Ethics, Communication & Professional Standards Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the difference between coaching and mentoring in a career context?

Answer: Mentoring gives advice based on experience; coaching uses questions to draw out the client's own answers

Mentors share their own experience and advice, while coaches primarily use inquiry to help clients discover their own solutions.

What is the primary purpose of establishing a coaching agreement at the start of an engagement?

Answer: To set clear expectations, roles, and boundaries for both parties

A coaching agreement aligns expectations about goals, process, confidentiality, and roles before work begins.

An ethical career coach who realizes a client's presenting issue requires therapy should:

Answer: Refer the client to an appropriate mental health professional and discuss how coaching may or may not continue

Coaches recognize when issues exceed coaching scope and make appropriate referrals while discussing the path forward transparently.

Which statement about non-judgmental coaching communication is most accurate?

Answer: It involves withholding personal opinions while remaining open and curious about the client's perspective

Non-judgmental communication means holding opinions without imposing them, staying curious rather than evaluative about the client's choices.

A career coach receives a gift from a grateful client at the end of a successful engagement. What is the most professionally appropriate response?

Answer: Use professional judgment; a small token of appreciation is generally acceptable, while high-value gifts should be declined

Most professional coaching ethics guidelines distinguish between nominal tokens of appreciation and gifts substantial enough to create obligation or bias.

How does a CPCC demonstrate accountability to the profession?

Answer: By adhering to a recognized code of ethics, seeking supervision, and pursuing continuing education

Professional accountability includes operating under an ethical code, seeking peer supervision, and committing to ongoing development.

When a coach notices they are consistently distracted or emotionally reactive during sessions with a particular client, the most appropriate action is to:

Answer: Seek supervision or personal coaching to explore and resolve the reactivity

Self-awareness and seeking supervision are core professional responsibilities when personal reactions may be affecting coaching quality.