Which is the best practice for a coach to share a client's case with the...

The ICF Code of Ethics (Section 4.1) requires coaches to "explain and ensure that, prior to or at the initial meeting, my coaching client(s) understand the nature and limits of confidentiality." Sharing with a supervisor must be disclosed in the coaching agreement (ICF Competency 3) to maintain transparency and trust. Let’s analyze:

A. Tell the client that the information needs to be shared with the supervisory coach so the coach can learn from the feedback: This is reactive and lacks prior consent, violating Section 4’s requirement for upfront clarity.

B. Add a statement to the client’s contract describing how information will be shared with the supervising coach: This proactively ensures client understanding and agreement, aligning with ICF ethics (Section 4.2) and Competency 3.

C. Correspond with the supervising coach verbally so there is no need to share the client’s information in writing: This avoids documentation but doesn’t address client consent or transparency, breaching ethical standards.

Option B is the best practice, per ICF’s confidentiality and agreement requirements.