PCA PCA Emotional Tank & Positive Culture 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: PCA's 'Sandwich Approach' to feedback involves which sequence?
- Correction, praise, correction
- Praise, correction, praise (Correct answer)
- Question, correction, question
- Goal, correction, goal
Correct answer: Praise, correction, praise
The Sandwich Approach places a specific correction between two genuine positive statements to protect the Emotional Tank.
Question 2: What does PCA say is essential for tank-filling praise to be effective?
- It must be exaggerated to be motivating
- It must be specific and genuine (Correct answer)
- It must be delivered in private only
- It must focus on the outcome, not the effort
Correct answer: It must be specific and genuine
PCA emphasizes that effective praise must be specific and genuine to truly fill an athlete's Emotional Tank.
Question 3: According to PCA, who is responsible for monitoring and filling the Emotional Tanks of athletes?
- Parents only
- The athlete themselves
- The coach, primarily (Correct answer)
- The athletic director
Correct answer: The coach, primarily
PCA places primary responsibility on coaches to actively monitor and fill the Emotional Tanks of their athletes.
Question 4: Which of the following coaching behaviors most quickly drains an athlete's Emotional Tank?
- Giving specific technical corrections
- Using sarcasm or humiliation in front of teammates (Correct answer)
- Asking athletes for their input
- Praising effort after a mistake
Correct answer: Using sarcasm or humiliation in front of teammates
Sarcasm and humiliation are powerful tank drainers because they undermine trust, confidence, and psychological safety.
Question 5: PCA suggests coaches ask themselves 'Is my tank full?' because why?
- Coaches with empty tanks tend to drain athletes' tanks (Correct answer)
- Full-tanked coaches win more games
- Empty-tanked coaches are better disciplinarians
- Tank levels don't affect coaching quality
Correct answer: Coaches with empty tanks tend to drain athletes' tanks
PCA teaches that coaches who are emotionally depleted are more likely to unintentionally drain their athletes' Emotional Tanks.
Question 6: How does PCA recommend a coach handle a player who makes the same mistake repeatedly?
- Bench them immediately
- Use the Sandwich Approach while focusing on process, not person (Correct answer)
- Publicly point out the pattern to motivate change
- Ignore it to avoid damaging their confidence
Correct answer: Use the Sandwich Approach while focusing on process, not person
The Sandwich Approach allows coaches to address repeated mistakes constructively while keeping the athlete's Emotional Tank protected.
PCA PCA Emotional Tank & Positive Culture 2
PCA's 'Sandwich Approach' to feedback involves which sequence?