CBC Communication & Interpersonal Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During a coaching session, a client pauses for a long time after a difficult question. What is the coach's most effective response?
- Allow the silence to continue so the client can process (Correct answer)
- Rephrase the question immediately to keep momentum
- Offer a possible answer to reduce the client's discomfort
- Move to a different topic to relieve tension
Correct answer: Allow the silence to continue so the client can process
Silence gives clients space to think deeply, and interrupting it can shut down valuable reflection.
Question 2: A business coach notices a client's words say 'everything is fine' but their arms are crossed and their tone is flat. What should the coach do?
- Gently share the observed incongruence and invite the client to explore it (Correct answer)
- Accept the verbal statement at face value
- Diagnose the client as being in denial
- End the session early since the client is resistant
Correct answer: Gently share the observed incongruence and invite the client to explore it
Naming the mismatch between verbal and nonverbal cues, without judgment, opens deeper exploration.
Question 3: Which questioning approach is most aligned with core coaching communication principles?
- Open-ended questions that expand the client's thinking (Correct answer)
- Leading questions that guide the client to the coach's solution
- Closed questions that confirm facts quickly
- Multiple stacked questions asked at once for efficiency
Correct answer: Open-ended questions that expand the client's thinking
Open-ended questions promote client-generated insight rather than steering toward the coach's agenda.
Question 4: When paraphrasing a client's statement, the coach's primary goal is to:
- Confirm understanding and show the client they were heard (Correct answer)
- Correct inaccuracies in the client's thinking
- Summarize the session for their own notes
- Demonstrate the coach's superior vocabulary
Correct answer: Confirm understanding and show the client they were heard
Paraphrasing checks understanding and validates the client, which builds trust and clarity.
Question 5: A client repeatedly interrupts the coach during a session. The best interpersonal response is to:
- Address the pattern directly and reset conversational agreements (Correct answer)
- Interrupt back to model the behavior's impact
- Ignore it to avoid conflict
- Terminate the coaching agreement
Correct answer: Address the pattern directly and reset conversational agreements
Directly and respectfully addressing the pattern maintains a productive coaching alliance.
Question 6: Which statement best describes 'active listening' in a business coaching context?
- Fully attending to the client's words, emotions, and meaning without planning a reply (Correct answer)
- Listening while preparing the next powerful question
- Taking detailed notes on every statement
- Agreeing verbally with everything the client says
Correct answer: Fully attending to the client's words, emotions, and meaning without planning a reply
Active listening means being fully present to content and emotion rather than rehearsing responses.
Question 7: A coach wants to give a client feedback about a self-limiting habit. Which delivery is most effective?
- Specific, behavior-focused observations offered with permission (Correct answer)
- General personality-based comments to cover all situations
- Feedback saved for the final session to avoid disruption
- Anonymous written feedback to reduce awkwardness
Correct answer: Specific, behavior-focused observations offered with permission
Asking permission and focusing on specific behaviors keeps feedback constructive and non-threatening.
CBC Communication & Interpersonal Skills 2
During a coaching session, a client pauses for a long time after a difficult question.
What is the coach's most effective response?