IAC IBC Exam study plan

Map the ICF Core Competencies into the four competency groupings and state, from memory, the defining behavior of each of the eight competencies

Distinguish the ethical obligations of confidentiality, informed consent, conflicts of interest, and referral boundaries, and write a one-line test for each

Explain the difference between coaching, mentoring, consulting, therapy, and advising using three concrete client scenarios you draft yourself

Draft a personal ethics decision checklist of at least six questions to apply when a boundary question arises

Apply the coaching agreement elements (logistics, fees, roles, confidentiality limits, termination) to two contrasting client profiles

Compose a complete intake conversation script that establishes scope of practice without sliding into advice-giving

Identify when to decline or refer an engagement, and write a decline-and-referral message for one borderline case

Rehearse explaining confidentiality exceptions and record-keeping obligations in plain language under two minutes

Build trust deliberately by naming and practicing four trust behaviors: presence, empathy, respect for the client's autonomy, and honoring commitments

Practice active listening by paraphrasing and summarizing a 10-minute recorded conversation and marking every missed emotional cue

Eliminate leading and closed questions from a practice session, replacing each with an open, curious question

Demonstrate acknowledging the client's progress and vulnerability without evaluating or praising judgmentally

Handle a mid-engagement scope change, such as a client asking for business advice, using a scripted reframe back to coaching

Repair a ruptured alliance by naming the tension, inviting feedback, and re-contracting in a role-play

Adjust communication style for a client whose pace, directness, or emotional expression differs sharply from your default

Re-contract mid-session when the client's stated goal shifts, without losing the thread of the original agreement

Design questions that evoke awareness rather than extract information, and sort a list of 30 questions into those two categories

Convert a client's vague aspiration into a specific, measurable, time-bound goal through a structured goal-setting conversation

Surface and test a client's underlying assumption or limiting belief using at least three distinct techniques

Integrate learning into forward movement by having the client articulate their own insight and next step before you offer anything

Co-create an action plan with the client that assigns ownership, timeline, and success indicators to each step

Distinguish accountability from surveillance and write how you will ask about commitments without inducing shame

Design a follow-up structure that handles missed commitments, partial progress, and abandoned goals differently

Practice closing an engagement by reviewing learning, consolidating gains, and planning for relapse prevention

Choose and justify two assessment instruments or reflective tools appropriate to coaching, and state their limits and ethical use

Deliver feedback to a peer coach using a behavior-plus-impact structure, and receive feedback without defending

Build a reflective practice routine: after each session, record what happened, what you noticed about yourself, and one change for next time

Set up your own professional development plan with supervision or peer consultation, insurance and record retention basics, and continuing education targets

Synthesize the heaviest domains by completing a full 45-minute mock coaching session that integrates ethics, trust, and listening under observation

Self-assess against the competency markers and identify your two weakest behaviors with evidence from recordings

Answer 60 mixed practice questions across all eight domains and review every wrong answer to its underlying principle

Finalize a one-page pre-exam summary of your own recurring errors and the corrections you will apply