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Here are the 18 key “DON’Ts” (contra-evidence mistakes) distilled cleanly from your full PCC evaluation guide — structured, sharp, and ready to use as a checklist.
The 18 Things NOT To Do (PCC Performance Evaluation)
The 18 Things NOT To Do (PCC Performance Evaluation)
🔹 PART 1: Partnership Mistakes (Core Failures)
🔹 PART 1: Partnership Mistakes (Core Failures)
1. ❌ Don’t give advice (even disguised as questions)
1. ❌ Don’t give advice (even disguised as questions)
“Have you tried…”
“I recommend…”
Fix: Stay curious, not directive.
2. ❌ Don’t lead or decide for the client
2. ❌ Don’t lead or decide for the client
Choosing outcomes, solutions, or direction = breaking partnership
3. ❌ Don’t slip into therapy (digging into the past)
3. ❌ Don’t slip into therapy (digging into the past)
“Tell me about your childhood”
Fix: Redirect to future and outcomes
4. ❌ Don’t breach confidentiality (even subtly)
4. ❌ Don’t breach confidentiality (even subtly)
Sharing examples of other clients/bosses
This can disqualify your submission
5. ❌ Don’t minimize or dismiss the client
5. ❌ Don’t minimize or dismiss the client
“It’s not that bad”
Fix: Acknowledge, don’t reduce
6. ❌ Don’t make casual comments instead of coaching
6. ❌ Don’t make casual comments instead of coaching
Comments = noise, not evidence
🔹 PART 2: Missing Opportunities
🔹 PART 2: Missing Opportunities
7. ❌ Don’t miss coaching opportunities
7. ❌ Don’t miss coaching opportunities
Ignoring emotional cues, insights, hesitations
8. ❌ Don’t ignore client-generated solutions
8. ❌ Don’t ignore client-generated solutions
If client offers an idea — GO THERE
9. ❌ Don’t skip over insights
9. ❌ Don’t skip over insights
Insight = GOLD for PCC evidence
10. ❌ Don’t stick rigidly to scripts or structure
10. ❌ Don’t stick rigidly to scripts or structure
Mechanical coaching = obvious failure signal
🔹 PART 3: Poor Responses
🔹 PART 3: Poor Responses
11. ❌ Don’t overuse closed questions
11. ❌ Don’t overuse closed questions
“Can you imagine…?”
Limits thinking
12. ❌ Don’t paraphrase with assumptions
12. ❌ Don’t paraphrase with assumptions
“You feel overwhelmed…” (if not said)
Fix: Use client’s exact words
13. ❌ Don’t overuse preambles
13. ❌ Don’t overuse preambles
“If I hear you correctly…” (again and again)
Sounds robotic
14. ❌ Don’t over-summarize
14. ❌ Don’t over-summarize
You’re not writing a report
15. ❌ Don’t use fillers and verbal clutter
15. ❌ Don’t use fillers and verbal clutter
“Um… yeah… great… wonderful… mhm…”
Reduces coaching presence
16. ❌ Don’t praise or validate excessively
16. ❌ Don’t praise or validate excessively
“That’s amazing!”
Creates bias + dependency
🔹 PART 4: Structural Mistakes
🔹 PART 4: Structural Mistakes
17. ❌ Don’t skip or control the session outcome (contract)
17. ❌ Don’t skip or control the session outcome (contract)
If YOU define it = major fail
18. ❌ Don’t rush or weaken the close
18. ❌ Don’t rush or weaken the close
No reflection
No learning captured
No next steps
Must include:Learning
Action
Acknowledgment
BONUS “Silent Killers” (Embedded Across All 18)
BONUS “Silent Killers” (Embedded Across All 18)
These amplify failure risk:
Talking more than the client
Only coaching the WHAT (tasks) not the WHO (person)
Ignoring obstacles
Skipping emotional depth
Not showing progress or transformation
Simple Way to Remember
Simple Way to Remember
❌ DON’T:
❌ DON’T:
Lead
Fix
Judge
Rush
Perform
Script
✅ DO:
✅ DO:
Partner
Listen
Expand
Reflect
Evoke
Hold space
Final Insight (What Assessors REALLY Want)
Final Insight (What Assessors REALLY Want)
They are asking:
“Did this coach create a space where the client
thought deeper, saw more, and left changed?”
If the answer is unclear → insufficient evidence → no PCC
18 Mistakes to Avoid, from an ICF PCC Marker
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