Who we are
Our website address is: https://charlescombs.com
Charles H. Combs II provides executive coaching, team coaching, leadership development, and related professional services. As an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and Certified Executive Coach (CEC), I adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics, which establishes the highest standards for confidentiality and ethical conduct in coaching.
Coaching confidentiality
Confidentiality is foundational to the trust between coach and client. In alignment with the ICF Code of Ethics, I maintain the strictest level of confidentiality with all parties involved in coaching engagements. The right to confidentiality belongs to you, the client. I will not disclose any information obtained during the course of our coaching relationship without your express permission.
Before coaching begins, we will establish a clear coaching agreement that defines what information may be exchanged and with whom, how information will be exchanged, the boundaries of confidentiality you wish to establish, and any reporting requirements if a sponsor is involved.
Limits of confidentiality
While I maintain strict confidentiality, there are limited circumstances where confidential information may need to be disclosed. These will be clearly communicated in our coaching agreement and include: when required by applicable law, valid court order or subpoena, imminent or likely risk of danger to yourself or others, or disclosure of illegal activity as required by law.
If such a situation arises, I will make every reasonable effort to discuss it with you first, unless doing so would compromise safety or violate legal requirements.
Sponsored coaching engagements
When coaching is sponsored by an organization (such as your employer), clear agreements will be established at the outset regarding what information, if any, will be shared with the sponsor, the format and frequency of any required reporting, and the specific boundaries of confidentiality between you and the sponsor.
I will only share information with sponsors as explicitly agreed upon with you in advance. Detailed content of coaching sessions remains confidential unless you provide written consent for specific disclosures.
Record keeping and data security
I maintain, store, and dispose of any records—including electronic files and communications—in a manner that promotes confidentiality, security, and privacy, and complies with applicable laws. Records I keep include signed coaching agreements, session notes (kept in a secure, password-protected system), assessment results (if applicable, with your consent), and invoices and payment records as required for business purposes.
Electronic files are stored in encrypted, password-protected systems. Physical documents (if any) are stored in a locked location. Client contact information is protected and never shared without consent. Coaching records are retained only as long as necessary for professional and legal purposes and securely disposed of when no longer needed.
Technology and artificial intelligence
I fulfill my ethical and legal obligations to clients through any technology systems I may utilize, including video conferencing platforms, scheduling tools, and any AI-assisted coaching tools. I select platforms with appropriate security and privacy features, will inform you of any AI tools used in our engagement, ensure that any technology used complies with confidentiality requirements, and only create session recordings with your explicit consent.
Support personnel
If I employ support personnel (such as administrative assistants, bookkeepers, or IT support) who may have access to client information, I am responsible for ensuring their adherence to these confidentiality standards. Support personnel are required to maintain the same level of confidentiality as I do.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Cookies
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Who we share your data with
I do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Information may be shared only with your explicit consent, with trusted service providers who assist in operating my business (bound by confidentiality obligations), or when required by law, court order, or to protect safety.
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
Coaching records are retained in accordance with professional best practices and applicable legal requirements, and securely disposed of when no longer needed.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
For coaching clients, you have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your coaching records, subject to legal retention requirements.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Video coaching sessions may be conducted through platforms such as Zoom, which may store data on servers located outside your country of residence. I select platforms that maintain appropriate security standards.
ICF Code of Ethics commitment
As an ICF credential-holder, I am bound by the ICF Code of Ethics, which includes comprehensive standards for confidentiality, professional conduct, and ethical practice. This includes maintaining the strictest level of confidentiality, establishing clear agreements about information exchange before coaching begins, protecting and securely storing all coaching records, ensuring any technology or AI tools used comply with ethical standards, and taking responsibility for support personnel’s adherence to confidentiality standards.
If you have concerns about ethical conduct, you may contact the ICF Ethical Conduct Review process.
Contact information
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or confidentiality in our coaching relationship, please contact Charles H. Combs II through the contact form on this website.
Last updated: January 2026