PCC Minimum Skill Requirements 2026: Your Complete Guide
PCC (Professional Certified Coach) represents a significantly deeper level of coaching mastery than ACC. The purpose of the PCC Minimum Skill Requirements is to outline the foundational skills needed to demonstrate competency at the PCC level.
Copyright Notice: This content is prepared for educational purposes within the ICF Core Competencies framework. Official English standards are copyrighted by the International Coaching Federation.
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Note: For official resources, visit ICF Credentialing.
What Does PCC Level Mean?
The document follows the ICF Core Competencies and for each competency you will find the following sections:
| Section |
Description |
| Core Skills |
Based on the ICF Core Competencies, these represent the relevant foundational coaching skills for each competency area; applicable at all credential levels |
| Compliant Behaviors |
These sections describe the observable actions coaches should demonstrate that reflect effective coaching practice at PCC level |
| Non-Compliant Behaviors |
These lists indicate actions that may disrupt the coaching process or diminish the quality of the coaching experience and do not meet the standard of coaching skills expected at PCC level |
Tip: For deeper understanding, compare the PCC Minimum Skill Requirements with the ICF Core Competencies—seeing them side by side provides valuable insights into how they align.
Competency 1: Demonstrates Ethical Practice
Familiarity with the ICF Code of Ethics and its application is required at all coaching levels. To obtain any credential from the ICF, you must demonstrate a strong understanding of ethical practice in coaching.
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Demonstrates a strong understanding of and adherence to the ICF Code of Ethics |
| Consistently remains in the role of coach; demonstrates knowledge of how to structure a coaching session and maintains focus on the present and future |
| Uses foundational coaching skills such as cultivating trust and safety, maintaining presence, active listening, and evoking awareness to facilitate the client's own insights |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| The coach clearly violates the ICF Code of Ethics |
| The coach's focus is primarily on telling the client what to do or how to do it (consulting mode). Or the session is primarily based on the past—particularly the emotional past (therapeutic mode) |
| The coach primarily gives advice or tells the client what they should do throughout the session |
Competency 2: Embodies a Coaching Mindset
Embodying a coaching mindset—an open, curious, flexible, and client-centered mindset—is a process that requires ongoing personal and professional learning and development as a coach. These elements occur throughout a coach's professional journey and cannot be fully captured in a single moment.
Your understanding of this competency is primarily assessed in the ICF Credentialing Exam. However, specific elements of this competency can be reflected through the demonstration of other competencies in a coaching session. These specific behaviors are expressed and evaluated through the PCC Markers below:
PCC Markers
| Marker |
Description |
| Marker 4.1 |
Coach acknowledges and respects the client's unique talents, insights, and work in the coaching process |
| Marker 4.3 |
Coach acknowledges and supports the client's expression of feelings, perceptions, beliefs, and suggestions |
| Marker 4.4 |
Coach partners by inviting the client to respond in any way to the coach's contributions and accepts the client's response |
| Marker 5.1 |
Coach acts in response to the whole person of the client (the who) |
| Marker 5.2 |
Coach acts in response to what the client wants to accomplish throughout this session (the what) |
| Marker 5.3 |
Coach partners by supporting the client to choose what happens in this session |
| Marker 5.4 |
Coach demonstrates curiosity to learn more about the client |
| Marker 6.1 |
Coach's questions and observations are customized by using what the coach has learned about who the client is and the client's situation |
| Marker 6.5 |
Coach inquires about or explores how the client currently perceives themself or their world and asks relevant questions |
| Marker 7.1 |
Coach asks questions about the client's current way of thinking, feeling, values, needs, wants, beliefs, or behaviors |
| Marker 7.2 |
Coach shares—as a neutral, non-judgmental stance without claiming to be right—observations, intuitions, interpretations, thoughts, or feelings, and invites the client to explore through verbal or tonal cues |
Competency 3: Establishes and Maintains Agreements
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach co-creates an agreement for the session with the client |
| Coach partners with the client to define the components of the agreement |
| Unless the client indicates otherwise, Coach continues to move toward the client's desired outcome |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach partners with the client to identify what the client wants to accomplish in this session |
| Coach supports the client in defining success measure(s) for the outcome or outcomes the client wants to achieve in this session |
| Coach explores what is important or meaningful to the client about the topic or situation |
| Coach continues to focus on what the client wants to accomplish |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach does not support the client in identifying what they want to accomplish for this session or how the desired outcome will contribute to the client's life |
| Coach alone determines the topic or focus based on their own assumptions or ideas rather than partnering with the client to establish the agenda or focus for the session |
| Coach moves forward without clarifying or confirming the desired outcome and instead talks with the client about what Coach wants to explore throughout the session |
| Coach does not support the client to achieve their intended outcome by staying attentive to the topic or agenda throughout the session |
Competency 4: Cultivates Trust and Safety
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach partners with the client to create a safe, supportive environment that encourages the client to share freely |
| Coach trusts and respects the client's unique ways of thinking/processing and creating |
| Coach is open and transparent to strengthen mutual trust and safety |
| Coach acknowledges the client's unique contributions in the coaching process |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach acknowledges and respects the client's unique talents, insights, and work in the coaching process |
| Coach makes adjustments for the client's personality, perceptions, or speaking style in support of the coaching process or session |
| Coach acknowledges and supports the client's expression of feelings, perceptions, beliefs, and suggestions |
| Coach partners by inviting the client to respond in any way to the coach's contributions and accepts the client's response |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach does not demonstrate awareness of the client's unique communication style and ways of thinking/processing |
| Coach does not acknowledge the client's perspective, perceptions, or feelings |
| Coach leads the client to accept Coach's perspective on the situation without the freedom for the client to respond in any way to the coach's contributions |
Competency 5: Maintains Presence
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach is comfortable working with new information or insights |
| Coach remains open without being triggered by the client's emotions and thoughts |
| Coach intentionally opens space for the client to think, feel, and explore |
| Coach partners with the client without trying to manage or direct the client |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach acts in response to the whole person of the client (the who) |
| Coach acts in response to what the client wants to accomplish throughout this session (the what) |
| Coach partners by supporting the client to choose what happens in this session |
| Coach demonstrates curiosity to learn more about the client |
| Coach maintains partnership with the client without needing to display strong emotion or share information about themselves or being triggered |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach coaches based on their own assumptions about the client's situation, thoughts, feelings, or the direction of the coaching |
| Coach tries to manage or direct the client |
| Coach appears triggered by the client's situation or the emotions expressed by the client |
Competency 6: Listens Actively
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach listens to hear what the client is saying and not saying to understand the context and the client's systems |
| Coach integrates the words or concepts used by the client when questioning or exploring what the client has expressed |
| Coach notices the client's emotions, energy, non-verbal cues, and other behaviors and invites these to emerge |
| Coach reflects back the content of the client's communication to confirm and clarify Coach's understanding |
| Coach approaches the client's experience without prior assumptions and accepts the client's response |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach's questions and observations are customized by using what the coach has learned about who the client is and the client's situation |
| Coach inquires about or explores the client's use of words |
| Coach inquires about or acknowledges the client's emotions |
| Coach notices and explores shifts in the client's energy, emotions, or tone of voice |
| Coach inquires about or explores how the client currently perceives themself or their world and asks relevant questions |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach does not integrate the client's words or concepts into their questions or observations |
| Coach does not notice or respond to what the client is saying (their words), how the client is saying it (tone of voice), or body language |
| Coach does not reflect back the content of the client's communication to confirm their understanding |
Competency 7: Evokes Awareness
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach uses questions, observations, silence, and other techniques to support the client in gaining insight about themselves and their situation |
| Coach shares personal responses—such as interpretations or intuitions—without attachment or direction, in ways that may support the client's insight or learning |
| Coach explores the client's emotions, needs, underlying beliefs, and ways of thinking, creating, and learning |
| Coach invites the client to identify factors influencing their current and future thinking, behavior, or emotions |
| Coach adapts their approach to the client's needs and style |
| Coach intentionally opens space for the client to fully respond |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach asks questions about the client's current way of thinking, feeling, values, needs, wants, beliefs, or behaviors |
| Coach asks questions that help the client explore beyond their current perspective and thought patterns, to discover new or expanded ways of thinking or feeling about who they are (the who) |
| Coach asks questions that help the client explore beyond their current thinking or feeling, to discover new or expanded ways of thinking or feeling about their situation (the what) |
| Coach asks questions that help the client move toward their desired outcome by exploring beyond their current thinking, feeling, and behavior |
| Coach shares—as a neutral, non-judgmental stance without claiming to be right—observations, intuitions, interpretations, thoughts, or feelings, and invites the client to explore through verbal or tonal cues |
| Coach asks clear, direct, and preferably open-ended questions, one at a time, in a manner that creates an environment that allows the client to think, feel, and reflect |
| Coach uses as clear and concise language as possible |
| Coach allows the client to do most of the talking |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach does not ask open-ended questions that allow the client to explore or reconfirm their own thoughts, feelings, values, needs, wants, beliefs, or behaviors |
| Coach asks questions that lead the client toward Coach's perspective rather than the client's own way of thinking, feeling, or perceiving |
| Coach appears focused on demonstrating their knowledge about the client or situation and offers definitive observations without checking in with the client |
| Coach shares their perceptions of the client's situation without allowing the client to respond freely. This includes the permission for the client to disagree with the coach's perspective |
| Coach's speaking style involves excessive wordiness, is complex, or is confusing for the client |
| Coach does not leave sufficient space for the client to respond to questions or observations |
Competency 8: Facilitates Client Growth
Core Skills
| Skill |
| Coach partners with the client to explore session progress and learning |
| Coach supports the client in evaluating how to integrate new awareness into their worldview and behaviors |
| Coach partners with the client to design actions that reflect new learning |
| Coach supports the client in identifying what they need to follow through on designed actions |
| Coach partners with the client to close the session |
Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach invites or allows the client to explore progress toward what the client wanted to accomplish in this session |
| Coach invites the client to state or explore what they have learned about themselves (and/or their ideal self they are working to become) in this session (the who) |
| Coach invites the client to state or explore what they have learned about their situation (and/or their ideal situation they are working toward) in this session (the what) |
| Coach invites the client to consider and evaluate how they will use new things they learned in this session |
| Coach partners with the client to design post-session thinking, reflections on their experience, and actions |
| Coach partners with the client to determine how to move forward, including resources, support, and potential barriers |
| Coach partners with the client to design the most appropriate method of accountability for themselves |
| Coach celebrates and acknowledges the client's progress and learning |
| Coach partners with the client to determine how they would prefer to close the session |
Non-Compliant Behaviors
| Behavior |
| Coach does not support the client in exploring their progress in the session, their learning, or how they will carry their new learning forward |
| Coach misses opportunities throughout the session to acknowledge (appreciate) the client's progress or learning as it emerges |
| Coach states the progress throughout the session without asking for the client's input |
| Coach suggests or provides specific actions without allowing the client to design their own actions |
| Coach does not sufficiently support the client in designing their actions, resources, support, or potential barriers |
| Coach selects the timing or method for closing the session |
Summary: Key Rules for PCC Assessment
| Rule |
Description |
| "Who" and "What" |
Explore not just the situation (what) but the whole person of the client (who) |
| One question at a time |
Ask only one question, then wait for the response |
| Client's words |
Integrate the client's language into your questions and observations |
| Silence |
Give the client thinking space; don't jump in |
| Deep exploration |
Investigate beneath the surface—beliefs and values |
| Partnership |
Ensure the client makes choices at every step |
This content is for educational purposes. For official ICF standards, visit coachingfederation.org.