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Who loves exams? Yeah, me either.
When the ICF changed their Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA) exam from the previous format to picking the best and worst coaching action per scenario, coaches everywhere freaked out. The assessor coaches who first took the exam shared their exasperated looks with me and gave the ICF lots of feedback.
The ICF has since reworked the exam and recently rolled out a test version specifically for ACC credential exam takers. What future changes will occur with the exam is anybody's guess.
One thing is certain, coaches will need to accustom themselves to the best and worst action assessment format.
The ICF CKA consists of 81 coaching scenarios and will take up to 3 hours to complete. Coaches choose the best and worst coaching action, which in reality means there are 2 questions for every scenario, 162 decision to complete in under 180 minutes.
So how should you prepare?
Mentor Coaching Lessons for CKA takers
When I work with aspiring to veteran coaches the topic that frequently comes up is the CKA. I hear everything from "don't stress over it" to "how should I prepare for the CKA?"
Here's one mentor coach's observations and recommendations, should you find yourself ready to sit for the CKA.
Prepare with Resources
Something every coach should gather around them are resources such as:
Mentor Coach Learnings
Rarely do we coaches scour the Code of Ethics but it's definitely one of the main resources we coaches should review periodically and certainly before taking the CKA. New coaches learn the ICF Code of Ethics in their Coach Training but if you've been away from coach training for a while or never completed yours because you chose the portfolio pathway for certification, be assured that reviewing the ICF Code of Ethics is a must before you sit for the CKA.
Similarly knowing the ICF updated Core Competencies and practicing with them as you coach will be instrumental to your knowledge for the CKA. The CKA will test your coaching ability in living out the ICF Core Competencies. The more you coach or work with a mentor coach to develop your coaching in light of the core competencies, the better prepared you will be when your CKA time comes around.
Sample Exam Questions?
Yes, the ICF has a set of sample exam questions available on their website. There are several coaching scenarios presented and you are asked to pick the best and worst action as you would for the LIVE exam.
A downsides to this approach is that the ICF sample exam questions give you the answers without any explanation for why the best and worst solutions are the best or the worst.
The other downside is once you see the answers you can't unsee them. This means it's hard to take the sample exam without knowing the answers.
When I conducted a group mentoring session on these questions, we had a fruitful discussion around why one would pick the answers the ICF chose, which led me to create a CKA practice exam for CKA takers to instill confidence in coaches and provide a way to approach the exam.
CKA Exam Prep
In case you are interested in taking a CKA exam prep I devised in a CKA assessment prep that mimics the ICF's CKA with several coaching scenarios, grab your CKA test prep here.
Detailed answers are provided in this CKA test prep so you can know exactly what distinguishes a best from a worst coaching action with explanations. Most of all you'll have the confidence to approach taking the Coach Knowledge Assessment.
About me
I’m Lizette Warner, author of this post and rescuer of bold, huge aspirational, big vision female founders. If you are a female founder, book some time for us to connect. I'd love to learn more about you and how I can support your big, bold, aspirational visions. I'm also director of learning for coaches wanting to learn how to get clients and stop leaving money on the table in the Coach Business Building Academy.
The Coach Business Building Academy offers various programs from
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If you want more from me, I’ve got a book, Power, Poise, and Presence, snatch a signed copy for yourself. Check out what it’s like to work with me or if you are looking for a coach, I am happy to connect you with one.
All my best,
Lizette
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