162 cards
This deck introduces the core ideas and language of professional coaching, making it a great starting point if you're new to the field or want a refresher on the basics. You'll get familiar with foundational concepts like what coaching actually is, how it differs from mentoring and consulting, and widely used frameworks such as the GROW model. The cards also touch on the International Coaching Federation's definition, its core competency clusters, and key tools coaches use in session — from powerful questions and appreciative inquiry to coaching presence and the idea of the inner critic.
The deck is well suited to aspiring coaches preparing for their first certification, managers and team leads who want to bring coaching-style conversations into their leadership style, or anyone curious about the discipline who likes learning through quick recall. Because the cards mix definitions, acronyms, and conceptual distinctions, they work well as both an introduction and a way to test yourself on terminology you may come across in training programs or coaching books.
To get the most out of these flashcards, try spacing your review sessions over several days rather than cramming everything at once — coaching terminology sticks better when you meet it repeatedly in small chunks. It can also help to pause after each card and think of a real-life example from your own work or relationships, since coaching concepts really come alive when you connect them to conversations you've actually had. Even ten minutes a day over a week should leave you feeling much more confident with the fundamentals.
What is coaching?
Coaching is a partnership between coach and coachee focused on the coachee's self-discovery and growth, with the coach serving as a facilitator rather than an expert.
What is the GROW model?
The GROW model provides a simple yet comprehensive structure for coaching conversations by breaking down problem-solving into four sequential elements.
What does the G in GROW stand for?
The Goal establishes direction and purpose, serving as the foundation for the entire coaching conversation and providing a measurable endpoint.
What does the R in GROW stand for?
The Reality phase creates an objective understanding of the present circumstances before exploring solutions, ensuring decisions are grounded in facts.
What does the O in GROW stand for?
The Options phase encourages expansive thinking by generating multiple possibilities without immediate evaluation, fostering creativity in problem-solving.
What does the W in GROW stand for?
The Will/Way Forward phase converts insights into concrete commitments, ensuring the coaching process leads to tangible results and change.
What is the difference between coaching and mentoring?
The fundamental difference lies in the approach: coaching develops the coachee's self-reliance through questioning, while mentoring transfers knowledge through direct guidance.
What is the difference between coaching and consulting?
Consulting relies on the consultant's expertise to solve problems, while coaching focuses on empowering the client to develop their own solutions and capabilities.
What is the ICF definition of coaching?
This is the official definition from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), emphasizing the collaborative, thought-provoking nature of coaching focused on maximizing potential.
What are the three ICF core coaching competencies clusters?
These represent the ICF's three core competency clusters that professional coaches must demonstrate for ICF certification.
What is a coaching agreement?
A coaching agreement establishes parameters of the coaching relationship including goals, expectations, responsibilities, and boundaries for effective coaching.
What does "coaching presence" mean?
Coaching presence refers to the ability to be fully focused, attentive, and authentic with the client, creating trust and enabling deeper exploration.
What is the "inner critic" in coaching?
The inner critic represents the internal voice of self-doubt and resistance that coaches help clients recognize and work constructively with.
What is a "powerful question" in coaching?
Powerful questions are open-ended inquiries that provoke thought, uncover assumptions, and create new awareness without the coach providing answers.
What is appreciative inquiry in coaching?
Appreciative inquiry is a strengths-based approach focusing on what works well and using those as a foundation for growth and positive change.
What is accountability in a coaching context?
In coaching, accountability provides structure and support for clients to follow through on intentions, reflect on learning, and increase commitment to goals.
What is a "blind spot" in coaching?
Blind spots are precisely defined in coaching as areas where the individual cannot perceive their own patterns, beliefs, or behaviors, requiring external perspective from a coach to become aware of them.
What is the role of silence in coaching?
Silence creates cognitive space for clients to process thoughts at their own pace, not directed by the coach's agenda.
What is "direct communication" in coaching?
Direct communication in coaching balances truthfulness with helpfulness, providing clear observations without excessive cushioning that would diminish the message's value to the client.
What is the difference between a problem-focused and a solution-focused coaching approach?
The fundamental distinction lies in temporal orientation: problem-focused examines past causes and present difficulties, while solution-focused envisions future possibilities and constructs pathways to achieve them.
What is the "ladder of inference"?
The ladder of inference maps our cognitive progression from objective information to subjective conclusions and actions, highlighting how rapidly we move from observation to interpretation without awareness of our mental leaps.
What is the reticular activating system (RAS) and how does it relate to coaching?
The RAS functions as a neurological filter that makes us more aware of what we consciously focus on, which is why coaching goals increase our ability to notice opportunities aligned with our objectives.
What is a "fixed mindset" vs a "growth mindset" (Dweck)?
The core difference between mindsets lies in beliefs about malleability: a fixed mindset views intelligence and abilities as unchangeable traits, while a growth mindset perceives them as qualities that can be cultivated through deliberate practice and learning.
How do coaches build trust with clients?
Trust in coaching is built through the consistent application of fundamental coaching competencies, creating a safe space where clients feel valued, understood, and confident in the coach's professional commitment to their growth.
What is "clean language" in coaching?
Clean language is effective because it respects the client's unique cognitive framework by avoiding contamination from the coach's assumptions or interpretation frameworks.
What is a coaching arc?
A coaching arc is structured this way because coaching benefits from having clear beginning, middle, and end components to ensure both accountability and maximum effectiveness.
What is the difference between "what" questions and "why" questions in coaching?
This distinction matters because 'what' questions create space for solutions while 'why' questions can activate psychological defenses that hinder progress.
What is positive psychology and how does it inform coaching?
This definition is accurate as positive psychology examines optimal human functioning, transforming coaching from deficit-based to strength-based approaches.
What is the VIA Character Strengths model?
The VIA model correctly provides a research-backed taxonomy of universally valued character traits that allows coaches to identify individual strengths effectively.
What is transactional analysis (TA) and how is it used in coaching?
This description of TA is correct as it accurately represents Berne's theory of ego states and their practical application in improving communication patterns.
Why is goal specificity important in coaching?
Goal specificity is crucial because measurable objectives create clear benchmarks and transform abstract aspirations into actionable, trackable steps.
What is a limiting belief in coaching?
This definition is accurate because limiting beliefs take the form of 'I can't...' statements that create cognitive barriers despite lacking objective evidence.
Why do coaches ask reflective questions instead of offering quick answers?
Reflective questions engage the client's thinking process, building deeper ownership of insights than simply providing solutions.
What is self-awareness in coaching?
Self-awareness encompasses patterns, emotions, assumptions, and choices because these reveal the internal drivers behind decision-making.
What is the role of silence in coaching?
Silence creates cognitive space for clients to process thoughts at their own pace, not directed by the coach's agenda.
What is a coaching session outcome?
Session outcomes are defined by clarity, insight, or commitment because these represent measurable shifts that can be acted upon.
Why should coaches avoid rescuing clients from discomfort too quickly?
Discomfort often indicates growth opportunities, and premature rescue prevents clients from developing problem-solving skills.
What is reframing in coaching?
Reframing reveals new possibilities by shifting perspectives, reducing limiting beliefs that constrain the client's options.
What is an action commitment in coaching?
Action commitments must be specific next steps to create clear direction and make abstract intentions trackable.
Why is accountability follow-up helpful?
Accountability follow-up creates feedback loops that transform intention into observable behavior and reveal implementation patterns.
What is a coaching mindset?
A coaching mindset encompasses these elements because they form the foundation of creating a safe space where clients can explore solutions independently rather than being directed by the coach.
What is a strong coaching principle?
This principle is fundamental to coaching as it balances belief in the client's inherent capacity with the coach's role in facilitating clearer thinking through reflective questioning and perspective-shifting.
Coaching is a collaborative, conversation-based process that helps individuals clarify goals, work through obstacles, and access more of their own potential. Rather than supplying answers, a coach partners with the client through guided questioning and reflection, trusting that the client carries most of the expertise...
Most coaching conversations benefit from a light structure that keeps the work moving without imposing a script. The best-known framework is the GROW model, which sets out four phases: Goal, the specific outcome or target the coachee wants to achieve; Reality, an honest assessment of the current situation including cha...
The single most reliable predictor of coaching outcomes is the strength of the alliance between coach and client. That alliance rests on a felt sense of being on the same side, with mutual trust, agreed purpose, and emotional safety. Coaches build trust through consistent reliability, honesty, active listening, respect...
At its heart, coaching is a craft of attention. Presence means bringing full, undistracted, non-judgmental attention to the client in the current moment, without a pre-set agenda. Deep listening extends that attention beyond words to tone, pace, body, emotion, and what is unsaid; the coach reflects back what is heard w...
A great deal of coaching work happens below the surface of the client's immediate story. The iceberg model is a useful image: behaviour floats above the waterline, while patterns, structures, mental models, and beliefs sit deeper, and coaching often acts at those deeper levels. The ladder of inference describes how we...
A core move in many coaching conversations is shifting attention from problem analysis toward the client's desired future. Solution-focused work assumes that small changes now can produce useful shifts even in one or two sessions, because the conversation focuses on goals and exceptions rather than on the history of th...
Much of the work coaches do lives inside larger systems. Systemic coaching considers the client within their team, family, or organisation and explores patterns of relationship and role rather than focusing only on the individual. Team coaching works with the team as a living system — its relationships, purpose, and co...