weekly Cogitations for ICS 392 （Executive Coaching - Leadership in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Chaotic & Ambiguous Business Environment）

MINIMUM SKILL REQUIREMENTS COMPETENCY BY COMPETENCY FOR PCC CREDENTIALING

Copyright 2006, International Coach Federation, all rights reserved.

The ICF believes that it has an obligation to support its member coaches in the growth of their skill set. Every master coach started as a beginner, progressed through an intermediate level of skill, and became masterful, where the hallmark is always the complete evidence of the coach's role as learner about the client. The ICF credentialing process with its three levels is a reflection of the continuum of growth that each coach undergoes.

This document has been created to support coaches with preparation for the PCC credentialing exam. We also hope that this document will assist mentor coaches supporting and supervising these coaches; and coach training schools undertaking accreditation of their programs. The aim is the help coaches successfully complete the PCC exam and also to help them continue to develop their skill set as coaches.

The document's structure will provide those seeking a credential an understanding regarding what assessors evaluate in relation to each competency, the minimum level of skill necessary to successfully demonstrate a PCC level of competency, and also help them understand what non-coaching behaviors might prevent successful completion of the PCC exam process. We hope the document helps each individual coach answer the following queries: What does it mean to be a PCC coach? What do the ICF assessors listen for when they are evaluating my coaching? As I progress on my coaching journey, what are my strengths and what are the skill set areas that I need to grow to pass the PCC exam?

Finally, the ICF strongly believes that clients receive real and substantive value from PCC coaches. That value rests always in the coach's complete attention to the client and what the client wishes to accomplish, the level of partnership with the client, as well as the coach's complete support of the client's agenda. We honor each and every coach on their journey and look forward to supporting your path of growth as coach and your credentialing path within the ICF.

1. Meeting Ethical Guidelines and Professional Standards - Understanding of coaching ethics and standards and ability to apply them appropriately in all coaching situations a. Understands and exhibits in own behaviors the ICF Standards of Conduct b. Understands and follows all ICF Ethical Guidelines c. Clearly communicates the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy and other support professions d. Refers client to another support professional as needed, knowing when this is needed and the available resources

Important Note: Familiarity with the code of ethics and its application is required for all levels of coaching and the standard for demonstrating a strong ethical understanding of coaching is similar and rigorous for all levels of ICF credentialing. An applicant will pass this competency if they demonstrate a knowledge of the coaching conversation that is focused on inquiry and exploration and if the conversation is based on present and future issues.

An applicant will not pass this competency if the applicant focuses primarily on telling the client what to do or how to do it (consulting mode) or if the conversation is based primarily in the past, particularly the emotional past (therapeutic mode). In addition, the ICF notes that if an applicant is not clear on basic foundation exploration and evoking skills that underlie the ICF definition of coaching, that lack of clarity in skill use will be reflected in skill level demonstrated in some of the other competencies listed below. For example, if a coach almost exclusively gives advice or indicates that a particular answer chosen by the coach is what the client should do, trust and intimacy, coaching presence, powerful questioning, creating awareness, and client generated actions and accountability will not be present and a credential at any level would be denied.

2. Establishing the Coaching Agreement - Ability to understand what is required in the specific coaching interaction and to come to agreement with the prospective and new client about the coaching process and relationship

a. Understands and effectively discusses with the client the guidelines and specific parameters of the coaching relationship (e.g., logistics, fees, scheduling, inclusion of others if appropriate) b. Reaches agreement about what is appropriate in the relationship and what is not, what is and is not being offered, and about the client's and coach's responsibilities c. Determines whether there is an effective match between his/her coaching method and the needs of the prospective client

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The depth of creation of agreement for session; 2) The coach’s ability to partner and the depth of partnering with the client in the creation of agreement, measures of success, and issues to be addressed

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to achieve a passing score for establishing the coaching agreement is that the coach asks the client what they want to work on, explores and confirms that the agenda is meaningful for the client and will move the client toward a desired outcome(s), the coach engages in some exploration of the measures of success for each outcome desired in the session, the coach engages in some exploration of the issues related to each outcome. The coach attends to that agenda, those measures, and those issues throughout the coaching. The coach may raise unseen issues to the client, but will not change agendas, measures, or issues unless redirected by the client. The coach should also check with the client during the session to make sure that the client’s goals for the session are in fact being achieved.

A coach will not receive a passing score for establishing the coaching agreement on the PCC exam if the coach chooses the topic(s) for the client or if the coach does not coach around the topic(s) the client has chosen. The evaluation for this competency will also be negatively impacted if the coach does not engage in some exploration of the measures of success for each topic with the client or defines those measures for the client. The evaluation will be negatively impacted if the coach does not engage in some exploration of underlying issues related to achievement of the outcomes or agenda or does not check with client about whether the client is moving toward what the client wanted from the session.

3. Establishing Trust and Intimacy with the Client - Ability to create a safe, supportive environment that produces ongoing mutual respect and trust a. Shows genuine concern for the client's welfare and future b. Continuously demonstrates personal integrity, honesty and sincerity c. Establishes clear agreements and keeps promises d. Demonstrates respect for client's perceptions, learning style, personal being e. Provides ongoing support for and champions new behaviors and actions, including those involving risk taking and fear of failure f. Asks permission to coach client in sensitive, new areas

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s depth of connection to the client; 2) The coach’s depth of demonstration of trust in the client and the client’s processes of thinking, creating; 3) The coach’s willingness to be completely comfortable with their own authenticity with the client

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for establishing trust and intimacy with the client is that the coach shows genuine concern for client, shows a good degree of connected relationship to the client, and is attuned to and demonstrates trust in the client’s perceptions, learning style, and personal being. The coach must also demonstrate an ability to provide ongoing support for new behaviors and actions as well as an invitation to the client to participate in the development and creation of those new behaviors.

A coach will not receive a passing score for establishing trust and intimacy with the client on the PCC exam if the coach demonstrates significant interest in the coach’s view of the situation rather than the client’s view of the situation, does not seek information from the client about the client’s thinking around the situation, does not seek information about the client’s goals regarding the situation, or the attention seems to be on the coach’s own performance or demonstration of knowledge about the topic. In addition, the evaluation will be negatively impacted if the coach does not invite the client to share his/her thinking on an equal level with coach.

4. Coaching Presence - Ability to be fully conscious and create a spontaneous relationship with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible and confident

a. Is present and flexible during the coaching process b. Accesses own intuition and trusts one's inner knowing c. Is open to not knowing and takes risks d. Sees many ways to work with the client, and chooses in the moment what is most effective e. Uses humor effectively to create lightness and energy f. Confidently shifts perspectives and experiments with new possibilities for own action g. Demonstrates confidence in working with strong emotions, and can self-manage and not be overpowered or enmeshed by client's emotions

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s depth of partnership with the client; 2) The coach’s depth of observation of and use of the whole of the client in the coaching process

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for coaching presence is that the coach attends to the client’s agenda, seeks information from the client about that agenda, is responsive to that information as it relates both to actions to achieve the client’s agenda and the client’s way of thinking, learning, and being. The coach is also attentive to what actions the client is taking in relation to the agenda and to some degree, how those actions relate to the client’s way of thinking, learning, and creating. In addition, the coach must demonstrate a good level of partnership with the client where the client has a voice in not only choosing the topic, but also choosing the method and manner of coaching.

The ICF notes that trust and intimacy and presence are quite related competencies. Therefore, a coach will not receive a passing score for coaching presence on the PCC exam if the coach demonstrates significant interest in the coach’s view of the situation rather than the client’s view of the situation, does not seek information from the client about the client’s thinking around the situation or is unresponsive to that information, does not seek information about the client’s goals regarding the situation or is unresponsive to that information, or the attention seems to be on the coach’s own performance or demonstration of knowledge about the

topic. The evaluation will be negatively impacted if the coach, rather than being present and responsive to the client, is overly reliant on an obvious coaching formula, a specific coaching tool, or standard coaching questions. The evaluation would also be negatively impacted if the coach does not allow the client to contribute to creating the method or way that the coaching session will evolve.

5. Active Listening - Ability to focus completely on what the client is saying and is not saying, to understand the meaning of what is said in the context of the client's desires, and to support client self-expression

a. Attends to the client and the client's agenda, and not to the coach's agenda for the client b. Hears the client's concerns, goals, values and beliefs about what is and is not possible c. Distinguishes between the words, the tone of voice, and the body language d. Summarizes, paraphrases, reiterates, mirrors back what client has said to ensure clarity and understanding e. Encourages, accepts, explores and reinforces the client's expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, suggestions, etc. f. Integrates and builds on client's ideas and suggestions g. "Bottom-lines" or understands the essence of the client's communication and helps the client get there rather than engaging in long descriptive stories h. Allows the client to vent or "clear" the situation without judgment or attachment in order to move on to next steps

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s depth of hearing what the client says in relations to the client’s agenda; 2) The coach’s ability to hear on multiple levels including both the emotional and substantive content of the words; 3) The coach’s ability to hear underlying beliefs, thinking, creating, and learning that are occurring for the client including recognizing incongruities in language, emotions, and actions; 4) The coach’s ability to hear the client’s language and to encourage the client to deepen descriptive language for themselves

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for active listening is that the coach listens on a conscious level and hears what the client says in relation to the

client’s agenda, responds to it in relation to the client’s agenda, the listening is focused on helping the client achieve their agenda, and the coach can change direction if the client changes direction. The coach has an ability to hear a good portion of the client’s way of thinking, creating, and learning, and incorporates that observing into the coach’s response to what the client says. There is also some evidence of that the coach has heard and taken notice of the client’s language in their response to the client. The coach must demonstrate some good ability to hear strengths as well as challenges.

A coach will not receive a passing score for active listening on the PCC exam if the coach does not demonstrate listening that is focused on and responding to what the client says or the coach’s response is not related to what the client is trying to achieve or their hearing is limited to listening for problems or weaknesses. The coach will not receive a passing grade on the PCC exam if the coach appears to be listening for the place where the coach can demonstrate their knowledge about the topic or tell the client what to do about the topic. In addition, the evaluation will be negatively impacted if the coach demonstrates that they can only hear through their own perceptions, and models of thinking, learning, and creating rather than being able to hear some of the client’s models and methods of thinking, learning, and creating.

6. Powerful Questioning -Ability to ask questions that reveal the information needed for maximum benefit to the coaching relationship and the client

a. Asks questions that reflect active listening and an understanding of the client's perspective b. Asks questions that evoke discovery, insight, commitment or action (e.g., those that challenge the client's assumptions) c. Asks open-ended questions that create greater clarity, possibility or new learning d. Asks questions that move the client towards what they desire, not questions that ask for the client to justify or look backwards Key Skills Evaluated: The coach’s depth of questioning that evokes the core issues that are either contained in or underlie the client’s agenda; 2) The coach’s ability to explore with and to evoke exploration by the client of the emotional and substantive content of the words; 3) The coach’s

ability to explore with and evoke exploration by the client of the underlying beliefs and means of thinking, creating, and learning that are occurring for the client; 4) The depth at which the coach’s questions provide a thinking space for and elicit new perspectives from the client

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for powerful questioning is that the coach’s questions must attend to the client’s agenda and must include a mix of informational and evocative, exploration oriented questions. The mix should be weighted toward evocative rather than informational questions. The questions should include a mix of questions oriented to the exploring of issues underlying the client’s agenda as well as some questions that allow the coach and client to see how the client’s being, learning, creating, and acting can be used to achieve success. Many of the questions should emanate from the coach’s listening to the client at multiple levels, and should often be based in the client’s language rather than the coach’s language. At this level, the coach’s use of formulaic or standard questions should be somewhat limited.

A coach will not receive a passing score for powerful questioning on the PCC exam if the coach asks questions that reflect the coach’s view of the situation or a preconceived answer decided on by the coach. The coach will not receive a passing grade on this competency if the questions are leading the client in a direction chosen by the coach without discussion with and assent to the direction by the client. At this level, the coach is expected to move beyond standard questions. Therefore, a coach’s inability to move beyond standardized coaching questions or the coach’s models of thinking and learning to the exclusion of the client’s models of thinking and learning will negatively impact the evaluation.

7. Direct Communication - Ability to communicate effectively during coaching sessions, and to use language that has the greatest positive impact on the client

a. Is clear, articulate and direct in sharing and providing feedback b. Reframes and articulates to help the client understand from another perspective what he/she wants or is uncertain about c. Clearly states coaching objectives, meeting agenda,

purpose of techniques or exercises d. Uses language appropriate and respectful to the client (e.g., non-sexist, non-racist, non-technical, non-jargon) e. Uses metaphor and analogy to help to illustrate a point or paint a verbal picture

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The ease, directness, and depth with which the coach shares perspectives, thoughts, intuition, and feedback; 2) Whether the coach appears to have any attachment to the coach’s perspective; 3) The coach’s effective use of the client’s language and learning models; 4) The breadth of the invitation the coach gives to the client to share his/her own perspectives, thoughts, intuition, and feedback.

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for direct communication is that the coach is frequently direct, and has a sufficient base of language tools to use with the client. In addition, the coach provides some level of invitation for the client to share their intuition and models of thinking as part of the learning process. The coach’s communication is oriented not only to the present situation, but also, at times, to the broader thinking and learning that might be available to the client. The coach makes good use of the client’s language as part of their communication with the client.

A coach will not receive a passing score for direct communication on the PCC exam if the coach significantly or dominantly relies on their own language, thinking models, and models of learning without use of the client’s skill set in these areas. The evaluation will also be negatively impacted if the coach does not invite the client to share these areas as well as the client’s intuition with the coach or if the coach is attached to a particular direction or outcome in the coaching.

8. Creating Awareness - Ability to integrate and accurately evaluate multiple sources of information, and to make interpretations that help the client to gain awareness and thereby achieve agreed-upon results

a. Goes beyond what is said in assessing client's concerns, not getting caught up in the client's description b. Invokes inquiry for greater understanding, awareness and clarity

c. Identifies with the client his/her underlying concerns, typical and fixed ways of perceiving himself/herself and the world, differences between the facts and the interpretation, disparities between thoughts, feelings and action d. Helps clients to discover for themselves the new thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, emotions, moods, etc. that strengthen their ability to take action and achieve what is important to them e. Communicates broader perspectives to clients and inspires commitment to shift their viewpoints and find new possibilities for action f. Helps clients to see the different, interrelated factors that affect them and their behaviors (e.g., thoughts, emotions, body, background) g. Expresses insights to clients in ways that are useful and meaningful for the client h. Identifies major strengths vs. major areas for learning and growth, and what is most important to address during coaching i. Asks the client to distinguish between trivial and significant issues, situational vs. recurring behaviors, when detecting a separation between what is being stated and what is being done

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s ability to partner fully with the client in exploration of new and broader perspectives, learning, creating, and actions; 2) The coach’s ability to share perspectives without attachment and invitation to the client to share their own thinking, perspectives, and intuition; 3) The coach’s invitation to and acceptance of the client’s intuition, thinking, and language as critical tools in the coaching process; 4) The coach’s ability to illuminate the client’s fixed ways of thinking that might inhibit growth or accomplishment of the client’s goals without treating the coach’s observation as truth, but only as the coach’s thoughts; 5) The coach’s ability to use the client’s language as a tool of creating awareness; 6) The coach’s ability to integrate beginning, middle and end of the session together if appropriate to the client’s learning and creating

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for creating awareness is that the coach focuses on deeper inquiry by the client and encourages the client to create new awareness by engaging in problem solving or goal achievement. The coach encourages the client’s

exploration and creation of new techniques or tools to help the client attend to the client’s agenda and achieve desired outcomes. The coach shows no attachment to a specific outcome of the coaching and is somewhat willing to not know where the coaching is going. The coach demonstrates an ability help the client integrate new awareness as it pertains to a particular situation and agenda. The coach, at least some of the time, invites the client to define the learning that is occurring versus the coach defining the learning that is occurring. The coach demonstrates a professional level of ability to understand the way the client learns and creates and use that, as well as the client’s language, as coaching tools.

A coach will not receive a passing score for creating awareness on the PCC exam if the coach does not attend to the client’s agenda, changes the agenda without input from the client, or appears attached to a particular outcome or solution. The coach will also not receive a passing grade on the PCC exam if the coach does not use the client’s thinking and learning tools as tools within the coaching or does not use the client’s language as a coaching tool. The evaluation will also be negatively impacted if the coach seems to substitute assessments or standard coaching exercises to the exclusion of using the tools already existing within the client to create awareness. The coach will not receive a passing grade if the coach states what awareness is without exploring with the client what the client’s awareness is or seeking the client’s input on whether the coach’s observations are correct and giving the client a chance to add their own observations.

9. Designing Actions - Ability to create with the client opportunities for ongoing learning, during coaching and in work/life situations, and for taking new actions that will most effectively lead to agreed- upon coaching results

a. Brainstorms and assists the client to define actions that will enable the client to demonstrate, practice and deepen new learning b. Helps the client to focus on and systematically explore specific concerns and opportunities that are central to agreed upon coaching goals c. Engages the client to explore alternative ideas and solutions, to evaluate options, and to make related decisions d. Promotes active experimentation and self-discovery, where the client applies what has been discussed and

learned during sessions immediately afterwards in his/her work or life setting e. Celebrates client successes and capabilities for future growth f. Challenges client's assumptions and perspectives to provoke new ideas and find new possibilities for action g. Advocates or brings forward points of view that are aligned with client goals and, without attachment, engages the client to consider them h. Helps the client "Do It Now" during the coaching session, providing immediate support i. Encourages stretches and challenges but also a comfortable pace of learning

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s ability to fully partner with the client in designing actions that relate to and move forward towards the client’s stated agenda; 2) That actions are of a breadth and depth that they may include thinking, feeling, and learning; 3) That the designed actions integrate the whole of the client whenever appropriate; 4) That the designed actions are appropriate to what occurred in the session, where the client is with their sated agenda and desired outcomes; 5) That the designed actions are appropriate to the client’s methods of thinking, learning, integrating, and creating

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for designing actions is that the coach engages in at least a partial partnership with the client in order to design actions. The coach does not simply suggest actions and homework without client input. As is always the case at this level, the homework and actions must be related to the client’s stated agenda and measures of accomplishment of that agenda. The suggested homework must have a clear purpose and potential to move the client forward in their thinking, learning, or action around the stated agenda. The co-created actions should at least partially reflect the client’s learning, processing, and creating style. At this level, the coach may infrequently suggest tools or structures to assist the client, but discusses the value of the tools with the client and gets client input on how they should be used and whether they should be used rather than simply seeking client assent to the use of the tool, exercise, or structure. The tools, exercises or structures must bear an easy recognizable relationship to achieving the client’s stated agenda and bear some recognizable

relationship to the client’s style of learning, creating, and achieving.

A coach will not receive a passing score for designing actions on the PCC exam if there is little or no co-creation in the process of designing actions, the actions do not have a clear relationship to the client’s stated agenda and the client’s style of learning and creating, the actions do not have a clear purpose and potential to move the client forward, or if suggested tools and structures clearly do not bear a relationship to the needs of the particular client or his/her agenda, or are imposed on the client without discussion.

10. Planning and Goal Setting - Ability to develop and maintain an effective coaching plan with the client

a. Consolidates collected information and establishes a coaching plan and development goals with the client that address concerns and major areas for learning and development, b. Creates a plan with results that are attainable, measurable, specific and have target dates, c. Makes plan adjustments as warranted by the coaching process and by changes in the situation, d. Helps the client identify and access different resources for learning (e.g., books, other professionals) e. Identifies and targets early successes that are important to the client.

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s ability to fully partner with and explore with the client in order to create goals and plans that match the client’s learning and creating style, stated agenda and desired outcomes; 2) That the plans and goals designed are of a breadth and depth that they may include thinking, feeling, learning, and creating; 3) That the designed plans and goals integrated the whole of the client whenever appropriate; 4) That the designed plans and goals are appropriate to what occurred in the session, and where the client is with their stated agenda and desired outcomes; 5) That the designed plans and goals are appropriate to the client’s methods of thinking, learning, integrating, and creating; 6) That wherever appropriate, the coach helps the client design measurable achievements that are steps toward the client’s ultimate desired outcome

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that

must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for planning and goal setting is that the coach engages in a partial partnership with the client that assists the client to set goals that are clearly and causally related to achieving the client’s overall objectives and stated agenda. The plans and measures of accomplishment must have a clear purpose and potential to move the client forward in their thinking, learning, and action around the stated agenda and toward the client’s overall measures of success. At this level, the coach may also occasionally suggest tools or structures to assist the client so long as the tools are not forced on the client and that the tools or structure bear an easily recognizable relationship to achieving the client’s stated agenda and desired outcome and the client’s style of learning and creating.

A coach will not receive a passing score for planning and goal setting on the PCC exam if there is little or no partnership or co-creation of the plans and goals, if the coach is the most significant voice in suggesting plans and goals, if the coach is unable to support the client in developing an effective coaching plan, if the plan or goals do not have a clear relationship to the client’s stated agenda and desired outcomes or the client’s learning and creating processes, if the plan or goals do not have a clear purpose and potential to move the client forward, or if suggested tools and structures clearly do not bear a relationship to the needs of the particular client or his/her agenda. The evaluation will also be negatively impacted if the coach suggests standard coaching tools or exercises without discussing with the client the extent to which they might be of value to the client.

11. Managing Progress and Accountability - Ability to hold attention on what is important for the client, and to leave responsibility with the client to take action.

a. Clearly requests of the client actions that will move the client toward their stated goals, b. Demonstrates follow through by asking the client about those actions that the client committed to during the previous sessions(s) c. Acknowledges the client for what they have done, not done, learned or become aware of since the previous coaching sessions(s) d. Effectively prepares, organises and reviews with client information obtained during sessions e. Keeps the client on track between sessions by

holding attention on the coaching plan and outcomes, agreed-upon courses of action, and topics for future session(s), f. Focuses on the coaching plan but is also open to adjusting behaviours and actions based on the coaching process and shifts in direction during sessions, g. Is able to move back and forth between the big picture of where the client is heading, setting a context for what is being discussed and where the client wishes to go, h. Promotes client's self-discipline and holds the client accountable for what they say they are going to do, for the results of an intended action, or for a specific plan with related time frames, i. Develops the client's ability to make decisions, address key concerns, and develop himself/herself (to get feedback, to determine priorities and set the pace of learning, to reflect on and learn from experiences) j. Positively confronts the client with the fact that he/she did not take agreed-upon actions.

Key Skills Evaluated: 1) The coach’s ability to partner fully with the client to create structures and methods for measuring progress and holding the client accountable to themselves for the progress; 2) That the methods and structures of accountability integrate the whole of the client whenever appropriate; 3) That the designed structures and methods of accountability are capable of producing forward movement by the client, appropriate to what occurred in the session, and to where the client is with their staged agenda and desired outcomes; 4) That the designed structures and methods of accountability are appropriate to the client’s methods of thinking, learning, integrating, and creating; 5) The coach’s ability to trust the client to be accountable to themselves and confidence in holding the client accountable as per the agreed upon methods of accountability

At a PCC level, the minimum standard of skill that must be demonstrated to receive a passing score for managing progress and accountability is that the coach engages in a partial partnership with the client to help the client develop measures of success and structures of accountability that are clearly and causally related to achieving the client’s overall objectives and stated agenda and clearly related to the client’s style of learning and creating. The structures of accountability and measures of accomplishment must have a clear

purpose and potential to move the client forward in their thinking, learning, or action around the stated agenda and toward the client’s overall measures of success as well as deepen their learning. At this level, the coach may also occasionally suggest tools or structures to assist the client so long as the tools are not forced on the client and that the tools or structure bear an easily recognizable relationship to achieving the client’s stated agenda and desired outcome and the client’s style of learning and creating.

A coach will not receive a passing score for managing progress and accountability on the PCC exam if there is little or no partnership of co-creation of the measures of success and accountability structures, if the coach is the most significant voice in setting accountability structures, if the coach is unable to support the client in developing an effective measures and accountability structure, if the measures and structures do not have a clear relationship to the client’s stated agenda and desired outcome or the client’s learning and creating processes, if the plan or goals do not have a clear purpose and potential to move the client forward, or if suggested tools and structures clearly do not bear a relationship to the needs of the particular client or his/her agenda. The evaluation will also be negatively impacted if the coach suggests standard coaching tools or exercises without discussing with the client the extent to which they might be of value to the client.