Macro Coach Professional Ethics and Practice 1 Flashcards

A macro coach discovers that a current client is also receiving coaching services from a close personal friend of the coach. What is the most appropriate course of action?

Answer: Disclose the relationship to the client and assess whether it creates a conflict of interest that could affect objectivity

Transparency is a cornerstone of ethical coaching practice. Disclosing the relationship allows the client to make an informed decision about whether the coach can remain objective, preserving trust and autonomy without automatically assuming harm.

A macro coach is offered a significant financial incentive by a supplement company to recommend their products to clients. What is the ethically correct response?

Answer: Decline the incentive because recommending commercial products for personal gain compromises professional objectivity

A macro coach's primary obligation is to the client's best interest. Accepting financial incentives to recommend products creates a conflict of interest that undermines objectivity, regardless of disclosure, and is ethically incompatible with the coaching role.

During a virtual coaching session, a client shares highly sensitive personal health information. What is the macro coach's primary responsibility regarding this information?

Answer: Maintain strict confidentiality and use secure, compliant methods to store and protect client data

Confidentiality is a fundamental ethical obligation. Coaches must use secure, appropriate systems to store sensitive client information and must not share it without explicit client consent, protecting both trust and privacy.

A macro coach has developed a strong personal friendship with a long-term client outside of sessions. How should the coach handle this dual relationship?

Answer: Reflect on whether the dual relationship compromises professional boundaries and consider discussing it with a supervisor or mentor coach

Dual relationships create the potential for boundary confusion, favoritism, or impaired objectivity. The ethical response is reflective self-assessment and consultation, not automatic termination, to determine whether the relationship can continue professionally.

A client asks their macro coach to provide a written letter certifying that their nutrition plan meets medical standards for a legal proceeding. What should the coach do?

Answer: Decline to write the letter because providing medical certifications falls outside a coach's scope of practice

Certifying medical standards is a function reserved for licensed healthcare providers. Issuing such a letter would misrepresent the coach's qualifications and could cause harm, making it a clear scope-of-practice violation.

A macro coach notices that a client's repeated session cancellations and declining engagement suggest possible burnout or emotional distress. What is the ethically appropriate response?

Answer: Gently acknowledge the pattern with the client, express care for their wellbeing, and explore whether a referral to a mental health professional is appropriate

Coaches are not qualified to diagnose conditions but are ethically responsible for the holistic wellbeing of their clients. Compassionately addressing the pattern and facilitating an appropriate referral honors both the coach's duty of care and their scope of practice.