Prepping for the ICF PCC Exam!
My application for the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC) Exam was accepted and I am scheduled to take it in late May! I will post my study materials as I go.
My first study guide is on the competencies. Per the ICF, “The competencies are structured around four core areas: Foundation, Co-Creating the Relationship, Communicating Effectively, and Cultivating Learning and Growth. “ Each core area has at least one behavior under it and each behavior consists of multiple practices. I created a different background image for each of the 8 behaviors and then made flashcards (images) for each practice. You can access an overview of all the competencies here. And the image pages here: 1 Demonstrates Ethical Practice | 2 Embodies a Coaching Mindset | 3 Establishes and Maintains Agreements | 4 Cultivates Trust and Safety | 5 Maintains Presence | 6 Listens Actively | 7 Evokes Awareness | 8 Facilitates Client Growth
Scroll down for a list of ICF Core Competencies without the images.
About the ICF Credentialing Exam (per the ICF Website)
Total Exam Time: 180 minutes, including an optional 10-minute break.
78 situational judgment items.
Exam Instructions: 4 minutes.
Section 1 (39 questions): 83 minutes.
Optional Break: 10 minutes.
Section 2 (39 questions): 83 minutes.
The content of this exam is designed to assess your command of the ICF Core Competencies, ICF Code of Ethics, and ICF’s definition of coaching.
Based on the ICF Core Competency four core domains for impactful coaching:
Foundation
13% – Competency: Demonstrates Ethical Practice
12% – Competency: Embodies a Coaching Mindset
Co-Creating the Relationship
12% – Competency: Establishes and Maintains Agreements
13% – Competency: Cultivates Trust and Safety
13% – Competency: Maintains Presence
Communicating Effectively
12% – Competency: Listens Actively
13% – Competency: Evokes Awareness
Cultivating Learning and Growth
12% Facilitates Client Growth
There are four options for each of the 78 scenarios from which you will select the best and worst actions. The key is to determine which response is the most effective, aligned with the ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics, and which is the least effective. There is only one “best” and one “worst” action for each situation.
Points are given for each correct response, with no penalties for incorrect answers. Scores are scaled and range from 200 to 600. You need a 460 to pass.
Links and Additional Information
Links to information about Coaching Ethics (ICF Code of Ethics, ICF Ethics Videos, ICF Ethics Course, ICF Ethics Insights and Considerations, ICF Ethics Resources)
Links to information about Coaching Competencies, and being a PCC – (ICF Core Competencies, PCC markers, PCC Candidate Guide)
Links to additional information about Coaching – (About ICF, ICF Blog on Coaching/Mentoring/Consulting, ICF White Paper on Referring a Client to Therapy, ICF Core Values)
A few acronyms:
From Go Master Coach:
CARE for best answers (Client-Centered, Acknowledging, Reflecting, Empowering)
CAN’T for worst answers (Controlling, Assuming, Neglecting, Telling)
From Lyssa dHart:
ACCAT for best answers (Asking, Client-Centered, Curiosity, Awareness of Judgments and Biases, Transparency)
Use the opposite of ACCAT for the worst answers.
Core Competencies
A. Foundation
1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice - Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching.
Demonstrates personal integrity and honesty in interactions with clients, sponsors, and relevant stakeholders
Is sensitive to clients’ identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs
Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients, sponsors, and relevant stakeholders
Abides by the ICF Code of Ethics and upholds the Core Values
Maintains confidentiality with client information per stakeholder agreements and pertinent laws
Maintains the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy, and other support professions
Refers clients to other support professionals, as appropriate
2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset - Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible, and client-centered.
Acknowledges that clients are responsible for their own choices
Engages in ongoing learning and development as a coach
Develops an ongoing reflective practice to enhance one’s coaching
Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others
Uses awareness of self and one’s intuition to benefit clients
Develops and maintains the ability to regulate one’s emotions
Mentally and emotionally prepares for sessions
Seeks help from outside sources when necessary
B. Co-Creating the Relationship
3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements - 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.
Explains what coaching is and is not, and describes the process to the client and relevant stakeholders
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
Reaches agreement about the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship such as logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination, confidentiality, and inclusion of others
Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to establish an overall coaching plan and goals
Partners with the client to determine client-coach compatibility
Partners with the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish in the session
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
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
Partners with the client to manage the time and focus of the session
Continues coaching in the direction of the client’s desired outcome unless the client indicates otherwise
Partners with the client to end the coaching relationship in a way that honors the experience
4. Cultivates Trust and Safety - 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.
Seeks to understand the client within their context which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs
Demonstrates respect for the client’s identity, perceptions, style, and language, and adapts one’s coaching to the client
Acknowledges and respects the client’s unique talents, insights, and work in the coaching process
Shows support, empathy, and concern for the client
Acknowledges and supports the client’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, and suggestions
Demonstrates openness and transparency as a way to display vulnerability and build trust with the client
5. Maintains Presence - Is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded, and confident
Remains focused, observant, empathetic, and responsive to the client
Demonstrates curiosity during the coaching process
Manages one’s emotions to stay present with the client
Demonstrates confidence in working with strong client emotions during the coaching process
Is comfortable working in a space of not knowing
Creates or allows space for silence, pause, or reflection
C. Communicating Effectively
6. Listens Actively - 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
Considers the client’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating
Reflects or summarizes what the client communicated to ensure clarity and understanding
Recognizes and inquires when there is more to what the client is communicating
Notices, acknowledges, and explores the client’s emotions, energy shifts, non-verbal cues, or other behaviors
Integrates the client’s words, tone of voice, and body language to determine the full meaning of what is being communicated
Notices trends in the client’s behaviors and emotions across sessions to discern themes and patterns
7. Evokes Awareness - Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor, or analogy
Considers client experience when deciding what might be most useful
Challenges the client as a way to evoke awareness or insight
Asks questions about the client, such as their way of thinking, values, needs,
wants and beliefsAsks questions that help the client explore beyond current thinking
Invites the client to share more about their experience in the moment
Notices what is working to enhance client progress
Adjusts the coaching approach in response to the client’s needs
Helps the client identify factors that influence current and future patterns of behavior, thinking, or emotion
Invites the client to generate ideas about how they can move forward and what they are willing or able to do
Supports the client in reframing perspectives
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 - Partners with the client to transform learning and insight into action. Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process.
Works with the client to integrate new awareness, insight, or learning into their worldview and behaviors
Partners with the client to design goals, actions, and accountability measures that integrate and expand new learning
Acknowledges and supports client autonomy in the design of goals, actions, and methods of accountability
Supports the client in identifying potential results or learning from identified action steps
Invites the client to consider how to move forward, including resources, support, and potential barriers
Partners with the client to summarize learning and insight within or between sessions
Celebrates the client’s progress and successes
Partners with the client to close the session
Resources
ICF ACC Exam Prep - some of the links may need to be updated
