Cultural Competency in Coaching Flashcards

A coach is working with a client who views their coach as an authority figure and expert, which conflicts with the coach's non-directive style. The appropriate response is to:

Answer: Explain the coaching model and collaboratively explore how to adapt it to the client's comfort

Coaches should transparently explain the coaching model and co-create an approach that respects both the client's cultural expectations and the coaching framework.

The IAC emphasizes that culturally competent coaches should be aware of how socioeconomic factors intersect with culture. This awareness matters because:

Answer: Socioeconomic realities shape what goals are accessible and what barriers clients face

Socioeconomic context shapes clients' lived realities and available options, and coaches must hold this awareness to avoid culturally disconnected goal-setting.

A client from a culture that prizes group harmony over individual success feels guilty about pursuing a promotion. The coach's most culturally attuned question is:

Answer: How does pursuing this promotion align with what matters most to you and your community?

This question honors the client's collectivist values by inviting them to explore alignment between personal ambition and community belonging.

Which of the following is an example of 'cultural countertransference' in coaching?

Answer: A coach unconsciously reacting to a client based on the coach's own cultural upbringing and assumptions

Cultural countertransference occurs when a coach's own cultural background and unexamined assumptions shape their reactions to the client.

A client from a rural, religious background is uncomfortable with the concept of 'mindfulness meditation' suggested by their coach. The culturally responsive action is to:

Answer: Explore what grounding or centering practices resonate with the client's own tradition

Coaches should explore what practices align with the client's cultural and spiritual worldview rather than insisting on a tool the client has rejected.

When a client code-switches between their native language and English during sessions, a culturally competent coach should:

Answer: Recognize this as a natural expression of bicultural identity and remain curious

Code-switching is a normal aspect of bicultural identity and communication, and coaches should receive it with curiosity rather than treating it as a problem.

According to IAC principles, how should a coach handle a situation where a client's cultural values appear to conflict with the client's stated goals?

Answer: Support the client in exploring the tension and deciding how to navigate it themselves

The coach's role is to support the client in exploring and resolving the tension themselves, not to impose a resolution—honoring client autonomy and cultural complexity.