Circle of Distinction Honoree: Keiko Hirano, MCC - International Coaching Federation
New Member-Exclusive Benefit: ICF Engage

Circle of Distinction Honoree: Keiko Hirano, MCC

Posted by Savannah Patton | November 28, 2018 | Comments (1)

The ICF Circle of Distinction program celebrates the best of the coaching profession and ICF. Circle of Distinction members are experienced coach practitioners who have made their mark on ICF and the coaching profession. This year, ICF inducted the first Circle of Distinction class during the 2018 ICF Midwest Region Coaches Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. In the coming weeks, we will profile each of this year’s honorees here on Coaching World.

A leader in the Japanese community since the 1990s, Keiko Hirano, MCC (Japan), is an accomplished coach practitioner and trainer of coaches. She is a founding member of Coach 21 (now merged with COACH A), started an online coaching magazine with more than 140,000 subscribers, helped develop the first coach training program in Japan, and was the first Asian coach to serve on the ICF Board of Directors. Keiko has been a champion for coaching in Japan and wrote one of the first books about coaching in Japan. She currently writes about coaching for the website AllAbout.

“The most memorable ICF experience is the first on-site meeting we had when I served on the ICF Board of Directors in 2001. I was so nervous going into the meeting room. The moment I opened the conference room door, there were rubber ducks on the table, balloons flying all over the place, and various toys were there for fun. I cannot forget the pleasant, welcoming and enlightening atmosphere in the room,” said Keiko.

Keiko said that being a coach requires ongoing learning. In order to grow and serve different clients, you must realize that you’re constantly changing.

“I would like to question myself: What do we need to develop? Where do we go from here? What impact can we make?” [As] very experienced coaches [we] can continue moving forward to make new findings to further develop the profession of coaching.”

savannah patton headshot

Savannah Patton

Savannah Patton is the ICF Communications Assistant and a freelance writer for Kentucky Sports Radio. She graduated in May 2016 from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in Integrated Strategic Communications with a focus in Public Relations.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts featured on this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the International Coach Federation (ICF). The publication of a guest post on the ICF Blog does not equate to an ICF endorsement or guarantee of the products or services provided by the author.

Additionally, for the purpose of full disclosure and as a disclaimer of liability, this content was possibly generated using the assistance of an AI program. Its contents, either in whole or in part, have been reviewed and revised by a human. Nevertheless, the reader/user is responsible for verifying the information presented and should not rely upon this article or post as providing any specific professional advice or counsel. Its contents are provided “as is,” and ICF makes no representations or warranties as to its accuracy or completeness and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law specifically disclaims any and all liability for any damages or injuries resulting from use of or reliance thereupon.

Comments (1)

  1. Yuzo Mizuno says:

    Congrats Keiko!
    You have always been a shining star of Keio ESS OB/OGs. Keep shining!

Leave a Reply

Not a member?

Sign up now to become a member and receive all of our wonderful benefits.

Learn more