Professional Standards & Ethics Flashcards

A coach is offered a significant commission by a training company for referring clients to their programs. What is the ethical requirement?

Answer: Disclose the financial arrangement to clients before making any referral

Referral fees create a financial conflict of interest that must be disclosed to clients so they can make informed decisions.

Which behavior demonstrates adherence to the ICF ethical principle of 'respect for client autonomy'?

Answer: Supporting clients in making their own informed choices without imposing the coach's agenda

Respecting autonomy means coaches facilitate the client's own decision-making process rather than directing outcomes.

When a coaching client presents goals that conflict with their organization's goals, a CLC coach should:

Answer: Help the client explore the conflict and make informed decisions about how to navigate it

Coaches help clients navigate tensions between personal and organizational goals through awareness and informed decision-making, not by taking sides.

A CLC credential holder allows their certification to lapse but continues to market themselves as a Certified Leadership Coach. This constitutes:

Answer: Misrepresentation of credentials, which is an ethical violation

Misrepresenting one's credentials is a clear ethical violation that undermines trust and professional integrity.

What is the ethical significance of obtaining informed consent from a coaching client?

Answer: It ensures clients understand the nature, scope, and limitations of coaching before agreeing to engage

Informed consent ensures clients make autonomous decisions about engaging in coaching with full understanding of what it involves and what it does not.

A coach works across cultural contexts and notices that directness, a valued coaching skill in the US, is perceived as disrespectful by some clients. Ethically, the coach should:

Answer: Adapt their approach with cultural sensitivity while maintaining core ethical standards

Cultural competence requires coaches to adapt their approach to honor diverse norms while upholding universal ethical principles.

A coach who regularly works with high-stress executives begins experiencing burnout. The ethical implication is:

Answer: The coach must prioritize self-care to maintain the competence and presence clients deserve

Coach self-care is an ethical obligation because burnout directly impairs the quality and safety of coaching services provided to clients.