ICP ICP Professional Coaching Skills & Conversations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the most important skill an Agile coach must demonstrate during a coaching session?
- Sharing Agile best practices
- Active listening at multiple levels (Correct answer)
- Explaining Scrum ceremonies
- Documenting meeting notes
Correct answer: Active listening at multiple levels
Active listening at multiple levels—words, tone, body language, and what's unsaid—is considered the foundational skill of effective coaching.
Question 2: What does 'Level 3 listening' mean in coaching?
- Listening to three people simultaneously in a meeting
- A focus on the broader field of energy, intuition, and what is happening beyond just words (Correct answer)
- The third level of a listening skills certification
- Listening while taking detailed notes
Correct answer: A focus on the broader field of energy, intuition, and what is happening beyond just words
Level 3 (global/environmental) listening, from the Co-Active Coaching model, involves the coach being aware of the broader field, including intuitions, energy shifts, and what is happening in the space between coach and client.
Question 3: What is a 'powerful question' in the context of ICP-ACC coaching?
- A question that challenges the coachee's authority
- An open-ended question that evokes reflection, insight, and new possibilities (Correct answer)
- A technical question about Agile processes
- A question with a specific correct answer
Correct answer: An open-ended question that evokes reflection, insight, and new possibilities
Powerful questions in coaching are open-ended, thought-provoking, and designed to help the coachee access deeper thinking, not just provide information.
Question 4: Which type of feedback is most aligned with coaching principles?
- Evaluative feedback telling the coachee what they did wrong
- Directive feedback with specific improvement steps
- Descriptive, non-judgmental feedback that shares observations without interpretation (Correct answer)
- Delayed feedback provided in written form only
Correct answer: Descriptive, non-judgmental feedback that shares observations without interpretation
Coaching-aligned feedback is observational and non-judgmental, sharing what the coach noticed without evaluating or prescribing, allowing the coachee to draw their own conclusions.
Question 5: What is 'mirroring' as a coaching technique?
- Copying the coachee's body language deliberately
- Reflecting back the coachee's words or feelings to deepen awareness (Correct answer)
- Using visual boards in coaching sessions
- Recording and playing back coaching conversations
Correct answer: Reflecting back the coachee's words or feelings to deepen awareness
Mirroring involves reflecting back what the coachee has said or expressed, helping them hear themselves and gain greater self-awareness.
Question 6: In the ICP-ACC framework, what does 'direct communication' mean?
- Telling the coachee exactly what to do
- Being clear and articulate, using language that has the greatest positive impact (Correct answer)
- Communicating without intermediaries
- Using assertive language to set boundaries
Correct answer: Being clear and articulate, using language that has the greatest positive impact
Direct communication in coaching means expressing observations and feedback clearly and concisely without ambiguity, choosing words that are most impactful for the coachee.
ICP ICP Professional Coaching Skills & Conversations 1
What is the most important skill an Agile coach must demonstrate during a coaching session?