ICF Exam Prep PDF

ICF Exam Prep **A. Foundation** **1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice\ **Definition: Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching. 1. Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with clients, sponsors and relevant stakeholders 2. Is sensitive...

ICF Exam Prep **A. Foundation** **1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice\ **Definition: Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching. 1. Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with clients, sponsors and relevant stakeholders 2. Is sensitive to clients' identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs 3. Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients, sponsors and relevant stakeholders 4. Abides by the ICF Code of Ethics and upholds the Core Values 5. Maintains confidentiality with client information per stakeholder agreements and pertinent laws 6. Maintains the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy and other support professions 7. Refers clients to other support professionals, as appropriate **2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset\ **Definition: Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centered. 1. Acknowledges that clients are responsible for their own choices 2. Engages in ongoing learning and development as a coach 3. Develops an ongoing reflective practice to enhance one's coaching 4. Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others 5. Uses awareness of self and one's intuition to benefit clients 6. Develops and maintains the ability to regulate one's emotions 7. Mentally and emotionally prepares for sessions 8. Seeks help from outside sources when necessary **B. Co-Creating the Relationship** **3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements\ **Definition: Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans and goals. Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session. 1. Explains what coaching is and is not and describes the process to the client and relevant stakeholders 2. Reaches agreement about what is and is not appropriate in the relationship, what is and is not being offered, and the responsibilities of the client and relevant stakeholders 3. Reaches agreement about the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship such as logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality and inclusion of others 4. Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to establish an overall coaching plan and goals 5. Partners with the client to determine client-coach compatibility 6. Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session 7. Partners with the client to define what the client believes they need to address or resolve to achieve what they want to accomplish in the session 8. Partners with the client to define or reconfirm measures of success for what the client wants to accomplish in the coaching engagement or individual session 9. Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session 10. Continues coaching in the direction of the client's desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise 11. Partners with the client to end the coaching relationship in a way that honors the experience **4. Cultivates Trust and Safety\ **Definition: Partners with the client to create a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely. Maintains a relationship of mutual respect and trust. 1. Seeks to understand the client within their context which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs 2. Demonstrates respect for the client's identity, perceptions, style and language and adapts one's coaching to the client 3. Acknowledges and respects the client's unique talents, insights and work in the coaching process 4. Shows support, empathy and concern for the client 5. Acknowledges and supports the client's expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs and suggestions 6. Demonstrates openness and transparency as a way to display vulnerability and build trust with the client **5.  Maintains Presence\ **Definition: Is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident 1. Remains focused, observant, empathetic and responsive to the client 2. Demonstrates curiosity during the coaching process 3. Manages one's emotions to stay present with the client 4. Demonstrates confidence in working with strong client emotions during the coaching process 5. Is comfortable working in a space of not knowing 6. Creates or allows space for silence, pause or reflection **C. Communicating Effectively** **6. Listens Actively**\ Definition: Focuses on what the client is and is not saying to fully understand what is being communicated in the context of the client systems and to support client self-expression 1. Considers the client's context, identity, environment, experiences, values and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating 2. Reflects or summarizes what the client communicated to ensure clarity and understanding 3. Recognizes and inquires when there is more to what the client is communicating 4. Notices, acknowledges and explores the client's emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues or other behaviors 5. Integrates the client's words, tone of voice and body language to determine the full meaning of what is being communicated 6. Notices trends in the client's behaviors and emotions across sessions to discern themes and patterns **7. Evokes Awareness**\ Definition: Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy 1. Considers client experience when deciding what might be most useful 2. Challenges the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight 3. Asks questions about the client, such as their way of thinking, values, needs,\ wants and beliefs 4. Asks questions that help the client explore beyond current thinking 5. Invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment 6. Notices what is working to enhance client progress 7. Adjusts the coaching approach in response to the client's needs 8. Helps the client identify factors that influence current and future patterns of behavior, thinking or emotion 9. Invites the client to generate ideas about how they can move forward and what they are willing or able to do 10. Supports the client in reframing perspectives 11. Shares observations, insights and feelings, without attachment, that have the potential to create new learning for the client **D. Cultivating Learning and Growth** **8. Facilitates Client Growth**\ Definition: Partners with the client to transform learning and insight into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process. 1. Works with the client to integrate new awareness, insight or learning into their worldview and behaviors 2. Partners with the client to design goals, actions and accountability measures that integrate and expand new learning 3. Acknowledges and supports client autonomy in the design of goals, actions and methods of accountability 4. Supports the client in identifying potential results or learning from identified action steps 5. Invites the client to consider how to move forward, including resources, support and potential barriers 6. Partners with the client to summarize learning and insight within or between sessions 7. Celebrates the client's progress and successes 8. Partners with the client to close the session **Key Definitions:** - **"Client"**---the individual or team/group being coached, the coach being mentored or supervised, or the coach or the student coach being trained. - **"Coaching"**---partnering with Clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. - **"Coaching Relationship"**---a relationship that is established by the ICF Professional and the Client(s)/Sponsor(s) under an agreement or a contract that defines the responsibilities and expectations of each party. - **"Code"**---ICF Code of Ethics - **"Confidentiality"**---protection of any information obtained around the coaching engagement unless consent to release is given. - **"Conflict of Interest"**---a situation in which an ICF Professional is involved in multiple interests where serving one interest could work against or be in conflict with another. This could be financial, personal or otherwise. - **"Equality"**---a situation in which all people experience inclusion, access to resources and opportunity, regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, immigration status, mental or physical disability, and other areas of human difference. - **"ICF Professional"**---individuals who represent themselves as an ICF Member or ICF Credential-holder, in roles including but not limited to Coach, Coach Supervisor, Mentor Coach, Coach Trainer, and Student of Coaching - **"ICF Staff"**--- the ICF support personnel who are contracted by the managing company that provides professional management and administrative services on behalf of ICF. - **"Internal Coach"**--- an individual who is employed within an organization and coaches either part-time or full-time the employees of that organization. - **"Sponsor"**---the entity (including its representatives) paying for and/or arranging or defining the coaching services to be provided. - **"Support Personnel"**---the people who work for ICF Professionals in support of their Clients. - **"Systemic equality"**---gender equality, race equality and other forms of equality that are institutionalized in the ethics, core values, policies, structures, and cultures of communities, organizations, nations and society. has context menu - **Question 1** Which of the following actions is considered a violation of the ICF Code of Ethics? A\) Maintaining confidentiality of client information B)*** Engaging in a romantic relationship with a client*** C\) Continuing professional development D\) Setting clear agreements with clients - **Question 2** How MUST a coach maintain records pertaining to a client's coaching session? A\) In folder that is easy to access for reference B\) In digital and hardcopy formats C)*** In a secure format that promotes client confidentiality*** D\) With the other records for the client - **Question 3** After two months of a six-month coaching engagement, a client begins missing appointments and not following through on agreed-upon actions. What is the BEST approach for the coach to take? A\) Terminate the coaching agreement immediately B\) Ignore the issue for now and hope the client gets back on track C\) Refer the client to a colleague who may be a better fit D) ***Explore with the client whether or not to continue with the coaching*** - **Question 4** A client asks a coach for advice about how to carry out a new, challenging assignment. What is the best action for the coach to take? A\) Give the client the requested advice B\) Suggest that the client ask their supervisor for advice C\) Send the client an email after the coaching session with several strategies the client could consider D)*** Explain the distinction between coaching and consulting and invite the client to identify strategies they could explore together*** - **Question 5** A coach accepts a new client who values the coach's industry work experience. Which is the best action for the coach to take? A\) Offer the coach's advice based on their industry work experience B) ***Clarify the distinction between coaching and consulting*** C\) Provide the coach's credentials in the industry D\) Suggest engagement goals for the client, based on the coach's industry experience - **Question 6** What is a key difference between coaching and facilitation? A\) Coaching involves giving direct advice, while facilitation focuses on asking questions. B\) Coaching is primarily for personal development, while facilitation is only for professional settings C) ***Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process to support a client to meet their full potential, while facilitation is about guiding group discussions*** D\) Coaching requires a license to practice, while facilitation does not - **Question 7** Which of the following represents the most important purpose of silence in coaching? A) ***To allow a client to process their thoughts*** B\) To enable the coach and client to hear one another C\) To provide the coach time to think of their next question D\) To provide the client time to think of the right response to the coach's question - **Question 8** Respecting a client's perceptions is a critical element of which coaching competency? A) ***Cultivates trust and safety*** B\) Listens Actively C\) Facilitates Client Growth D\) Establishes and Maintains Agreements - **Question 9** A coach asks the client permission to coach in a new and sensitive area. What is the purpose of this request? A\) To allow the client to think through their potential solutions B\) To make the client feel anxious to speed results C\) To create a space where the coach is able to accept negative feedback D)*** To create a safe space where the client has a choice*** - **Question 10** Using metaphors as a coaching tool is most useful in which of the following situations? A\) The coach is teaching a concept B\) The coach wants to nuance a message C)*** The client is seeking clarity or meaning*** D\) The client does not see the coach's perspective