Communication & Stakeholder Relations Flashcards

A certified leadership coach is helping a client improve feedback conversations. Which model best supports a structured, forward-focused feedback approach?

Answer: SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model

The SBI model provides a structured framework for delivering specific, observable, and impact-focused feedback that avoids personality judgments and supports behavioral change.

When a stakeholder relationship is strained due to a past miscommunication, which leadership coaching approach is MOST effective?

Answer: Coach the leader to acknowledge the miscommunication and initiate a repair conversation

Repairing strained relationships requires proactive acknowledgment and a willingness to engage in direct, honest dialogue to rebuild trust.

In leadership coaching, 'psychological safety in communication' refers to:

Answer: Creating an environment where team members feel safe to speak up without fear of negative consequences

Psychological safety is the belief that one can speak up, share ideas, or raise concerns without risk of punishment or ridicule, and is foundational to high-performing team communication.

A coaching client is experiencing resistance from key stakeholders during a change initiative. The coach should first help the client explore:

Answer: The underlying concerns driving stakeholder resistance and how communication has addressed them

Resistance often signals unmet needs or unaddressed concerns; effective coaching helps leaders understand and respond to these rather than dismissing or suppressing them.

Which listening barrier is MOST commonly identified in leadership communication coaching programs?

Answer: Formulating a response while the other person is still speaking

Preparing a response while someone is still talking is a widespread listening barrier that prevents genuine understanding and signals to speakers that they are not truly heard.

A leadership coach is helping a client prepare for a difficult conversation with a high-performing but interpersonally challenging team member. The BEST preparatory coaching strategy is to:

Answer: Help the client clarify their objective, anticipate reactions, and plan for emotional regulation

Effective preparation for difficult conversations includes clarity of purpose, empathy for the other's perspective, and emotional readiness, not rigid scripting.

In the CLC framework, stakeholder communication plans should be reviewed and updated:

Answer: Continuously as stakeholder needs, power dynamics, and project context evolve

Stakeholder dynamics are fluid, and communication plans must be treated as living documents updated regularly to remain relevant and effective.