Professional Coaching Competencies

Question 1

What kind of questions should a Coach ask?

Answer 1

Clear, direct, primarily open-ended, one at a time. Not leading, transformational, not transactional.

Question 2

What is a clear question?

Answer 2

Short, few words, just enough to get the question across to the client

Question 3

What is a direct question?

Answer 3

Not beating around the bush, trying to be nice, or softening the blow, instead: I have a question, and here it is. Straightforward.

Question 4

What is a primarily open-ended question?

Answer 4

Open-ended: Questions like “Who”, “What”, “When”, “Where”, “Why”, and “How”
=> They have no yes/no answer or options

Question 5

What is a closed question?

Answer 5

A question to which the answer is yes/no/maybe, like “did you”, “do you” and so on.

Question 6

Why are open-eneded questions preferred?

Answer 6

They encourage the client to think about the answer and about the solutions and discover new ideas

Question 7

Why do we ask one question at a time?

Answer 7

No stacking, so that the question comes at a pace the client can process, if the question is hard and the client needs to think, they need the time to do so

Question 8

How should questions be explained?

Answer 8

Not at all, not before and not after the question. Trust that the client understands the question, if they are confused, they will tell you.

Question 9

How should the coaching questions lead?

Answer 9

Questions are not leading, the questions should come in response to the client’s input. The coach should not come up with a plan and present it in form of questions.

Question 10

What is a transformational question?

Answer 10

Forward-Facing questions about things that haven’t happened yet, asking the client what they dream up for the future, transform how the clients think and by extent what they do

Question 11

What is a transactional question?

Answer 11

Questions that are primarily for the coaches benefit, where the client already know the answer: Transaction of information between coach and client.

Question 12

Why are transactional questions bad?

Answer 12

1) Clients are not learning anything, simply rehashing the past
2) When we try to understand the problem ourselves, we try to fix it for the client, but we shouldn’t

Question 13

What is clear language?

Answer 13

The same language as the client, use the same phrasing or reference points, not “coachy” lingo.

Question 14

What is concise language?

Answer 14

Describes the length and the formatting of the question. Questions should be short (3-7 words, or even “why”)

Question 15

What is the issue with longer questions?

Answer 15

They tend to get more specific, which means that the client’s thought process is also limited to the specifics of the question.

Question 16

Why should the client talk more than the coach, even though the coach has the expertise?

Answer 16

Because our experience and expertise is great for teaching, consulting, mentoring, but not for coaching. In coaching, we want to fade into the background, so that the client can do the thinking/heavy lifting.

Question 17

What does active listening mean?

Answer 17

We listen to the client’s ideas, and not to ourselves and our own solutions. That means that we are actively listening to all they are saying, not only the parts we “want to hear”.

Question 18

Which are valid reasons to interrupt the client?

Answer 18

• The client is talking about what a 3rd party needs to do to change instead of what they need to change themselves. Interrupt then, focus on what we have the power to change in this conversation (what you want to change in relation to the other person)
• If the client is rehashing details about what happened in the past, or sharing information more for the coach than for themselves. That is not valuable. Interrupt and focus on the future rather than what has occured. Refocus on “what would you like to see differently”

Question 19

How do you interrupt clients?

Answer 19

Polite, explain the intent (why you interrupted). When refocussing, make clear that the other topic is valuable and important, but the context for this conversation should be different.
And most importantly: Only for valid coaching reasons.

Question 20

When can the coach share observations, intuitions, comments, thoughts or feelings?

Answer 20

When it serves the client’s learning or forward movement, but not when it’s just a “fix” or a solution. It should provoke thoughts.
Also, we can not be attached to them being right or wrong, or important or not

Question 21

Which comments are unhelpful in a coaching session?

Answer 21

• Listening comments such as “aha, I hear you” are not helping, keep them out if possible. They interrupt the client.

Question 22

What do you do if the client thinks a thought you shared is wrong?

Answer 22

Multiple options:

• let it go, don’t bring it up all the time
• ask what is accurate then, to inspire them to think

Question 23

How can you adapt the client’s language?

Answer 23

• Adapt metaphors they use (“matchbox” for car for instance)

- Use their words, not Coaching lingo

Question 24

Why should you use the client’s language?

Answer 24

It builds trust and intimacy, it helps the client to stay on their path because they don’t need to understand your wording

Question 25

What are the core markers of transformational questions?

Answer 25

The coach asks clear, direct, primarily open ended questions. The coach's questions are not leading. Coach's questions are primarily transformational

Question 26

What are the core markers of direct communication?

Answer 26

Coach's language is generally clear and concise The coach allows the client to do most of the talking The coach allows the client to complete speaking The coach shares observations, intuitions, comments, thoughts and feelings to serve the client's learning Coach shares observations, intuitions, comments, thoughts and feelings without any attachment Coach uses the client's language

Question 27

What is a Coaching Session Agreement?

Answer 27

The agreement to make with the client about - what are we going to talk about today - what are the goals and outcomes of today's session Clients may bring up a big topic, but the coach helps the client to choose an aspect to focus on the one session.

Question 28

What is a Coaching Relationship Agreement?

Answer 28

Same as the Session Agreement, but for longer term and overarching goal, like "What are your goals within the next weeks of coaching", "how will you know it was a successful engagement" While doing that, also ask how to interrupt, and what to do if I have an observation that might be challenging to hear, how do you want me to bring that up to you. It's like a working agreement.

Question 29

What are the core markers for the Coaching Agreement?

Answer 29

- Coach helps the client to identify or reconfirm what they want to accomplish - Coach helps the client to define or reconfirm measures of success - Coach explores what is important or meaningful to the client - Coach helps the client define what the client believes they need to adress - Coach continues towards the client's stated outcomes unless the client expresses otherwise - Coach develops a coaching releationship agreement as well as a coaching session agreement with the client

Question 30

What is a goal for a coaching session?

Answer 30

Not what the client wants to achieve overall, but what they want to achieve in this coaching session. For example, "I want to improve the relationship to my boss" is not a goal of the coaching session, so: What does the client want to accomplish to help them to improve the relationship? maybe "2 ideas to try"

Question 31

What are measures of success for a coaching session?

Answer 31

Acceptance Criteria for the goal, such as: How to make sure that ideas generated are actually helpful, how could that look like etc

Question 32

What do you do if the client just wants a fuzzy goal, such as "I just want to have some clarity"

Answer 32

Ask something like "On a scale of 1-10, how clear are you on this topic", and then "where do you want to be after this session", and then "how would a 5 be different to from where you are right now" Or without scale, ask: "Where are you now on this topic", gives the client to come up with their own scale

Question 33

Why should the coach explore what is imporrtant or meaningful to the client?

Answer 33

So that the client connects the achievement of the goal with a positive change in their life

Question 34

Why does the coach help the client define what they believe they need to adress?

Answer 34

Because it defines what stands in the way between the client and the goal, and makes these things transparent, and generates leads/starting points for the coaching. Then "which of these do you want to start with". The coach can also detect shifts in the conversation

Question 35

What do you do if the client gets off track?

Answer 35

Let them finish their current thought because they might need it to get back to the goal, then ask them "I heard you talking about GOal X, but now I am hearing Y. In which direction do you want us to keep going?" The client needs to be able to decide the direction!

Question 36

How do you change the topic in a coaching session?

Answer 36

You don't proactively. If the client goes off track, make it transparent and give an option to go back or continue. If you have an intuition that something else might be the problem, bring it out and give the client an option to go there. It's OK to shift, but it has to be the client's choice.

Question 37

How do you use the relationship agreement with the coaching session agreement?

Answer 37

Help connect the immediate problem to the bigger goal. Check in after 3-5 sessions where are we with the goal, do we need to shift, is this working for you

Question 38

How do you make the client understand what a coach is?

Answer 38

People without coaching experience expect you to be a consultant. Be upfront that the coach is a partner to help them to get to the success they define.

Question 39

What are the core markers for developing trust?

Answer 39

- Coach acknowledges client's work in the coaching process - Coach respects client's work in the coaching process - Coach expresses support for the client - Coach challenges the client - Coach notices and reflects on the client's progress - Coach holds the client as fully competent, undamaged, resourceful and not in need of fixing

Question 40

How do you respect the work of the client?

Answer 40

By letting the client do the learning themselves, they do the work of learning and decision making, we do not do it for them and we respect that.

Question 41

What is Normailzing?

Answer 41

Clients often feel that they are the only ones going through a specific problem/challenge. "Normalizing" means conveying the information that this is normal, and it's normal to feel about it. Theme: "This is common, it's going to be ok!"

Question 42

Why do you want to challenge clients?

Answer 42

The client can't change by doing things like they always did or thinking as they always thought. They need to be pushed out of the box and challenged to think differently about certain things.

Question 43

How do you challenge clients?

Answer 43

Identify the challenge, for example a pattern that keeps popping up, a topic that the client is not acknowledging and so on. Ask for permission, and if given, hand the observation to the client to deal with, if they want to. It's OK if they don't. Maybe reiterate/make clear that the client is in control, they can choose what they do with the challenge, explore it, reject it, do something else => they are in control. Challenge can also be something like "I want you to go out there, do stuff and fail 5 times and tell me about it". Client is in control! (Remember that you are not fixing the client)

Question 44

Why is it important to notice and reflect the progress of the client?

Answer 44

Client might not have someone else to notice it Clients do not notice it themselves usually It can be used for further forward movement

Question 45

When is a good time to reflect on the progress of the client?

Answer 45

Can be on a bigger scale, after a few sessions, but also within a session, for instance within a single session, acknowleding the progress of the client

Question 46

Since clients are fully competent, why do they need coaches?

Answer 46

To provoke them to think about things from different perspectives, to see things differently (might have painted themselves into a box)

Question 47

What are the competency markers for Coaching Presence?

Answer 47

- Coach is observant, empathetic and responsive - Coach exhibits curiosity with the intent to learn more - Coach partners with the client by supporting the client to choose what happens - Coach partners wiht the client by inviting the client to respond in any way to the coach's contributions and accepts the client's response - Coach partners wiht the client by playing back the client's expressed possibilities for th eclient to choose from - Coach partners with the client by encouraging the client to formulate his or her own learning

Question 48

What does "responsive" mean?

Answer 48

The coach is responding (with questions) by responding to the previous answers, but also what they say, how they say it and so on.

Question 49

What does "curiosity" mean?

Answer 49

We are curious about the client, what they can do, what is happening and how them transform - not about the contents. It needs to be for the client's benefit.

Question 50

What does "Support the client to choose what happens" mean?

Answer 50

Offering choice to the client so that the client can determine their destination. The important thing is that we don't want to impose our agenda on the client, instead we want to highlight the options the client already has , but might not have identified it as an option.

Question 51

What does "playing back the client's expressed possibilities" mean?

Answer 51

Help the client brainstorm the options they have, helping them thinking them through, and ultimately helping them choose from the theoretical options

Question 52

What does "encourage the client to formulate their own learning" mean?

Answer 52

Alernative to pushng observations or summing up options, encourage the client to come up with their own agenda, like "what do you learn from it?" "What does that make you see?" "What do you want to do with that?" etc.

Question 53

What are the core competencies for Active Listening?

Answer 53

- Coach's questions and observations are customized by using what the coach has learned about who the client is and the client's situation - Coach inquires about or explores client's use of language, tone of voice, pace of speech or inflection as appropriate - Coach inquires about or explores client's behaviors - Coach inquires about or explores how the client perceives their world - When appropriate, coach is quiet and gives client time to think

Question 54

Why shouldn't you use question lists or books directly in coaching sessions?

Answer 54

The questions might not resonate with the client at the moment, or the phrasing is off. Use them as a starting point, but customize the questions you ask based on what you have learned about the client and their situation.

Question 55

Why should the coach inquire about the client's use of language, tone of voice and pace of speech?

Answer 55

If one of these changes, it reflects outwardly what happens inside, and it might not be conscously. Highlighting/inquiring about this can help the client to reflect on the situation.

Question 56

Which kind of behaviors should be inquired by the coach?

Answer 56

It could be direct behaviours, like hand motions, facial expressions and so on, but also behavior described by the client when explaining other situations.

Question 57

What are the core competencies for "Creating Awareness"?

Answer 57

- Coach invites client to state and/or explore his/her learning in the session about her/his situation - Coach shares what they are noticing about the client and/or the client's situation and seeks the client's input or exploration - Coach invites client to consider how they will use new learning from coaching

Question 58

Why is Creating Awareness the goal of coaching?

Answer 58

If the client has awareness about certain new perspectives or ideas, they can make better decisions in the future.

Question 59

Why is it important to inquire what the client is learning from the coaching?

Answer 59

Most people don't know what they are learning until they articulate it, they're not thinking about their learning, they think about the problem.

Question 60

What are the competencies for Designing ACtions, Planning & Goal Settings, Managing Progress and Accountability?

Answer 60

- Coach invites or allows client to explore progress toward what they want to accomplish in the session - Coach invites or allows client to explore progress towards the overall goal they want to accomplish - Coach assists the client to design what actions/thinking client will do after the session in order for the client to continue moving toward the client's desired outcomes - Coach invites or allows client to consider their path forward, including, as appropriate, support mechanisms, resources and potential barriers - Coach assists the client to design thje best methods of accountability for themselves

Question 61

How do you allow the client to explore progress in a session?

Answer 61

Multiple ways, for example when you think the client is not progressing, ask them where they are in relation to their goal or if they feel they are making progress, alternatively if the client is taking rabbit trails (is what we are talking about now in line with what we want to achieve for this session?) Or towards the end of a session

Question 62

Why should the coach help the client design actions/thinking for after the session?

Answer 62

Most of the progress happens between sessions, not in the session. So designing the next steps is more crucial. Next steps can also be

Question 63

Why should the coach help the client to design or consider support mechanisms, resources and potential barriers?

Answer 63

Things rarely go to plan, with that, the client should be enabled to build up mechanisms to deal with these situations.

Question 64

What is accountability in the context of coaching?

Answer 64

Not holding someone else accountable, we don't want the client to depend on us. Instead, self-accountability, the coach is holding the accountability up, making it visible, mirroring, so that the client remembers what they want and why

Question 65

How do you help creating accountability?

Answer 65

Asking how they will make sure that they are doing it, and if they have an idea, ask them what they do in case they are too busy or something else will block them If they fail, ask them how do we ensure that next time it will work?

Question 66

What is a structure in coaching?

Answer 66

A visible, tangible object that reminds them about their goals, could be as simple as a post-it note. Everytime they look at it they remember to hold themselves accountable.