IAC Coaching Ethics & Professional Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A coach is asked by a client's sponsor to share session details. The ethically correct response is to:
- Share a full summary because the sponsor is paying
- Decline unless the client has provided explicit written consent (Correct answer)
- Share only positive progress to protect the client
- Ask the sponsor to attend a future session instead
Correct answer: Decline unless the client has provided explicit written consent
IAC ethics require client consent before sharing any session content with third parties, including sponsors.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines 'informed consent' in IAC coaching practice?
- The client signs a liability waiver before coaching begins
- The client fully understands and agrees to the coaching process, fees, and confidentiality limits (Correct answer)
- The client consents to the coach making decisions on their behalf
- The coach obtains permission to record sessions
Correct answer: The client fully understands and agrees to the coaching process, fees, and confidentiality limits
Informed consent means the client understands the scope, process, limitations, and boundaries of coaching before agreeing to proceed.
Question 3: An IAC-credentialed coach who discovers a peer acting unethically should first:
- Publicly post about the behavior on social media
- Confront the peer directly and, if unresolved, report to IAC (Correct answer)
- Ignore it to preserve collegial relationships
- Immediately file a formal complaint without speaking to the peer
Correct answer: Confront the peer directly and, if unresolved, report to IAC
IAC ethics encourage addressing concerns directly with the peer first, escalating to formal channels if the issue is not resolved.
Question 4: Maintaining accurate and secure records of coaching sessions primarily serves to:
- Provide evidence if the client disputes progress
- Protect both client confidentiality and professional accountability (Correct answer)
- Enable the coach to bill more accurately
- Satisfy sponsor reporting requirements
Correct answer: Protect both client confidentiality and professional accountability
Secure record-keeping upholds client privacy while supporting the coach's professional accountability.
Question 5: The IAC Code of Ethics applies to coaches in which of the following situations?
- Only during paid coaching sessions
- Only in formal organizational coaching engagements
- In all professional coaching activities regardless of setting or compensation (Correct answer)
- Only when the coach holds a current IAC credential
Correct answer: In all professional coaching activities regardless of setting or compensation
IAC ethical obligations apply across all professional coaching contexts, whether paid, pro bono, or informal.
Question 6: A client asks their coach to endorse a business venture publicly. The coach should:
- Endorse freely because supporting clients is part of coaching
- Evaluate whether endorsing creates a conflict of interest before deciding (Correct answer)
- Always decline to maintain strict professional boundaries
- Ask the client to pay an additional fee for the endorsement
Correct answer: Evaluate whether endorsing creates a conflict of interest before deciding
IAC standards require coaches to assess potential conflicts of interest before engaging in activities that could compromise objectivity.
Question 7: Which statement best reflects the IAC's stance on cultural competence and ethics?
- Coaches should apply a universal approach to all clients regardless of background
- Cultural factors are irrelevant in a purely goal-focused coaching model
- Coaches are ethically obligated to respect and adapt to clients' cultural contexts (Correct answer)
- Cultural differences should be addressed only if the client raises them
Correct answer: Coaches are ethically obligated to respect and adapt to clients' cultural contexts
IAC ethics require coaches to recognize and honor the cultural backgrounds and identities of their clients.
IAC Coaching Ethics & Professional Standards 3
A coach is asked by a client's sponsor to share session details.
The ethically correct response is to: