Practice Lab: Strengthen Your Coaching Foundation
This Practice Lab gives you a (free) simple taste, of a no-pressure way to sharpen your coaching awareness.
You'll explore updated 2025 ICF competencies, ethics, and a few real-world practice scenarios — all in one place.
Whether you're preparing for a credential, returning to the core skills, or building confidence, this is a practical starting point before entering the Applied Lab.
The Applied Lab, explained at the end of the Practice Lab, gives you everything you need to do your best on the ICF PCC Exam.
To go directly to the full set of resources, click here for the Applied Lab
Welcome to the Practice Lab
This space is designed to help you build clarity, confidence, and rhythm as you prepare for the PCC exam.
Take a moment, click play, and ease into the process.
ICF Code of Ethics (2025)
This information from the International Coaching Federation walks through the updated 2025 ICF Code of Ethics. Start here to anchor your practice in integrity before you dive into competencies.
Open the ICF Code of Ethics (PDF)
Information © International Coaching Federation. Embedded here for educational purposes. All credit belongs to ICF.
ICF Core Competencies (2025)
Refresh the eight Core Competencies directly from ICF. Review each competency so you can connect principles to real coaching choices in your practice.
Open the ICF Core Competencies (PDF)
Information © International Coaching Federation. Embedded here for educational purposes. All credit belongs to ICF.
The PCC Markers translate each competency into observable behaviors assessors look for. If you’re working toward your PCC, the markers help you turn “I know the competency” into “I consistently demonstrate it in session.” They’re concrete, coach-friendly, and ideal for self-review or mentor-coach conversations.
Why PCC Markers Matter
Open the PCC Markers (PDF)
Information © International Coaching Federation. Embedded here for educational purposes. All credit belongs to ICF.
F.A.C.E. Framework — Quick Reference Guide
Use this checklist to help spot the potentially WORST possible answer in each PCC-style scenario.
If you notice even one F.A.C.E. warning sign, the answer is likely not aligned with presence, partnership, or coaching ethics.
Keep this at hand as you work through the practice questions.
Here is a sample exercise that can help you with strengthening your understanding of what can make a good coaching session into a great coaching session
Ready to practice?
The short exercise below gives you a feel for PCC-style decision-making. You’ll choose the Best and Worst responses and get quick feedback so you can strengthen awareness, presence, and coaching instinct in real time.
THE ANSWER EXPLANATIONS APPEAR BELOW THE BEST AND WORST ANSWER SETS. YOU CAN ALSO CLEAR THE CHOSEN ANSWERS BY CHOOSING THE CLEAR ANSWERS BUTTON
This is just a taste of the deeper Applied Lab™, where you’ll work through 40 scenarios and build real momentum.
Ready for deeper PCC-level preparation?
The Applied Lab is for coaches who want to strengthen judgment and discernment, not just review concepts.
Inside the Applied Lab, you get:
Foundations & Calibration
8 ICF Competency refresher videos
Concise ICF Ethics overview
D.A.R.T. Pattern-Recognition Overlay
F.A.C.E. Worst-Answer Framework
Bad vs. Worst Distinction Guide
What Would Strengthen This Coaching Moment? reflection exercise
Exam Simulator
40 realistic, PCC-style scenarios
Choose both the Best and Worst response in each scenario
Mirrors the real exam’s judgment-based format
Detailed results breakdown to study your decision patterns
How it works
$65/30 days of access (CANCEL ANY TIME AFTER THE FIRST MONTH’S PAYMENT)
Unlimited retakes
Self-paced
No guarantees — but a powerful way to build clarity, consistency, and pattern awareness before the exam.
