CLC Coaching Ethics & Professional Standards 3

Question 1

A client discloses they are experiencing suicidal thoughts during a coaching session. What is the coach's primary ethical obligation?

Accepted Answer

Refer the client immediately to a mental health professional and provide crisis resources

Answer

Continue the session and explore the feelings as coaching material

Answer

End the coaching relationship permanently

Answer

Contact the client's employer for support

Question 2

How should a CLC coach handle a situation where two clients in the same organization have conflicting interests?

Accepted Answer

Disclose the conflict, obtain informed consent from both, or decline to coach one

Answer

Coach both clients and mediate between them

Answer

Keep the conflict confidential and continue with both clients

Answer

Ask both clients to change their goals

Question 3

What is the purpose of a 'coaching agreement' from an ethical standpoint?

Accepted Answer

To establish mutual expectations, boundaries, confidentiality terms, and the coaching framework

Answer

To protect the coach from legal liability only

Answer

To document the client's personal history

Answer

To set specific performance targets for the client

Question 4

A leadership coach realizes they have strong personal opinions about a client's industry that may bias the coaching. What is the ethical response?

Accepted Answer

Engage in supervision or self-reflection to manage the bias, and consider disclosing if it could affect the work

Answer

Share the opinions openly to be transparent

Answer

Proceed normally since personal opinions are always separate from coaching

Answer

Immediately terminate the engagement

Question 5

Under ICF standards, which action would violate the principle of client autonomy?

Accepted Answer

Directing the client toward a specific outcome the coach believes is best for them

Answer

Asking powerful questions to challenge the client's thinking

Answer

Supporting the client in identifying their own solutions

Answer

Exploring the client's values as a basis for goal-setting

Question 6

A coach is asked to provide coaching services that include psychological assessments they are not licensed to administer. What should they do?

Accepted Answer

Decline that component and refer the client to a licensed psychologist for assessments

Answer

Complete the assessments if they feel confident enough

Answer

Use informal versions of the assessments instead

Answer

Request that the client self-administer the tools

Question 7

What does 'maintaining appropriate boundaries' mean in a leadership coaching context?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring the coach-client relationship remains professional and does not develop personal, financial, or romantic dimensions

Answer

Keeping sessions short to avoid emotional topics

Answer

Avoiding all feedback to prevent discomfort

Answer

Never meeting clients outside of scheduled sessions