CBC Coaching & Engagement 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A business coach notices their client consistently deflects questions about team conflict. What is the most effective coaching response?
- Gently name the pattern and ask the client what they notice about it (Correct answer)
- Change the topic to something the client is comfortable discussing
- Tell the client they must address the conflict before coaching can continue
- Report the avoidance to the client's supervisor
Correct answer: Gently name the pattern and ask the client what they notice about it
Naming an observed pattern without judgment invites client self-awareness while preserving autonomy.
Question 2: Which element is most essential to establishing a coaching agreement with a new business client?
- Clarifying goals, roles, confidentiality, and measures of success (Correct answer)
- Guaranteeing specific revenue outcomes within six months
- Providing a detailed consulting plan for the client's business
- Requiring the client to sign a long-term exclusive contract
Correct answer: Clarifying goals, roles, confidentiality, and measures of success
A coaching agreement defines goals, responsibilities, confidentiality, and how success will be measured.
Question 3: During a session, a client says, 'I already know what I should do, I just don't do it.' What is the best coaching move?
- Explore what gets in the way of acting on what they know (Correct answer)
- Repeat the advice they already know in stronger terms
- Assign a penalty for not completing actions
- End the engagement since the client has the answer
Correct answer: Explore what gets in the way of acting on what they know
Exploring the gap between knowing and doing uncovers the beliefs or obstacles blocking action.
Question 4: What distinguishes powerful questions from ordinary questions in business coaching?
- They are open-ended and provoke reflection, insight, and new possibilities (Correct answer)
- They can be answered with a quick yes or no
- They lead the client toward the coach's preferred solution
- They focus mainly on gathering background facts
Correct answer: They are open-ended and provoke reflection, insight, and new possibilities
Powerful questions are open-ended and expand the client's thinking rather than confirm facts or steer answers.
Question 5: A client repeatedly arrives late and unprepared for coaching sessions. What should the coach do first?
- Address the behavior directly and revisit the coaching agreement (Correct answer)
- Ignore it to maintain a positive relationship
- Extend each session to compensate for lost time
- Immediately terminate the coaching contract
Correct answer: Address the behavior directly and revisit the coaching agreement
Directly addressing engagement issues and revisiting agreed commitments protects the coaching relationship's integrity.
Question 6: Which behavior best demonstrates active listening in a coaching conversation?
- Reflecting back both the content and the emotion behind the client's words (Correct answer)
- Planning the next question while the client is speaking
- Interrupting to share a similar personal experience
- Taking verbatim notes of everything the client says
Correct answer: Reflecting back both the content and the emotion behind the client's words
Active listening involves reflecting content and emotion so the client feels fully heard.
Question 7: A business owner asks their coach to simply tell them which employee to promote. How should the coach respond?
- Help the client define criteria and think through the decision themselves (Correct answer)
- Choose the candidate the coach believes is strongest
- Refuse to discuss personnel matters at all
- Interview both employees and issue a recommendation
Correct answer: Help the client define criteria and think through the decision themselves
Coaching builds the client's own decision-making capability rather than substituting the coach's judgment.
CBC Coaching & Engagement 2
A business coach notices their client consistently deflects questions about team conflict.
What is the most effective coaching response?