Mindful Executive Coaching — Leading the Field examination

Eleven questions. Nine of eleven passes, and you can take it again as often as you like.

How does the developmental paradigm of coaching differ from the performance paradigm?

It supports movement toward greater complexity and capacity, not just improvement within a stage It relies on external consultants rather than on the coachee's own line leader It focuses on measurable performance metrics rather than on the coachee's personal and developmental growth It is reserved for senior executives rather than offered to staff at all levels
What does the module call a neurological fact with profound implications for coaching?

People develop fastest under intense pressure and tight deadlines The nervous system plays no meaningful role in adult development People cannot develop when their nervous systems are in a threat state Development depends mainly on intelligence rather than on safety
What kind of safety does the module say a developmental coach must create?

Safety from the organisation's expectations about performance Safety from threat — not safety from challenge Safety from challenge, so the coachee always feels comfortable Safety from any feedback that might feel critical or hard to hear
How is preparation for a coaching conversation described in the module?

Primarily cognitive — preparing a careful list of powerful questions to ask in sequence Primarily social — gathering feedback from the coachee's peers first Primarily somatic — establishing ground and an intention of safety and curiosity Primarily administrative — reviewing the coachee's performance data
What does the module identify as the ceiling of a coach's effectiveness?

The coachee's willingness to change The number of techniques the coach knows The coach's own development The time available in each session
A coachee's shoulders rise and breathing shallows as they describe a decision. What would a somatic coach do?

Advise the coachee to relax before continuing to speak Name the shift and ask what the coachee notices in their body now Suggest a break and return to the topic at a later session Ignore it and keep the conversation focused firmly on the decision's logic
A coachee says, 'I know I should delegate more, but I just can't let go.' Which question reflects parts-aware coaching?

'Why do you think you have been so resistant to change for so long?' 'What part of you is holding on, and what is it afraid will happen if it lets go?' 'What specific steps could you take to delegate more of your work to others, starting this week?' 'Who on your team is ready to take on more responsibility right now?'
Why does the module say a part often relaxes its grip in parts-aware coaching?

Its concerns are finally understood with compassion, not forced to change The coach persuades it with better arguments than it had considered It becomes exhausted after being confronted again and again The coachee decides to overrule it through sheer force of willpower
What is the hallmark of Self-led coaching, according to the module?

Noticing when your own parts are activated by the coachee's material, without acting on them Following a fixed script regardless of whatever arises in the session Sharing your own parts' reactions openly and fully with the coachee Never experiencing any personal reaction at all to what the coachee brings into the coaching session
In field coaching, what might a coachee discover about an interpersonal conflict?

It can only be resolved through a formal and documented HR process It is best left alone until it eventually resolves on its own It is always caused by a flaw in one of the two people's personalities, which needs to be named and addressed It may be a systemic tension or unacknowledged grief playing out between two people
What does the module mean by transmission?

Passing on detailed coaching notes to the coachee's line manager Modelling correct behaviour for the coachee to observe and copy Delivering clear, well-sequenced instructions that the coachee is then able to follow on their own The natural emanation of developmental capacity through genuine relational presence