CTC (NAR) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

GROW model

A coaching conversation structure: Goal (desired outcome), Reality (current situation), Options (possible actions), and Will (commitment to act). It keeps coaching focused and forward-moving.

Mentoring versus coaching

Mentoring is a long-term career and psychosocial relationship where experience is shared; coaching is a short-term, goal-specific partnership where the coach asks rather than tells.

Coaching agreement

A document defining session frequency, confidentiality, success measures, and engagement duration, established before coaching begins to set expectations and boundaries.

Thomas–Kilmann conflict modes

Five conflict-handling styles on assertiveness and cooperativeness axes: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Selection depends on stakes and time.

Positions versus interests

Positions are stated demands; interests are the underlying needs and priorities behind them. Resolving conflict requires shifting from positions to interests.

Mediation versus arbitration

Mediation is facilitated negotiation by a neutral party with no authority to impose a settlement. Arbitration ends with a binding decision by the neutral third party.

Divergent and convergent thinking

Divergent thinking generates many options without judgment; convergent thinking evaluates and selects among them. Effective problem solving separates the two phases.

SCAMPER technique

An idea-generation checklist: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse. Each prompt forces a different angle on an existing product or process.

Problem statement framing

A problem statement should be open-ended and free of embedded solutions; 'How might we…?' invites options, while a stated solution forecloses idea generation.

DISC D style

Dominance: fast-paced and task-focused. Direct, decisive, and results-oriented, often impatient with detail. Communicate with bottom-line outcomes and brevity.

DISC I style

Influence: fast-paced and people-focused. Enthusiastic, persuasive, and collaborative, but weak on follow-through. Communicate with recognition and enthusiasm.

DISC S style

Steadiness: moderate-paced and people-focused. Patient, loyal, and supportive, resistant to sudden change. Communicate with personal reassurance and time to adjust.

DISC C style

Conscientiousness: moderate-paced and task-focused. Analytical, precise, and systematic, cautious about risk. Communicate with data, accuracy, and clear rationale.

DISC scope limitation

DISC measures observable behavior, not personality, values, intelligence, or competence. It describes how someone acts, not why, and is not a predictor of performance.

Goleman's five components

Self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. Self-awareness is foundational; social skill translates emotional intelligence into influence and relationship management.

Amygdala hijack

A stress response in which the emotional brain overrides the rational brain, producing fight-or-flight reactions. Recovery requires time and physiological down-regulation.

Three forms of empathy

Cognitive empathy (understanding another's perspective), emotional empathy (feeling with them), and compassionate empathy (acting to help). Each serves a different relational purpose.

BATNA

Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement: the course of action if no deal is reached. A strong BATNA increases leverage and reduces dependence on the deal.

ZOPA

Zone of Possible Agreement: the overlap between each side's reservation value. No ZOPA means no deal unless the terms or alternatives change.

Integrative versus distributive negotiation

Distributive negotiation assumes a fixed pie and claims value; integrative negotiation creates value by trading on differing priorities and interests.

MESOs

Multiple Equivalent Simultaneous Offers: presenting several packages of equal value to you, which reveals the other side's priorities through their choice.

Rule of three

A presentation structure principle: three main points are recalled more reliably than four or more, so group supporting evidence under three key messages.

Presentation opening and close

Open with a hook and thesis; close with a summary and call to action. Audiences remember beginnings and endings more than the middle.

Handling audience questions

Listen fully, paraphrase the question, answer concisely, and defer unknowns with a commitment to follow up. Avoid debating or guessing.

Break-even units

Fixed costs divided by contribution margin per unit, where contribution margin equals price minus variable cost per unit. It shows the volume needed to cover fixed costs.

Net present value

The sum of future cash flows discounted at the cost of capital, minus the initial investment. A positive NPV adds value and is the preferred capital-budgeting criterion.

Cash conversion cycle

Days inventory plus days receivable minus days payable. It measures how long cash is tied up in operations before collection.

Triple constraint

Scope, time, and cost, with quality as the balancing outcome. Changing one constraint affects the others, so trade-offs must be explicit.

Critical path

The longest sequence of dependent tasks in a project. It determines the minimum project duration and has zero float, so any delay there delays the project.

Earned value CPI and SPI

CPI = EV ÷ AC measures cost performance; SPI = EV ÷ PV measures schedule performance. Values below 1.0 indicate cost overrun or schedule delay.

Tuckman's stages

Forming (orientation), storming (conflict), norming (cohesion), performing (productivity), and adjourning (closure). Teams pass through these stages in sequence.

Psychological safety

The shared belief that one can speak up, ask questions, or admit mistakes without punishment. It predicts team learning and performance more than individual talent.