CTC CTC Ethics & Professional Standards 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the ICF Code of Ethics, what is a coach's primary obligation when a conflict of interest arises in a team coaching engagement?
- Disclose the conflict and discuss how to address it with all stakeholders (Correct answer)
- Immediately terminate the coaching relationship
- Continue coaching without disclosure if the coach believes it won't affect outcomes
- Refer the client to another coach without explanation
Correct answer: Disclose the conflict and discuss how to address it with all stakeholders
ICF ethics require coaches to proactively disclose conflicts of interest and work with all parties to determine a transparent resolution.
Question 2: Which ICF Core Competency directly addresses the obligation of a Certified Team Coach to maintain confidentiality boundaries in a team setting?
- Embodies a Coaching Mindset
- Establishes and Maintains Agreements (Correct answer)
- Listens Actively
- Evokes Awareness
Correct answer: Establishes and Maintains Agreements
Establishing and Maintaining Agreements includes clearly defining and honoring confidentiality expectations with the team and sponsoring organization.
Question 3: A team coach discovers that information shared in a coaching session is being used by management to make personnel decisions. What is the MOST appropriate first response?
- Ignore it since management has authority
- Immediately stop all sessions and report to ICF
- Raise the issue with the sponsor and renegotiate confidentiality agreements (Correct answer)
- Tell the team members to stop sharing sensitive information
Correct answer: Raise the issue with the sponsor and renegotiate confidentiality agreements
The CTC should address confidentiality breaches directly with the sponsor to re-establish agreed-upon boundaries before taking further action.
Question 4: Under ICF standards, which of the following best describes 'professional practice' for a Certified Team Coach?
- Charging market-rate fees and maintaining a website
- Adhering to the ICF Code of Ethics, maintaining competence, and pursuing ongoing education (Correct answer)
- Completing the CTC credential exam every five years
- Documenting all coaching sessions in a secure digital system
Correct answer: Adhering to the ICF Code of Ethics, maintaining competence, and pursuing ongoing education
Professional practice under ICF encompasses ethical conduct, ongoing competency development, and commitment to continuous learning.
Question 5: When a Certified Team Coach is also a manager of some team members being coached, what is the most significant ethical concern?
- The coach may not have enough time for both roles
- Dual roles create power imbalances that undermine psychological safety and coaching effectiveness (Correct answer)
- Team members may prefer a peer coach instead
- The manager-coach may be too invested in outcomes
Correct answer: Dual roles create power imbalances that undermine psychological safety and coaching effectiveness
Dual role conflicts compromise psychological safety because team members cannot speak freely when their coach also holds evaluative power over them.
Question 6: Which practice BEST demonstrates a Certified Team Coach's commitment to equity in applying professional standards?
- Applying the same coaching framework to every team regardless of context
- Adapting the coaching approach to serve diverse team needs while maintaining ethical consistency (Correct answer)
- Focusing exclusively on high-performing teams to maximize impact
- Deferring all equity concerns to the HR department
Correct answer: Adapting the coaching approach to serve diverse team needs while maintaining ethical consistency
Equitable professional practice means tailoring approaches to serve each team's unique context while holding consistent ethical standards.
CTC CTC Ethics & Professional Standards 1
According to the ICF Code of Ethics, what is a coach's primary obligation when a conflict of interest arises in a team coaching engagement?