF Level 1, 80-hour program that meets the requirements for participants to pursue the ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential and the Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential. 


Comprehensive Coaching Training 

Learn and apply the Vanguard XXI 5-Step Coaching Model while mastering ICF Coaching Competencies and Ethical Standards to become a highly effective professional coach. 


Flexible Learning Format 

The course includes virtual and in-person instruction, making it accessible to professionals from different industries and locations. 


Holistic Leadership Development 

Participants grow as transformational leaders using David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle, ensuring deep learning through real-world experiences, reflection, and hands-on application. 


Mentor Coaching for ICF Credentialing 

Includes 10 hours of mentor coaching to refine coaching techniques and ensure participants are prepared for the ICF ACC credentialing process. 


Practice Makes Permanent 

Participants will have the opportunity to practice the ICF coaching competencies and the Vanguard XXI coaching model through several coaching triads during the course. 


Course Overview & Discounts 


Upcoming Cohorts (Columbus, GA): 

Sep 15–19, 2025 (VPCC 3‑25) 

Nov 3–7, 2025 (VPCC 4‑25) 


Discounts: 

Early Bird 1 (90 Days Out) – 10% off 

Early Bird 2 (60 Days Out) – 5% off 

UM/FUM/VUM – 10% off 

Buddy Discount (register together with three or more) – 10% off 


Why Choose the VPCC? 


Accredited by ICF and approved for Army Credentialing Assistance, including PDSI A3B/A4B credits. 


Delivered from a world-class leadership environment at the National Infantry Museum—rich with historical and strategic resonance. 


Supported by seasoned facilitators, including leaders like Dr. Anthony Randall, Dr. Phil McKinney II, Dr. Kim Zovak, Court Whitman, Mike Rauhut, and Brett Funck (all PCC/MCC level coaches), who will guide you through deep experiential learning. 


Join the VPCC Community 


Transform your leadership, build critical coaching competencies, and drive organizational impact. 


👉 Request a free consultation or register today! 

https://www.vanguardxxi.com/vpcc 


Invest in your leadership—become the coach and catalyst your organization needs.

By Phil McKinney July 14, 2025
Leadership is often defined by the decisions you make, the strategies you set, and the people you influence. But here’s a truth many leaders quietly carry: The higher you rise, the harder it becomes to find space for your own growth. Yet, one powerful, focused coaching conversation can shift your thinking, your strategy, and your leadership trajectory. The question is: Are you making space for it? Leadership Can Be Isolating You hold the vision. You solve the problems. You set the tone. And often, you’re expected to have the answers. But who do you get to process with? Who helps you explore what’s beneath the surface when you’re navigating complexity, doubt, or burnout? This is where coaching becomes more than a professional development tool. It has become an essential leadership practice. Coaching Isn’t for the “Fix” – It’s for the Future Coaching isn’t about correcting weaknesses. It’s about creating intentional space for reflection, clarity, and aligned action. For leaders, coaching can help: Recenter on purpose and values Break through decision fatigue and mental clutter Navigate relationships and influence more skillfully Stretch from operational to strategic thinking Avoid blind spots and reactive leadership Often, the insight that changes everything comes not from a book, a keynote, or a training—but from a coaching conversation where you are fully heard, challenged, and supported. Are You Making Space for Your Conversation? Leaders are quick to create space for others: team check-ins, one-on-ones, performance reviews. But too often, they delay or downplay their own development. Coaching requires just a few things: Time blocked for you A safe space without judgment or agenda A coach who listens deeply and challenges you gently A commitment to growth, not perfection This isn’t a luxury. It’s leadership hygiene. The Best Leaders Don’t Go It Alone Behind every great leader is a space where they aren’t leading. They’re reflecting. They’re stretching. They’re being coached. Because even the strongest leaders need a mirror. Even the most visionary thinkers need space to think. Even the most decisive decision-makers need clarity. One conversation can shift your trajectory. Are you making space for it?
By Phil McKinney July 9, 2025
Let’s be honest: If your leadership offsite still includes trust falls, escape rooms, or campfire storytelling — you’re wasting your most valuable asset: executive attention. In a world where leadership demands clarity, adaptability, and alignment, team-building is good, but isn’t enough. It’s time to trade performative bonding for purpose-driven transformation. At Vanguard XXI, we design leadership offsites that don’t just bring teams together — they change everything. A Vanguard XXI Offsite: Where Leadership Gets Real Traditional offsites may offer a temporary morale boost. But if you want lasting impact, you need more than motivation — you need methodology. That’s where our approach comes in. Here’s what sets us apart: 1. Transformational Leadership Growth We go beyond traditional training by using David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle to ensure leaders learn by doing — and reflecting. Leaders don’t just gain insights; they experience a shift in how they think, relate, and lead. This holistic method integrates real-time feedback, structured learning loops, and personal accountability — all in the context of your organization’s real challenges. ✅ Outcome: Sustainable growth anchored in self-awareness, action, and real-world learning. 2. Moral & Ethical Decision-Making + Character Development In today’s climate, leadership isn’t just strategic — it’s moral. We help leaders explore how their values, biases, and ethical frameworks shape their decisions. Using real-world dilemmas, guided reflection, and peer dialogue, leaders develop the character and clarity to navigate complex challenges with integrity and courage. ✅ Outcome: Leaders who make high-stakes decisions grounded in ethics, not ego. 3. Emotional Intelligence Development Trust. Empathy. Composure. Influence. These aren’t soft skills — they’re leadership differentiators. We help leaders expand their emotional range, elevate their relational agility, and coach others with presence and precision. Vanguard XXI’s certified coaches use proven tools to build EQ capacity — fast. ✅ Outcome: Leaders who act as trusted advisors — not just decision-makers. 4. Leading and Coaching for High-Performance Teams Most teams don’t suffer from lack of talent — they suffer from lack of alignment and trust. Our offsites equip leaders with coaching strategies to unlock psychological safety, fuel collaboration, and create shared ownership. We don’t just talk team performance — we engineer it in the room. ✅ Outcome: Teams that leave with clarity, commitment, and a roadmap to win together. At Vanguard XXI, we want to transform offsites into launchpads for strategic clarity, team alignment, and personal growth. This isn’t just team-building exercises or roundtable discussions. It’s real-time growth in action. We create environments where leaders stop performing and start co-creating. No posturing. No politics. Just powerful dialogue, mutual goals, and actionable steps that are rooted in mutual accountability. This produces real outcomes and not just “great energry.” When this happens, everything changes. Every Vanguard XXI offsite ends with: • Clear individual commitments • Strategic next steps • Shared leadership agreements that stick Our follow-through coaching ensures offsite momentum turns into measurable results — across culture, execution, and impact. Let’s Be Clear: This Isn’t an Offsite. It’s an Inflection Point. If your team is stuck, fragmented, or just coasting — a Vanguard XXI leadership offsite can reset the system. We don’t do retreats. We architect turning points. Leadership isn’t built by falling backward into someone’s arms. It’s built by stepping forward into clarity, trust, and courageous collaboration.  Let’s design an offsite that doesn’t just feel different — it delivers different. Ready to reimagine your leadership experience? Connect with us at vanguardxxi.com or send a message to start a conversation.