Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence in Coaching Flashcards
7 cards from real IAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence in Coaching flashcards as text
What is 'emotional hijacking' (amygdala hijack) and why is it relevant to coaches?
Answer: A rapid emotional response that bypasses rational thought, which coaches must recognize in themselves and clients
Amygdala hijack is the neurological phenomenon where intense emotions override prefrontal reasoning, making coaches' self-awareness critical to prevent reactive responses.
A coach practicing mindfulness notices a habitual tendency to give advice. What mindfulness principle helps the coach stay in inquiry mode?
Answer: Non-attachment — observing the impulse without acting on it
Non-attachment allows the coach to notice the urge to advise and consciously choose inquiry instead, preserving client autonomy.
In Goleman's EI framework, 'social skills' in a coaching context primarily refers to:
Answer: The ability to manage relationships and build rapport to guide clients toward desired outcomes
Social skills as an EI domain involve effectively managing interactions and building relationships — essential for the coaching alliance.
Which of the following coaching behaviors reflects high emotional intelligence in handling a client's strong negative emotion?
Answer: Sitting with the emotion, naming it gently, and asking permission to explore it
High EI coaches tolerate emotional discomfort, name emotions to reduce their intensity, and invite exploration rather than suppressing or minimizing them.
How does regular mindfulness practice most directly benefit a coach's professional effectiveness?
Answer: It increases the coach's ability to remain present, reduce reactivity, and notice subtle client cues
Mindfulness cultivates sustained attention and reduced reactivity, enabling coaches to pick up on subtle verbal and nonverbal cues more accurately.
The IAC Coaching Masteries emphasize 'maintaining safety and challenge.' Which EI quality is most central to achieving this balance?
Answer: Empathy combined with appropriate emotional challenge
Empathy establishes safety while the coach's willingness to gently challenge requires reading and managing the client's emotional threshold — a core EI skill.
Which of the following is an example of a body-scan mindfulness exercise a coach might guide a client through?
Answer: Inviting the client to systematically direct awareness through different parts of the body, noticing sensations without judgment
A body scan directs non-judgmental awareness sequentially through the body, grounding the client in somatic experience rather than cognitive analysis.