Navgati’s Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA) sample test page

Demonstrates ethical practice

1)A client of yours brings up an issue similar to that of a previous client. You feel she would benefit from hearing about the conversations you had with the previous client and go ahead and share them. This would: *

a)Help the client feel that she is not the only one with such issues
b)Make the client anxious since you are sharing what you heard from another client without permission
c)Make the previous client proud that her experience is being used as an example for others to follow
d)Result in the client asking for more such examples and stories

2)One of your clients is quieter than usual and looks dull. The client says that she is feeling overwhelmed by all the challenges she is facing and has been having suicidal thoughts, even just before the coaching session. She then changes the topic and starts to talk about a project that she is working on. What should you do as the coach? *

a)Stick to questions about the project that she wants to discuss
b)Focus on the project but also gently fit in questions about her mental state
c)Invite her to talk about her feelings; if you feel she is at risk, contact appropriate stakeholders immediately post the conversation.
d)Check with your friend who is a therapist about what tips and tricks you can pass on to the client to feel better

3)The company that hired you as a coach wants to call you a ‘leadership consultant’ since they feel this will help employees view this as a positive experience and more employees will avail the service. What should you do? *

a)Agree because it important for employees to avail this service and reap the benefits of it; it doesn’t matter what you are called
b)Agree because clients would bring in the same kind of issues to a consultant or a coach
c)Disagree because it is important for you to explain the difference between consulting and coaching to help employees get the best out of these sessions
d)Disagree because when you are called a leadership consultant, only those who are leaders will be able to avail your services

4)The sponsor of the coaching sessions asks you to share the challenges that your clients are facing so that he can provide them with the support that they need. In this situation, your best option would be to *

a)Share the information immediately since the positive intent of the sponsor is clear
b)Tell the sponsor that sharing these challenges would violate the confidentiality contract with your clients
c)Tell the sponsor that you can share the specific challenges for an additional fee since it involves efforts to collate data
d)Tell the sponsor that if he gives you a list of challenges, you can confirm if those are the issues you heard in the coaching sessions

5)At a workshop you attended recently, you came across an interesting proprietary tool that you feel would be of value to your clients and start to use it in your coaching. This is: *

a)Alright since you have been through the workshop and know how to use the tool
b)Not alright since you need permission to use a proprietary tool in your coaching sessions
c)Alright since many coaches you know are using such tools to make their sessions more effective
d)Not alright since the client may already know this tool

6)You refer a client to a therapist who works for the same organisation as you without sharing that information (that you are colleagues). This is *

a)Ok because you know that the therapist is a good one
b)Ok because the client will be pleasantly surprised that you two are colleagues
c)Not ok because the client will think that you stand to gain from the reference
d)Not ok because the client may think that you don’t have a good equation with your colleague

Embodies a coaching mindset

1)The recent conversations with a client have got you thinking about your own experiences in the past. Some unpleasant memories have got triggered and you are beginning to feel anxious about it. The best thing for you to do is to

a)Process these memories with your own therapist, coach or supervisor
b)Share your bad experiences with your client so that she feels she is not alone
c)Try to guide the client towards a different goal/topic
d)Inform the client that you may take a break during the session and use that time to meditate and control your emotions before stepping back in

2)The client articulates multiple issues that she wants to work with. She then decides on one goal which seems of lesser importance than the others. The best thing for you to do would be to

a)Tell the client that she shouldn’t be in a hurry to pick a goal and should take more time in deciding
b)Ask the client to choose one more challenge from the list as a backup option in case she can’t resolve the first one
c)Present your thoughts on which of these challenges would be good to focus on firstbecause you want to make sure she gets the most out of coaching
d)Remind yourself that the client is in the best position to make a decision for herself

3)Constant engagement in learning and development is important for a coach because:

a)It is a professional commitment to keep your skills as a coach updated
b)It would be helpful to convince prospective clients that you would be able to help them
c)Other coaches may get ahead of you if you don’t add more credentials to your name
d)It will help to become an expert and guide others to be better coaches like you

4)Seeking feedback about your coaching skills from supervisors/mentors is:

a)Needed in the initial stages of practice till you are ready to handle sessions on your own
b)Useful when you are stuck with a difficult client situation and want ideas on how to proceed
c)An ongoing reflective practice that is of significance in your professional practice as a coach
d)A good way of connecting with supervisors/mentors and building your network

5)You have heard that we need to review the biases and beliefs we hold that may shape our thinking and behaviour as coaches. You feel:

a)As you build your skills, there comes a point when these biases and beliefs don’t really influence your behaviour as a coach
b)This is important and you have to actively check for assumptions you maybe making and challenge them
c)Identifying biases that clients hold is more important here; it is unlikely that your biases as a coach will influence the client’s goals/solutions
d)It is not possible to control/change our unconscious bias.

6)The coach feels inadequate because it seems like the client is not able to achieve the changes they want to make in their life. The coach should

a) Tell the client about this and request that the client commit to making changes
b) Do nothing in the hope that the situation will correct itself
c) Explore assumptions about how this client derives value from coaching
d) Find ways to distract themselves from this issue

Establishes and Maintains Agreements

1)Your client has asked for termination of the engagement at a point when two more sessions are left. You should:

a)Agree to the termination and share a summary of all the goals achieved so far so that he/she knows how much value these sessions have added
b)Convince him/her to attend the last two sessions since there is so much more to be discussed
c)Honour the termination as per the agreement and talk to him/her to see why he/she thinks the last two sessions may not be necessary
d)Ask him/her to complete all the sessions and convey that he/she needs to be clear about adhering to agreements before signing up

2)The most important reason to have clear agreements in place before a coaching assignment is:

a)It is a well-known practice to start every process with agreements
b)Having a clear agreement will reduce the chances of negative feedback about you as a coach
c)It sets a foundation of clarity and trust for the coaching process
d)It is easy to build rapport with a client who is as systematic as you are if you start with agreements

3) After listening to the client describe the issue, you have a fair idea about what the client may bring up as a goal. However, the actual goal that the client chooses is different from what you anticipated. What would the most appropriate action be?

a)Allow the discussion to progress as per the client’s goal. The session must be driven by the client.
b)Guide the client towards what the actual goal is and explain why they should pick that
c)Allow the client to explore the goal they have chosen for a few minutes and then ask questions which will help them realize the mistake they have made
d)Honestly tell the client that there are other goals which maybe more appropriate to work with

4)A coach who is just starting out his practice calls you about a difficulty he is having. His client had set a clear goal at the beginning of the first session but is now veering off to a totally new goal in the third session. What expert views would you offer to this coach?

a)“It is normal for it to happen when you are starting your practice as a coach. Through practice, you will learn to guide the client better and keep them on track”
b)“It is perfectly fine for the goal to change over time as long as that is what the client wants to work towards”
c)“I can understand your frustration completely since it happens even now to me after so much of practice. We can talk more about how to deal with this and ensure we stick to clear goals”
d)“I can empathize with the client because he/she seems to be confused about what they want. Allow more time and ask more questions to remind them of the initial goal”

5)The client brings in a topic to discuss and wants to achieve an overall goal that is just the opposite of what the coach believes in and practices in his/her personal life. As a coach,

a)You should tell the client gently that this topic goes against your personal values and urge him/her to take up another goal to work with
b)You should tell the client that this is against your personal belief and you need to draw up a different agreement to factor in these differences in values
c)You should find ways to control your emotions, listen to the client’s views during the session and vent out your actual/true views with your spouse when you go home
d)You should have a discussion with the client about the overall goal, suspend judgement of the client’s views/practices and confirm what they want to accomplish

6)You are meeting a prospective client in a chemistry meeting. He says, “I’m a very direct person and I appreciate directness in a coach; I would want you to push back and challenge me when I’m wrong”. What could the coach’s best response be?

1.I don’t think that’s my job as a coach
2.Sure, I enjoy directness too and I will watch out for when you are making a mistake
3.Perhaps you would benefit more from having a consultant work with you
4.As an ICF member, I use inquiry as a primary method to coach.

Cultivates Trust and Safety

1)To build trust with the client, a coach should:

a)Share credentials and references from past clients
b)Spend the initial fifteen minutes of each session having a general chat
c)Invite the client to share their views freely and respect their opinions
d)Ask the client to give feedback after every session on your skills as a coach

2)It is important for you, as a coach, to paraphrase the feelings/thoughts of the client at various points because:

a)It is always nice to have a summary since clients are never articulate in their sharing
b)It would be a good reminder to the client about the range of emotions they are able to show
c)It would help your client feel understood and empathised with
d)It would help the client see how the same views can be articulated in various ways

3)A client who is normally quite limited in her sharingtalks about a recent conflict with her manager; she talks a lot about what the manager’s contribution to the situation is. Shethen pauses and says “am I talking too much?” As a coach, you should:

a)Tell the client that we could all benefit from being less judgemental of the others in our life
b)Acknowledge the free expression and encourage the client to share how she feels about what the manager is doing
c)Tell the client that factual information may be more useful to solve the problem rather than perceptions and feelings
d)Ask the client to share the situation in brief during the session and mail the details to you later

4)Working with permissions is a crucial element of being a good coach because:

a)It is always nice to be polite to others in any interaction and applies to coaching as well
b)It is good to make the client feel that they have higher power and authority in this relationship
c)It is important to be aware of boundaries especially when it comes to sensitive areas of discussion.
d)It is a good way to make sure clients don’t blame you later

5)A client says “I’m constantly thinking about whether I will meet my manager’s expectations and what will happen if I don’t”. What is the best way of responding to him?

a)Perhaps you’re being too hard on yourself; it may help you to relax and not think too much
b)It seems like you’re feeling somewhat anxious about whether you will be able to deliver in this role
c)It seems like you are letting your feelings overpower your rational thinking in this case
d)I’m wondering if you are angry with your manager for setting such high expectations

6)In a coaching conversation about a conflict, your client says “I can see now how my actions have contributed to this conflict”. What is the best way of acknowledging the client’s awareness?

a)It’s good to see that you are willing to acknowledge your contribution to this situation
b)I see that you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions and how they have impacted this conflict
c)Oh wow! You’re a very self-aware person
d)Thank you for acknowledging this

Maintains Presence

1)To be a good coach, you need to have the skill of:

a)Finding the right solutions for the right problem based on your expertise and experience
b)Asking many questions to understand the issue of the client so you can suggest the right solutions
c)Being present in the moment and staying curious about how the client views a situation
d)Leading the client towards the options/actions that you identify as the most suitable ones for them

2)40 minutes into the coaching session, the client has not articulated her goal clearly. She continues to talk about how upset she is about the situation she is in. What would be the most appropriate thing to do as a coach?

a)Remind the client that there is very less time left for the session to end and it is important for her to arrive at a goal
b)Allow her to continue talking and at the end of the session tell her that you need to rework the contract to add a few more sessions to make up for the loss of time today
c)Remind her that being upset is not going to help and guide her in moving away from the issue towards solutions
d)Express empathy for what she is feeling and ask what would be most helpful for her at this point in time

3)A client says that he is feeling alright after describing a tough situation in his life. However, you notice that his fist is tight and his tone has changed. What would be the most appropriate next step you take as a coach?

a)Ask him to drink some water and rest for a while before continuing to talk about this
b)Trust that the client is articulating his feelings to the extent he is willing to at this point and leave it at that
c)Share your observation about the shift in body language and gently probe into it
d)Tell the client about the importance of exploring feelings in coaching

4)A client doesn’t share information about the kind of work she does or what task she was working on when a conflict occurred. As a coach, it would be appropriate for you to:

a)Ask for details because you don’t know how to proceed without knowing the nature of work
b)Wait for her to become comfortable with sharing these details on her own
c)Ask the client if she is feeling like she can’t trust you or the process
d)Ask her what part of the conflict she would like to address in the session

5)You notice the client being silent for short periods after responding to questions that focus on deeper understanding of his/her challenge. You need to:

a)Allow for the silence to act as reflection time for the client
b)Bring in a few more questions to help the client use the period of silence fruitfully
c)State your perspective to help the client incorporate your views while thinking about their response
d)Ensure there is no awkward silence by talking about what actions would be appropriate

6)When the client is describing a strong emotion, you understand it completely because you have experienced the same emotion in that context. The best thing to say to the client would be:

a)“I can understand what you must be going through. I don’t envy your position”
b)“Please stay with this thought. I am taking a short break and will be back soon”
c)“I hear you. I can share how this felt when I went through something similar”
d)“Sounds like it was tough for you. Let me know if you are ok to continue talking about it”

Listens Actively

1)Which of these would demonstrate that you are truly listening actively as a coach?

a)Making detailed notes of whatever the client is sharing
b)Making sure you follow the GROW model in the conversation
c)Noticing words, tone, body language of the client and paraphrasing your understanding
d)Presenting appropriate solutions based on your understanding of the client’s words, tone and body language

2)As a coach, you notice certain patterns of behaviour of the client across sessions. What would be the most appropriate thing to do?

a)Keep making note of such patterns and bring it up in the last session to tell the client to watch out for these
b)Don’t over read into situations, keep aside the patterns coming up and focus on the current session’s goals
c)See which of these patterns are relevant to the goal that the client wants to achieve and gently bring in your observations during the session
d)Link these patterns to childhood experiences that the client may have had and refer him/her to therapy

3)Which of these may come in the way of listening actively to what the client is trying to communicate?

a)Allowing the client to complete his/her sharing before presenting your thoughts
b)Evaluating whether the actions the client took in the situation were right or wrong
c)Watching how their tone or body language changes as they are talking about something important
d)Encouraging expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns and beliefs related to the instance they are sharing

4)How can a coach prepare to actively listen during a session with a client?

a)Allow your mind to be calm, practice mindfulness or any other centering practice
b)Don’t pressurize yourself to actively listen and record the session to listen to it later
c)Play calm, meditative music during the session to keep your mind off other thoughts
d)Be prepared with a set of questions to ask before you start the session so that you can avoid thinking of questions while the client is sharing

5)A client says “tomorrow is my 50th birthday and I am wondering if I have achieved enough in my life”. What is your best response?

a)Happy Birthday!!! What a milestone!
b)It’s very normal for people to question themselves at milestone birthdays; happens to all of us
c)I’m hearing some sadness as you look back at your life; would you like to talk more about it?
d)I’ve heard you talk about so many achievements in our sessions; I don’t think you should think so much

6)After asking a powerful question, what should the coach do?

a)Work hard to quickly determine the next question to ask.
b)Try to guess where the client is headed and get there first.
c)Find the problem as quickly as possible and begin coaching it.
d)Leave plenty of space for the client to respond.

Evokes Awareness

1) When the client asks you if the solution he/she has come up with is the right one, the best response as a coach would be:

a)You are the best judge so go ahead and decide
b)Yes, it sounds like the perfect solution and should work if implemented well
c)I think there are these three crucial aspects that you have not considered; would you like to think about those before finalizing on this?
d)How does this solution measure up on the success criteria you had identified for yourself?

2) When the client seems to blame their manager for all their struggles and feel victimized, the most appropriate way to challenge that would be:

a)It seems like you are judging the other person. You should relook at it from a different perspective
b)What do you think the intent of the stakeholder was? Why do you think he said that?
c)It seems like you are playing the victim here. Can I tell you how this is limiting your view?
d)What should you have done in that situation? Why didn’t you do it then?

3) A coach who uses the same tools across clients is

a)Effective since there is consistency in the approach across clients
b)Replacing presence and inquiry with a formulaic approach
c)Scared of experimenting with bold and creative approaches
d)Leveraging the success of these tools with previous clients

4) You feel that the client would benefit from doing a strengths interview. When you bring it up, the client says that she does not feel comfortable. As a coach, the next best step to take would be:

a)Explain patiently why you think it is the most appropriate tool
b)Support your suggestion with data about how it worked for earlier clients
c)Drop your suggestion and find other ways to help the client explore the issue
d)Ask them to find an approach that is better than the one you suggested

5) The most useful or powerful form of questions in coaching are those that:

a)Help gather more information about the situation and the people involved
b)Push the client to think harder about finer details of the situation that they may have missed
c)Deepen their awareness and help them look at situations/themselves from a different perspective
d)Get the client to address aspects that he/she didn’t do well in the past

6) The client is struggling with balancing their workload; is feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope. Which of these questions would work the best to deepen the awareness for the client?

a)What are all the items on your job list as of now?
b)How do you think your manager would deal with this situation?
c)What thoughts go through your head when you are dealing with a situation like this?
d)What can you delegate to someone else?

Facilitates Client Growth

1)Once the client has explored the issue from various perspectives and gained awareness, a natural good step forward as a coach would be to: *

a)Ask the client to reflect on this new found awareness for a few weeks and get back
b)Ask the client how they would like to use this awareness and what first steps they would take to make the change they want to see
c)Ask the client if they have missed any other angle to the issue/concern and go over the notes from previous sessions
d)Ask the client what steps they have already taken and why those haven’t worked so far

2)The most important contributor to success of an action the client decides to take at the coaching session would be: *

a)Autonomy of the client in designing this and he/she taking accountability of what they want to do
b)Agreement from the client on the steps that the coach suggests over the course of the sessions
c)Specificity of the goal irrespective of whether the client or coach comes up with it
d)A clear amount of challenge in the steps to be taken that will motivate the client to take action

3)When you see that the client has taken the steps she intended to in the last session, what would your most appropriate response be? *

a)“This is good but is important to keep this consistent across various steps that you want to take”
b)“What were the factors that limited you from implementing the other steps we discussed along with this one?”
c)“I see how you’ve persevered with your commitment and taken creative steps to overcome the challenges that came up along the way”
d)“This is a small win. Do think of other ways in which you can turn things around and have larger wins”

4)The client is very earnest in coming up with a plan to work on the steps she identified. However, you find that the action plan is incomplete and needs to be strengthened. What would be an appropriate question to ask the client? *

a)“What more can you add to this plan, aren’t there some parts missing in this?”
b)“Why does this look incomplete? Do you remember what elements we discussed in the last session?”
c)“How would you know you have successfully achieved this goal? What are the outcomes you expect?”
d)“Getting good feedback from the audience on your improved manner of presentation would be an appropriate measure for this goal. Would you like to add that?”

5)Choose the best questions to ask at the end of a coaching conversation *

a)What’s become clearer to you during the course of this conversation, with regards to your goal? What would you like to do with this awareness?
b)So was this a good session for you? When would you like to meet next?
c)How are you feeling about things in general? What would you like to do before we meet next?
d)What feedback do you have for me? Was this coaching session useful?

6)Which of these is not a good question to ask at the end of a coaching conversation? *

1)What actions would you like to take before we meet next?
2)What resources could you activate to help you meet your goal?
3)What could come in the way of your achieving your goal? What could you do to avoid those?
4)How would you like to report your progress to me during the period before we meet again?

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