Passing the ACC Pilot Exam

Hello, it is International Coaching Week, and here at the Academies we are doing LinkedIn live streams every day based on topics that we hear a lot of interest and curiosity around in the coach community. So I'm Jessica Burdett, I'm the Director of Coaching Education for the Academies and PCC, and I'm here with Demetria Cook, who recently took and passed the ACC pilot exam. And since it is so new and fresh, we wanted to get a perspective on that experience out for the broader community. Welcome, Demetria.

Thank you.

To have you share a little bit about who you are.

Okay, great. So my name is Demetria, and I am a newly ACC with the International Coaching Federation. Yay! And I am an executive and leadership development coach. I love coaching. I love working with clients and just moving them into their empowered future, because that journey is so important. And when you're a part of that growth journey, it just— for me, it makes me feel just so, I don't know, warm inside. I feel so proud. And just to know that they have made some developments and changes and have seen— they've pulled out of themselves what was already there. And to be able to spread their wings, so to speak. And so it's a, it's a powerful tool. It's a powerful, uh, what should I say, uh, powerful— I don't want to call it a business, but what we do as coaches is very powerful. And I believe everyone should have some form of coaching, even if it's life coaching, business, you know, the executive leadership coaching, any aspect of your life. You know, if you're a writer, you know, you have a writer's coach. You know, if you're an entrepreneur, you have different types of coaches that really can help you continue to develop. And I just love, uh, what we do here as coaches.

Yeah, it is a powerful— I think I'd call it a skill set.

Yes.

And one of my favorite things in coaching is when my clients walk away having developed much more of a coaching skill set themselves. That's so empowering. I love that emotion of pride you mentioned. What an undervalued emotion that gets a hard rap. It's so beautiful to be able to bask in the fullness of that.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And many people, many of the clients that I've worked with in the past, they don't really know what to expect from coaching. And so when they really start tapping into themselves, it's just you see that light go off and they have this other understanding of who they are and the power that they have inside. And so again, it's just really helping people bring out what's already there so that they can see it, embrace it, and continue to grow with, you know, who they are.

Well, love hearing your passion. And now diving into the topic we're here for, tell us all about your ACC pilot exam experience.

Wow, okay, so do we want to start with the ACC pilot exam experience? It actually was a very good experience, to tell you the truth, because I went in with a mindset of, you've got this. And so knowing that the questions were, were knowledge-based you know, what knowledge that I have and what knowledge that they're seeking through the exam, that really was a game changer for me. And, you know, you're talking to someone who hasn't literally— who has not taken a test since 1987.

That's a hot minute.

Yeah. So how, you know, testing my knowledge in that regard, you know, I was like, hmm, what do I need to do? How do I prepare for this? How do I study? What's, what's the expectation for myself, and what's the expectation that they have for me? What is it that I need to do? And so I, I really knew that it was— you have to really know, you know, a lot about ethics, you know, the coaching ethics, and just what do you do. It's kind of weird, but what do you— how do you get to make it? How do you make a decision in certain situations? Yeah, right. What is this decision that needs to be made? What's that ethical decision? What do you— how do you approach the situation? Right. And so it was really testing that knowledge and understanding, knowing what the core competencies are and how to apply that with the knowledge you have as a coach, because you already have been coaching. You've done your 60+ hours. You are in the field. You've already taken classes to prepare you for the coaching field. And so having the ACC pilot exam really focus on more knowledge-based questions, I really felt that was very appropriate for someone who is, quote unquote, newer to coaching, who hasn't had those 500+ hours or 1,000 hours or 400 hours, et cetera. So it was, let's take it from what is that basic knowledge you need to have to be successful as a coach with a credential with the ICF. And that's what I appreciated about it.

Yeah, and such value too in having to dive deep into the ethics and core values and make sure that you are really clear on those, because having those as a strong foundation is really important. Something that stood out to me from what you said, Demetria, is there are skills in the test-taking that's its own department. And then there's the way you prepare for the knowledge, and then there's the way you approach the exam with mindset. So I want to loop back to those, but maybe first let's go to— would you share a little bit about the context? Because I know the exam journey was a whole journey for you. If you'd share a little about the context for you of taking the ICF credentialing exam, taking the ACC pilot exam, and how that experience was to have them both under your—

Yeah, so my journey started out with taking the, the newer ICF credentialing exam, and wow, I, I don't even know where to begin with that one. So I actually, uh, signed up for, you know, I start preparing for, but then I was like, how do I prepare for this exam? You know, because the ICF credentialing exam is more situational questions. And so there were, I think, 4 questions they had on the website that were to help you prepare for the exam. But yet this exam was going to be 2 or 2 and a half hours long. So 4 questions for a 2 and a half hour exam, you know, it was like, how do I prepare for this? And so what I did is I went through— literally, I went through the entire website where I was just looking at everything and going over it and thinking about it and how would I apply those in coaching situations? And so, you know, as I was preparing for that, because I, I didn't have, um, a group or anything like that that I could go to because it was just still such a new exam. Yeah, there wasn't much information out there. I did find one, um, video on— I think it was YouTube where the, uh, coach went through some situational experiences and things like that, and that was helpful, although it needed to be more, you know. And so with not— still not knowing and understanding what this exam was going to be like, it was— I didn't feel completely prepared for it. And already coming in, you know, having a mindset of, yeah, I'm gonna pass this, this is great, you know, everything's gonna happen, it's gonna— oh, you know, you're gonna get your credential, etc. But then when I got— I, I did the at-home exam where I took the exam at home, and there wasn't really many outside interferences. Where I ran into this huge roadblock was with the, and the proctor of the exam. So I'm taking this exam and I keep getting interrupted by the proctor, and so that just throws me all off. I can't concentrate, you know, with this proctor continually interrupting me. And I know that this isn't supposed to be happening, and I can't communicate with him because I think technology was all wacky. So it was just an experience in and of itself. And so it took me out of that mindset of where I needed to be. And so, uh, you go through it, you go through the questions, etc. And then at the end— well, first, the questions were, for me, I really, I really thought of them as like word problems, and that took me back to third grade. You know, when you start learning about word problems. Yeah, they were my nemesis, you know, and I'm sitting there going, oh boy, you know.

So you're taken back to third grade, you haven't taken an exam like this in a long time, you have a proctor who's interrupting you unexpectedly.

Oh my gosh, it was non-ending. So finish the exam, you get your results immediately And what happens? Fail. And I'm like— and then just my whole world just shattered because when I looked at it, I literally was 1/10 of a point from passing, which is probably one question. Yeah. You know, and having to discern the best and then the worst, you know, answer for each question. When I had all of that going, you know, all those interruptions and things coming at me, that it, it, it was crazy. And it really set me back. You know, I took a walk and I was like, I need to clear my mind, I need to clear my head. What does this mean? What's going on? And as I'm walking, I fell. I literally fell and like scraped up my knee, my leg, and I laid on the ground for a while. And I had to decide, do I want to get up or do I want to stay here? And if that is not a metaphor for life, I don't know what is. So I made the decision. I was like, I gotta pick myself up. And I did.

And I sat on a bench for a while, you know, which is a fair metaphor too.

Yeah, yeah. And I just processed and processed, and I felt literally the weight of my ancestors on my shoulders. And it was just like, how did this happen? You know, you know, what— where do you go from here? What do you do next? And my confidence was just shattered. It was shattered. And, and it took conversations with other coaches like Susan Britton, who is, you know, the Academy's God, you know, conversations with Susan and conversations with James Beeman and conversations with you that really helped me to understand that a test doesn't define me as a coach. And I know that. But still, it's heartbreaking. It's, it's earth-shattering. And so I really didn't know if I wanted to pursue getting a credential because it took me down a really dark rabbit hole, and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone because, you know, getting your mind out of that, that hole, it was hard. It was really hard. And then you sent me some information and said, hey, you know, the ICF is doing a pilot exam for the ACC, and it's going to be different than the one that you took, you know, several months ago. You know, check it out, see if you're interested in pursuing it. And I said to myself, hmm, do I really want to do this? And I said, you know what, I'm gonna do it. And so then that's what, you know, that was part of me picking myself up, sitting on that bench for some time, you know, evaluating, reevaluating, and thinking about where I want to go next. And so I applied for the— taking the ACC pilot exam because I knew that whatever result was going to happen my test was going to help them to reconfigure or redesign, you know, an exam that would really be helpful for others pursuing an ACC credential, you know, versus the other credentialing exam, which was more of the situational questions versus the knowledge-based questions. And I just thought, you know, my knowledge, I've got the knowledge. I know that, I know this, you know, and, and different people take different, take exams differently. Yeah, we have different strong suits, you know, and, and those word problems were not my strong suit, and I know that about myself.

Yeah, that, that choice to take it also as a way of contributing to the challenge is such a carryover of the approach you bring and your passion around coaching. So what a lovely thread to see connected there. Yeah, I am grateful to see that like there are responses happening because in any transition, and I think of this exam as a transition, we switched from the Coach Knowledge Assessment, which was well known and we'd had for a long time as a ICF community to the ICF Credentialing Exam. Very different experience, also new, not a lot of materials out there as people were taking it. That's a big transition. And so like in any transition, there's opportunity to redefine identity and there's going to be bumps. So it's interesting to watch the way the community is responding and watch how the ICF is carrying. And I'm looking forward to seeing what continues to develop, but I'm really grateful that the ACC PI LA exam has happened and hoping it's open more broadly soon. Because I think you made a great point too earlier, Demetria, or this may be me connecting a couple of the things you said, but when I think about ACC and PCC, it's like by the time you've done 500 hours of coaching, you've had to make a lot of situational judgments. When you have done 100 hours of coaching, you've had to, but you're, you're still working on solidifying the core skills. And so I think that's a really, a really positive thing about having the knowledge-based one for ACC is allowing the focus on solidifying the skills and not expecting that all levels are at the place of making the situational judgments.

Yeah, that I agree 100%. And that is what I was so kind of confused about, you know, and because when I look at the exam, it was— it's open to everyone: ACC, PCC, MCC. And, you know, in my mind, this is just the way my mind thinks, is that I'm thinking, okay, you have your ACC, that's like having a bachelor's degree. Then you have your PCC, it's like having a master's degree. And then your MCC is like having a doctorate, right? And so the people who are working on their doctorate have a completely different You know, they— like you were just saying, those hours, the situations, you are in it so much longer and you are able to discern like little different, you know, nuances versus someone who is just getting their bachelor's degree, right? And so, but taking the exact same exam, I was just like, this is really odd to me. Why is this happening? Because as someone who is newer to coaching, yes, I need to know those things. We all need to know those things. But again, I haven't had the opportunity to either experience them in action, see them in action, coach someone around those certain things, not to the same extent as someone who has, you know, 500 or 1,000 hours, etc. And so That really threw me off. And so I believe that a more knowledge-based ACC or ACC exam, um, is more fitting for people who are newer to coaching because it is testing your knowledge. And as you continue to grow in the profession, then you're going to get into those situations, you're going to know, and you've been working with those core competencies, you know, etc. And it will hopefully I don't want to say easier, but be easier for people to adjust and know how to handle certain situations.

Yeah, I think there's— I often see a difference in confidence between when someone is getting their ACC credential and when they're getting their PCC credential, just because there's been more experience in the space and more depth of learning. I want to, before we I want to get to content, but before we get to content, I want to just say huge appreciation for you sharing your story of not passing the ICF credentialing exam and going through the, the feelings that came up for you around that. One of the things that makes me the saddest is watching people make their decisions around fear of the exam, and I just would encourage you, if you're watching and that's something you're experiencing, Take Demetria's story to heart and consider that you may not pass, and if you do not pass, it is okay. You will get to dig back in, but please get yourself a community as you go through the experience. Yes, that's so valuable, and we love to celebrate with you. That's such a gift as well, to get to celebrate with newer coaches who are getting their credentials.

Yeah, yeah. And, and, you know, and, and it was tough for me, uh, taking the pilot exam because, you know, I, I literally less than 2 weeks I had— my mother had passed away and we had just buried my mother and my brother had a stroke on the day of her funeral. And literally I had to take this ACC pilot exam 2 weeks later. And so my preparation for it, I kept saying to myself, I need to study for this, I need to study for this, but I wasn't in a mindset to study for it. And so it was one of those things where it's like, I have to tap into my knowledge, my understanding, just tap into who I am as a coach. Going into this exam here and just, you know, leaning on that community that you were just talking about, my community of coaches, and knowing that I have the skill set to pass the exam. So I did get a chance to just look through more of, you know, the competencies and, and all of that. you know, before the exam, but I, uh, I couldn't really concentrate on it. So I went in just with a Hail Mary, almost, to, to speak of, you know, because life had thrown so many curveballs.

Yes, and you had studied a lot for the credentialing exam, so I'm sure that contributed too.

Absolutely.

Yeah, I— there were 3 things we talked about earlier: the content of the exam, the experience of test-taking strategy, and then the mindset. And you've been talking about mindset. I remember a conversation we had around what would it look like to be in the blue zone. And if you're not familiar with the academies, we talk about the red zone and the blue zone. And the red zone is when our brain and body goes to a place of fight-flight and It means that we're operating much more from a place of instinctual response and trying to protect ourselves rather than a place of expansive thought and possibility and calm. So we had a conversation around how do you get into the blue zone? So maybe just really briefly, what was the way you stayed in the blue zone as you took your exam?

You know, it was just, I had, I had this calmness about me. I just did. I went, and that was the other thing. When I went into— when I was taking the other exam, there were so many things that were outside interferences. When I went to take the pilot exam, you know, I knew where I needed to go. There was no issue with, you know, parking. You know, the proctor was there, and it was just smooth sailing. It was like night and day. And, you know, that just that in and of itself was able to begin to get me into that blue zone.

Right. And yeah, I think there's this really big difference between being in your own space that you think of as safe and having unexpected interruptions versus going to a place where, you know, there will be some interruptions and like expecting those may happen.

Yeah. And You know, it was just, just quiet. You know, I was able— I was just more relaxed, you know. And, you know, leading up to the day to take the test, I did do some visualization, you know, and to prepare myself and just think about where I am, you know, the beauty around me, the beauty inside of me, and just know that I was surrounded by so many people who were uplifting me. And, and that really helped a lot, you know. And I knew that I was going to be okay regardless of the outcome, versus the first time where it was such a shock and going down that, like I said, that dark rabbit hole. It, it was scary. But this, I had already moved on to, um, I know my value, I know my worth, I know what it is that I provide in terms of coaching, and that I wasn't going to let, you know, 3 letters behind my name define me as a person, as a coach, when I know the value that I bring to the coaching field.

Yeah, what a powerful thing to reconnect to that identity and the credential to be something that's a added strength rather than the thing that is what you advertise yourself based off of. Okay, so let's talk a little bit about the content. What was on the exam? What surprised you? What was most helpful to prepare with?

Yeah, so again, a lot of it was ethical-based. You have to know the ethics. You have to be an ethical person.

So if you were to sum that up, like, obviously anyone preparing should explore the code of ethics deeply, but if you were to like say a way you capture being an ethical person, what does that mean?

Well, it goes down to think about your clients, or even one client in particular, and how you would approach coaching that person, right? What are the things that you as a coach are responsible for? Their development, helping them with their development, their continued growth. Per se, their journey. And when you look at it from that perspective of you're starting with someone from point A and how do you help guide them to point— whatever point it is, let's say point, I don't know, M, right? What are the things that you need to do to help them get to that next stage, those individual stages from there? And so when you look at Um, you know, if they're— if they have a supervisor, let's say you're working with people who are with a company, so they're supervisors. So what are the ethics behind your coaching? And then what can be shared with their supervisor? You know, understanding what the contract— or I would say the agreement is, what's in your agreement, you know, and how do you share based on what's in the agreement. So that was really important too.

And so big picture, establishing the agreements and then maintaining them. Like, if something goes the way you wouldn't hope for it to go in a coaching relationship, how do you maintain it in a way that still cares for the person from the heart of coaching?

Absolutely. Absolutely. So a lot of things about the agreement, the code of ethics, and what you should do and how to, you know, what it should look like in the coaching profession. And so I appreciated that. And we do need a code of ethics, you know, when it comes to the profession of coaching. And so I understand why it's so important and why it's it's hit upon so much, because if you're not ethical, then, you know, that's kind of scary.

Yeah, coaching is about supporting and caring, and if we are doing harm intentionally or unintentionally, that defeats the purpose of coaching.

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Okay, so there was the one other thing, which was the test-taking skills and looking back on the exam, like there's the review feature, things like that as you're taking it. What's one tip you'd give for using test-taking skills to support in this exam?

I would, I would say What's going to be helpful if, if you're someone that— I would say find a group, find a support group. I know that sounds kind of like so not really helpful, I guess, but if you have another person or 3 other people that you can work with and you all can just freely you know, not just intensely, oh, we got to study this, you know, like, ah, this exam is coming up. No, just enjoy the process. Talk about the coaching situations that you've been in. Talk about coaching situations that may come up that you've heard about, different things like that. And then look at how to— how it applies to, um, the code of ethics and how it applies to the core competencies. And then I think that really is helpful, right? Because now you've got a dialogue and you can make— it's like, well, maybe I would do this, and someone else has a different opinion. But then once you look at it from the competencies, the core competencies and the code of ethics, etc., then that's where you start to understand more.

A beautiful thing in that too is that you're not only taking the exam and preparing to hopefully pass the exam, you tapping your community and building your skills in a much deeper way. So then regardless of whether it goes well or does not go well, you've got this additional base of support and knowledge and community to continue standing with you.

Yeah, yeah. And, and, you know, some people are just great test takers. Yeah, you know, and then some people need to do a little bit more, and then there's different types types of tests. Like, they have the credentialing exam, and then you have the ACC pilot exam. And I was thinking about that, and for me, when I was taking the AC— the ICF credentialing exam, and it was all those different word problems, it was like, okay, you know how you have the speeding train, and let's say you need to get to your destination, and one of the routes is, you know, you can go through a toll, but it's going to cost you $80, but it'll get you there on time. And then another situation, you're gonna get there on time, or you're going to go the speed limit and you're going to be there 15 minutes late. You know, another would be you're going to, uh, go through all the tolls and then, you know, your car breaks down and whatever. So you have all these different situations, and it's like, what's going to be the best situation and what's going to be the worst situation in this? And then you have everything that's in the middle. And so what may be the best situation for Jessica may not be the best situation for Demetria, right? And how we approach coaching. So, but then you have to go back to what is it that the ICF is looking for in terms of those core competencies and, and the ethics of it.

So whichever exam you're preparing for, ethics and core competencies and grace to be in the journey. All right, Demetria, we're at the end of our time. I'm sure we could talk about this a lot more. Um, people— are people welcome to find you and— yes, not more if they're interested?

I am on LinkedIn, you know, send me a, a connection request, you know, I'm more than happy to, you know, talk about my journey a little bit more with anyone that wants to hear about it. And, uh, yeah, so I'm here. I'm excited. I'm just so grateful that I've had this opportunity to go on this journey with the academies and especially you, Jessica. You are a huge part of one of the reasons why we're having this, this conversation today. So I appreciate you and I thank you.

Thanks, Demetria. I admire you greatly in the process and seeing your coachness come through in the ups and downs has been a privilege. So congrats on your ACC. And if you're listening in, please join us for more conversations this week on LinkedIn. We will have a conversation on the ICF Credentialing Exam and more thoughts on test-taking tips and Blue Zone strategies on Friday. So if you're preparing for any exam with the ICF, that could be a great one to hop on as well.

Absolutely.

All right, happy International Coaching Week. See you all around. Bye.