ICF ACC case studies

ICF ACC · Put your knowledge to work in context.

The Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential is one of the three core credentials awarded by the International Coaching Federation (ICF); ICF's credentialing section lists ACC alongside the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC) credentials. Candidates typically pursue the ACC after completing coach-specific training and accumulated coaching experience, and the credentialing process includes passing an ICF exam. The ICF ACC case studies are 5 cases and about 3,275 words.

The Midpoint Summary: Sponsor, Safety, and a Disclosure

A 41-year-old operations director, Priya, is six sessions into a twelve-session engagement paid by her employer. At kickoff, the HR sponsor asked for "a short summary of progress and any risks" at the midpoint.

687 words, about 3 min 2

Twenty Minutes and a Pricing Document

Marcus, founder of a 30-person software firm, has had four sessions. He also wants to move sessions to 6:30 a.m.

703 words, about 4 min 3

Forty Seconds of Silence and a Hard Stop

Dana, a 52-year-old senior nurse manager, has just come from a meeting where she was told her ward will close in 90 days. Ten minutes into the session she stops mid-sentence, looks at the floor, and says, "I don't know why I'm telling you this." Then she is silent for about 40 seconds.

651 words, about 3 min 4

Three Conflicts and a Request for Advice

You have 15 minutes left, and Tom is already reaching for a pen to write down your answer. What do you reflect back first, and why that rather than the advice he asked for?

613 words, about 3 min 5

The 47-Item Checklist

Elena set one goal in session one: "speak up in the leadership team meeting within three months." After six sessions she has still not spoken in that meeting, but she has built a 47-item preparation checklist and rehearsed scripts for 14 possible objections. She says: "I think I need a few more sessions before I actually do it - can we extend to 18?" You also learn that last week, in a small team meeting, she used a colleague's phrase, "I'd like to build on that," and it worked.

621 words, about 3 min