ICF Practice ACC Credential Exam | Jessica Burdett, PCC & The Academies' Alumni Webinar

Hello, welcome. I'm Jessica Burdett, the Director of Coaching Education at the Academies, and this video will share information about the ACC Credential Exam that has been newly released and a walkthrough of sample questions with members of our alumni community. We had this originally as a webinar live with our alumni community, so I've, I've trimmed some pieces to help you get the meat of the information, and then you'll get to walk through responding to the sample questions with me and the alumni who joined me on the call. There is a resource document that will be referenced in this video, and the information for where to find that is in the description under the video. I hope you find this helpful, and we're rooting you on for your ICF credential journey. We are talking about the ACC credential exam today. There are now— and this is quite confusing— there are now two exams. There is the ICF Credentialing Exam, which has come out like a year and a half, two years ago, and at first was for every level. And then they, the ICF, with some feedback released the ACC Credential Exam. They piloted it. We had some of our alumni community take it during the pilot stage. And it is now just for ACC. We're in a transition period where if you've already applied, you could choose to take the ICF credentialing exam or you could be taking the ACC credential exam. There are some differences between them. We'll get into that, but just putting that out there. So like thinking about Pamela, I know you're going for PCC. This may not be as relevant to the exam you're taking. We've got some great videos out there about the ICF credentialing exam, which you'll be taking, but you're welcome to be here. Okay, so after your credential application is approved by the ICF, you'll receive an email with next steps on how to schedule, schedule your exam. This is a proctored exam. This is also true for the ICF credentialing exam. You will take it either at home on your computer in a proctored environment, or you'll go to a test center and take it. There are pros and cons of both, and we can dig more into that if that's something that interests you. I also have a lot of links in the resource document that I have that go more into depth on which of those you might choose and why. And then if you need exam accommodations, you must submit an exam accommodation request form prior to scheduling your exam. So anything that you bring in terms of, uh, different abilities that you would like to ask accommodations for. If you are taking the exam not with your first language as the exam language, then you can ask for a time extension on that, and I would recommend that just to give yourself spaciousness. Then exam structure. This is a 90-minute exam with 2 sections. And you have an optional 10-minute break in the middle of it. There are 60 questions that are multiple choice. Each one will have 4 response choices and you will choose one correct answer. It's a knowledge-based exam. This is different from the ICF credentialing exam, which is a situational judgment-based exam. This one, there's one right answer and you choose the right answer, and then the passing score is 460 It's a scaled score, so that can be a little confusing. There's a range of scores possible. 460 is a passing score. As soon as you finish the test, you'll get to know whether you passed the exam or not. And our content domains on this exam are all about assessing your knowledge of the ICF core competencies. The Code of Ethics and the Definition and Boundaries of Coaching. So 30% coaching ethics, 30% definitions and boundaries of coaching, and 40% of the exam coaching competencies, strategies, and techniques. There is more in-depth breakdown of this again on my resource document, also on the ICF website, so you can see more of what's covered. Before we hop into our sample exam items, what questions are coming up about the content, the structure? All right, let's dive in then, and we'll save questions for the end. So what I'm going to do, I'm going to put the question on the screen. I will invite one person to read it aloud for us. We can take turns, and then Please don't share aloud your response. Think for a minute what you'd respond with, and then we can share in the chat and discuss what we're thinking, and then we'll move to seeing the right answer. So this allows us to get everybody's perspectives. It's a really valuable way for thinking through how and why we might choose to answer the way we do. So who would be willing to read sample question 1 for us?

I can read it.

Go for it.

Which of the following actions is considered a violation of the ICF Code of Ethics? A, maintaining confidentiality of client information. B, engaging in a romantic relationship with a client. C, continuing professional development. D, setting clear agreements with clients.

All right, so think for a second what you think the correct answer would be here. And then share in the chat A, B, C, or D. B, B, B. I see it's all Bs so far. Great. Let's move to the answer. The answer is B. This one, I'm glad that people got the correct answer. It's a pretty clear one. Ethically not appropriate to engage in a romantic relationship with a client. This is also in the ICF Code of Ethics, which you will want to study before you take the exam. The other items on here are all things that are ethically important. Maintaining confidentiality, key ethical piece. Continuing professional development, a core part of the values, the competencies, and the ethics. Of being an ICF-accredited coach and setting clear agreements with a client, also a key piece of all of those. Well done! Woohoo! Question 1 complete. Question 2: Who would read this for us?

I can jump in.

Thanks, Marcie.

How must a coach maintain records pertaining to a client's coaching session? A, in a folder that is easy to access for reference. B, in digital and hard copy formats. C, in a secure format that promotes client confidentiality. And D, with the other records for the client.

All right, so you can think about your response and then share in the chat. All right, we've got a lot of Cs. Who would be willing to share with us why you are choosing C in this instance?

I mean, I'll share what I think. I don't know if it's right, but that, you know, one of the most important, like, Code of Ethics is about confidentiality between, you know, the agreement that you make with your client— client-coach agreement.

Yes, confidentiality is key, and there's a lot in the Code of Ethics as well around the way we maintain data in a confidential way. So looking at some of these others, the question is begged by many of them: is it confidential? Accessibility. Okay, but is it confidential? Uh, replicating our documents, still need to know if they're confidential. It might make it harder to be confidential with other records for the client. Sure, that might be a great organization system, but there's really nothing tying into what we need to know as coaches about what is important. Here, which is the confidentiality. So well done, everyone. Question 3. Who will read this for us?

I'll read it.

Thanks, Deanna.

After 2 months of a 6-month coaching engagement, a client begins missing appointments and not following through on agreed-upon actions. What is the best approach for the coach to take? A, terminate the coaching agreement immediately. B, ignore the issue for now and hope the client gets back on track. C, refer the client to a colleague who may be a better fit. Or D, explore with the client whether or not to continue with the coaching.

Thank you. All right, let's share our answers in the chat. All right, we've got a lot of consistency on D. Anyone think a different answer than D? All right, who would share why you went with D as your response?

I think you need, even in best condition, you need a coaching attitude. So for me, this is a coaching attitude and not the rest.

Yes, the coaching attitude, coaching mindset, all about partnership. And this is where we explore and partner. We don't want to ignore it. That's not partnering. We don't want to terminate it. That's not partnering. Referring might be a great plan. But to just refer without partnering would not be well aligned with a coaching approach. So let's see if we were right. Oh, go for it, Fran.

The key word in that is explore.

Um, yes, explore with the client. And then options here, whether or not you can choose not to, you can choose to. Well done, everyone. We are 3 for 3. On to question 4. Who would read this for us? I can read it. Um, thank you, Pamela.

A client asked a coach for advice about how to carry out a new challenging assignment. What is the best action for the coach to take?

All right, we've got some Ds. A lot of Ds. Great. Would love to hear from someone why you chose D, and if anyone sees a different answer you're thinking about, Go ahead and share that too.

For me, it's that our role as a coach is not to tell them what to do, and it is always about them and helping them process through. So, you know, helping them work through those strategies.

Yeah, thank you, Connie. That's great. So that definitely rules out A, giving them the requested advice. B, suggesting that they ask their supervisor for advice. Again, we're telling them what to do. Sending them an email after with several strategies, that might be valuable, but the best option here is explaining the distinction and talking about strategies that could be explored together. Well done. All right, question 5. Who would read this aloud for us?

I can do it if you want to hear a French accent. A coach accepts a new client who values the coach industry work experience. Which is the best action for the coach to take?

All right, then you can share in the chat what your best option you would choose is for the coach's action. Okay, we've got a lot of Bs. All right, who can share with us why you're choosing B?

I think, um, the, the alternatives were focused on the coach rather than the client. Um, so it's not a matter of showcasing your own knowledge. But instead, you know, helping the client foster their own development.

Yeah, beautiful distinction. Where is the focus? And the interesting thing here is the client hasn't asked for anything. The client just values the coach's work experience. So if the client had asked for something, that might create a different action. But in this context, they haven't asked. So what is the most partnered approach? I think there's also some foresight here of knowing there's this value. Go ahead, Fran.

No, what I was going to say is I think inherent in the question is that there's a possibility that the client may be looking for some consulting or, you know, some advice, if you will, based on the industry. And so just clarifying at the outset what the purpose is of coaching and what is not part of that, or what is part of consulting versus coaching, is probably being proactive about what you might be coming up with.

Yes, and nothing else has happened. So if we're not clear, we've set agreements. Well, we certainly need to set agreements, and setting those agreements, including the ethical ones, at the beginning of the coaching engagement includes clarifying the distinction between coaching and other industries. All right, let's check. Well done, we're 5 for 5. Nice job, everyone. Question 6, who would be willing to read this question and the responses?

I can do it.

Thanks, Fran.

What is the key difference between coaching and facilitation? Coaching involves giving direct advice while facilitation focuses on asking questions. Coaching is primarily for personal development while facilitation is only for professional settings. Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process to support a client to meet their full potential while facilitation is about guiding group discussions. Coaching requires a license to practice while facilitation does not.

All right, I see the responses already coming in here, and we're saying C so far. What made people choose C?

I can jump in here. So coaching is defined by the ICF as a thought-provoking and creative process to support a client to meet their full potential. And facilitation is about group discussions. They're very different. Um, and so I think that this is the only one of the choices that actually defines what coaching is in an accurate way and what facilitation is in an accurate way.

Yes. And really, we wouldn't even have to know. What facilitation is to answer this correctly if we know the definition of coaching, because A, coaching does not involve giving direct advice. That is not the role of coaching. Um, B, coaching is for personal and professional development. And D, coaching does not require a license to practice. So we can, even if we don't know the definition of facilitation, rule out things that are incorrect, and then know the correct definition of coaching. Well done, everyone. Question 7, who would like to read this one aloud for us?

I can read again.

Thanks, Connie.

Which of the following represents the most important purpose of silence in coaching? A, to allow a client to process their thoughts. B, to enable the coach and client to hear one another. C, to provide the coach time to think of their next question. D, to provide the client time to think of the right response to the coach's question.

All right, I see the answers coming in. We have all A's so far. So who would share why you chose A?

I can respond. You know, they need the processing time to think about where they want to go. So again, we're not directing them and leading them in the conversation, and they have that time to really think through the next step for themselves.

Yes. Anything else others would add?

It's not about providing the right response, which, you know, D is probably the only other, you know, option that's viable here. And it's really about processing. And I, I just think that the right response, um, is not what we're looking for. We're looking for a response that's right for the client.

Yeah, I think there's a lot in here around, um, allowing the client's full expression, which taps into a number of the competencies: cultivating trust and safety, maintaining presence, listens actively, evokes awareness. And then I'm thinking as well about what you shared earlier, Deanna, around where's the focus? Is it on the client or the coach? This is about the client. This one's about the coach and client. This one's about the coach. This one is very much, yeah, back to right response. That puts it in the space that is not what coaching is about. So multiple ways to see why we want to go with Question A here. Nice job. All right, who will read Sample Question 8 for us? Go for it, Charles. You are muted.

Okay.

Respecting your client's perceptions is a critical element of which coaching competency?

Okay, A, cultivates trust and safety. B, listens effectively. Sorry. All good. C, facilitates client growth. Or D, establishes and maintains agreements. All right, we've got some A, we've got some B. Would love to hear what people are thinking that led you to the answer you chose.

I think it's linked with the red zone and blue zone. From my perspective. And if we respect client's perceptions, uh, we cultivate trust and safety, and therefore we bring the clients into the Blue Zone.

Okay, love that. Also, there is a right answer, but my goal here is not that we specifically just find the right answer, because I think the discussion around it is very helpful. And this is one of the much less clear questions.

I think that I was back and forth between A and B because, you know, respecting and trust feel like they go together. But also, if you're listening to them actively, you're really paying attention to what their perspective is. and then you will respond to that. Um, so, you know, I was, I was, I think, perhaps reading too much into the answers and really would have been best, you know, sticking with the respect and trust matchup and choose A.

Okay.

All right. I think Deanna is correct. I think that listening actively, it can get to, if you really understand the client's perceptions, whether you, it's important to understand the client's perceptions so that as you're coaching them, you can respond from that vantage point.

Yeah, I think the tricky one here is respecting our clients' perceptions is such a core element in coaching that there's aspects of that tied through every competency. Like, part of that establishes and maintains agreements. Yeah, we respect their perceptions in that. We want to be following the direction of the client. Facilitates client growth. We respect it there too. It's not the main point of this competency, I would say. And that's probably where I'd go with this, like, which is most likely. And when doing the test, what you want to do is start, if you have one where you're not sure, roll out the ones you know for sure you can roll out or seem like least likely. So I'm hearing we're definitely rolling out C and D. Those don't seem like the main ideas of those competencies. And then we're looking between A and B. At that point, you've at least got yourself down from from a 25% chance of correct answer to a 50% chance. Much better stats there. You don't need to get every question on the exam right, and you won't, but please answer every question because you don't get points off for getting an incorrect answer. You get points off for not even trying when you might have gotten a correct answer. Um, so Hearing most likely people would go with A, but there's some solid reasons that B could be a good choice too. So let's see. All right. So in this instance, it was A. We heard great reasons for that. Great reasons for why it could have been another one too. Going with your gut is a great plan. Um, and I think you're pulling out something great, Deanna, with Don't overthink it. Which one feels like most likely to be right? Go with that one. Thank you everyone for that. All right, who can read question 9 for us?

I can read it.

Thanks, Pamela.

Um, a coach asked the client permission to coach in a new and sensitive area. What is the purpose of this request? A, to allow the client to think through their potential solutions. B, to make the client feel anxious to speed results. C, to create a space where the coach is able to accept negative feedback. D, to create a safe space where the client has a choice.

All right.

Yeah, I would call this a, you know, a prefacing question. Um, because by asking permission, um, what you're doing is allowing the client— you're acknowledging the fact that this is a sensitive area, and you're allowing the client to choose whether this is something that they want to delve into or not. Showing respect for that choice and for their self-determination.

Yes, there's— when I read this question, I think about what competency does this tie to the most, because this, to my perspective, is very much a question about competencies. And this says cultivates trust and safety. To me, if you're familiar with the PCC markers, there's actually the one about asking, like, or allowing the client to respond in any way, sharing something and then saying, like, you can say yes or no. And that's something where we let the client choose direction completely, and there's no wrong answer, and we communicate that to them. So some of these other things sound Coach Approach E, but they're not as relevant to the situation. All right, there we go. Question 9, nice job. And on to question 10. Who would read this one for us?

I can read again. Thanks, using metaphors as a coaching tool is most useful in which of the following situations? A, the coach is teaching a concept. B, the coach wants to nuance a message. C, the client is seeking clarity or meaning. D, the client does not see the coach's perspective.

All right, and answers in the chat. All right, so we're leaning C, but timing on responses made me think that this one felt a little trickier. So would love to hear what felt tricky about it. How did you reach the conclusion you reached?

I think we're not trying to convince them of our perspective. So that's why I finally eliminated D. Teach, that's not coaching. B just seemed weak. A weaker version of seek of clarity. That's where I came out with.

So it sounds like you were doing process of elimination on this one, Fran. Yeah, I agree, Fran.

I did the same thing she described.

Yeah, I did the same thing as well, as far as I wanted to go back and read them to make certain I understood the intent of the question And, you know, again, the focus on 3 of those answers are on the coach as opposed to the client.

Yes, that's the main— I see 2 main things when I look at this one. We don't teach. This is about the coach's message, so it sort of still ties back to teaching. And this one is about the coach's perspective. We don't need them to see our perspective. That's not the goal. The other thing I see here is with the competencies, which competency are we playing into? Looking at evokes awareness is the one I see this the most in. Metaphors is one of the sub-competencies. It's actually in the definition of Competency 7 that we can use tools like reframing and metaphors and powerful questions. And so when I think about it in the context of evoking awareness, That brings me to the client is seeking clarity or meaning. We're trying to help them evoke new awareness. So let's see. All right. Nicely done, everyone. Really solid on these. And I love hearing the thinking process. Um, let's just pause here and check in. What is standing out to you the most about these questions as you look back on them? What are you taking away?

I think to me it looks like they're, they're not trying to trick you. So, you know, some tests where they put a lot of similar things in to maybe trick you, but, but yeah.

Okay, they're not trying to trick you. Don't overthink too much. You'll overthink. Thanks, Marcy.

But the words are important.

Mm-hmm. Yes. So always a great plan to go back and read it.

I mean, it sounds like the answers are typically, if you're, if you're thinking that it's the focus is on the client, not the coach, I mean, that seems to be you know, a theme, and, you know, the answers that are the correct answers are the answers that are focused on the client.

Yes, definitely a great theme to keep in mind. Key things to study for this one: brushing up on your understanding of the core competencies, the definitions. There's my little like, uh, the definitions, the, uh, sub-competencies, what those competencies are about, the code of ethics, understanding what's in there. And then it's really helpful as well to just look at the core values that the code of ethics are created out of, because that can be really helpful to just come back to, like, what are those key things? Having pieces to remember, like, It's about the client. It's not about the coach. It's about partnering, having agreements, having those sort of narrower lists to remember when you're not sure can be really helpful. So I like the core values as a way of grounding the ethics. Anything else?

Just one question. At some point, you you use the term PCC markers. Are there a difference between ACC markers and PCC markers?

Yes, there are ACC minimum skills requirements and PCC markers, and these are the standards by which performance evaluations are measured against. We train to the PCC markers in the academies because they are— a couple reasons: it gives us a higher standard to train to, um, they are more clear, and it helps set people up to be on a path towards coaching at that level, whether or not they're going for ACC or PCC. Um, so I think the PCC markers would be helpful in this instance. You could certainly look up the ACC minimum skills requirements. I find them rather confusing, and so they aren't usually where I would recommend people to go to. I'd probably first start with the sub-competencies of the core competencies. And then if you want to get more granular or you've already been looking at the PCC markers, we look at them in our advanced classes and later on in foundational classes. So you will get introduced to them, Charles.

Okay. Thank you for saying that, Jessica, because I think it is really sort of confusing. and the fact that the class is taught to the PCC level, that wasn't 100% clear to me.

But now that you're saying it, great question. Yeah, a lot of thought went into that, and I can 100% see how it would be confusing.

Yeah, yeah.

All right, study resource and tips. I want to share with you all a study resource that I have for you. And if you are watching this via— I'm gonna stop sharing for a second so I can grab it. If you're watching this as a recording later on the alumni community, I'll share it in the chat. And if you are watching it in on YouTube, then you can find it in the comments. It's taking me a second to find it. Here we go. All right. So this has a lot more in-depth on how to prepare. Shared that in the chat now. The other thing I would recommend for preparing is find yourself some buddies. We've got a group here who are working towards it soon. You might find a buddy from here. Find yourself some supporters and cheerleaders. I love getting to support people in the credentialing exam process and keep us posted how it goes, whether you pass, whether you don't pass. Um, at the academies, we wanna support you. This community loves to support each other. Uh, that's something I've found to be really encouraging and helpful in the process is having your band that you work towards it with, whether it's people who have been mentors for you in the process or peers who are also working towards it. I'm really excited to be able to support you all in this process and hear where you're at on it. How many of you are very close to ready to submit? I hope that this conversation helps to provide some peace of mind in preparing for the exam. There's been a lot of stress around the exams in the broader ICF community, and I'm really grateful they've come up with this option for the ACC level that is very much focused on what are the more things to remember about coaching. And you all seem like you are on a great path with great mindsets to be well prepared for it. So study, find your study buddies, keep us posted how it goes.