Coach Contracting Checklist

Here is a simple explanation of what this whole document is about:

This document is like a training guide for how to be a great coach, and it has 3 levels of skill:

🟢 ACC Level (Beginner coach)

This is the basic level.

At this level, the coach is like someone explaining the rules of a game before you play it.

They make sure the client understands things like:

• What coaching is (a thinking conversation to help you solve your own problems)

• What coaching is NOT (not therapy, not advice, not fixing you)

• How long sessions are, how often, and if it costs money

• That everything is private (confidential)

• Who does what (coach asks questions, client does the thinking and deciding)

• What the client wants from coaching

• “Does this all make sense?”

👉 Basically: “Let me explain the rules so we can work safely and clearly.”

🔵 PCC Level (Intermediate coach)

This is the more skilled level.

Here the coach stops “explaining everything” and starts building it together with the client.

Instead of telling, they ask questions like:

• What do you want from this?

• How do you want this to work?

• What does success look like for you?

• How much challenge do you want?

👉 Basically: “Let’s design this together so it fits you.”

🟣 MCC Level (Master coach)

This is the highest level.

Here the coach doesn’t follow a fixed plan anymore.

Instead, they:

• Pay attention to what is happening right now in the moment

• Notice feelings, thoughts, and patterns as they appear

• Focus less on goals and more on deep awareness

• Let the conversation naturally change direction if needed

• Pay attention to the relationship between coach and client

👉 Basically: “Let’s explore what is happening between us right now, and see what we discover.”

🧠 The Scoring Sheet (what it is for)

Coaches use this to rate each other out of 7 and check:

• Did they do the basic ACC steps?

• Did they move into PCC style questions?

• Did they reach MCC level presence and awareness?

It helps teachers or examiners see how skilled the coach is.

⭐ Simple way to remember it:

• ACC = Explain the rules

• PCC = Build the plan together

• MCC = Explore what is happening in the moment

Here are the ICF-style PCC vs MCC markers for contracting, focused specifically on how competence shows up in practice (not theory).

🟦 PCC Contracting Markers (Professional level)

At PCC, contracting is structured, collaborative, and explicit. The coach is still intentional about clarity, but begins to share ownership of the agreement.

1. Co-created agreement

• Coach and client build the coaching agreement together

• Purpose, goals, and direction are jointly explored

• Client has meaningful input into how coaching will work

2. Clear exploration of goals and success

• Coach asks about goals, outcomes, and desired results

• Success is defined in observable or meaningful terms

• Focus is still partially outcome-oriented

3. Explicit working relationship

• Roles are clarified (coach supports thinking, client leads content)

• Accountability expectations are discussed

• Client understands how progress will be supported

4. Learning about how to work together

• Coach explores learning style, preferences, and challenge level

• Client is asked how they like to be supported

• Adjustments are made to fit client needs

5. Structured contracting conversation

• Clear beginning of session is marked as “contracting”

• Coach ensures alignment before moving forward

• Agreement is relatively stable during session

6. Ongoing check-ins for alignment

• Coach checks understanding and agreement

• Periodic alignment questions during coaching

Core PCC essence

👉 “Let’s design how we will work together so coaching is effective and goal-focused.”

🟣 MCC Contracting Markers (Master level)

At MCC, contracting is not a stage—it is an ongoing, living relational process embedded in the coaching itself.

1. Contract is emergent and evolving

• No fixed “start and end” to contracting

• Agreement is revisited and reshaped in real time

• Coaching direction may shift mid-conversation

2. Meta-contracting (contracting about the process itself)

• Coach and client reflect on how they are working together while working

• Attention includes the relationship and interaction itself

• “How are we in this conversation right now?”

3. Focus on thinking patterns, not goals

• Less emphasis on defining outcomes upfront

• More focus on how the client is making meaning

• Awareness of assumptions, narratives, identity patterns

4. Relational and systemic awareness

• Coach notices dynamics between coach and client

• Includes emotional tone, energy shifts, and interaction patterns

• Systems thinking (work, life, relationships) naturally enters contracting

5. Presence over structure

• Contracting is not a separate step—it is woven into coaching

• Less scripted, more responsive to what emerges

• Silence, reflection, and slowing down are used intentionally

6. Real-time re-contracting

• Agreement may shift in-session based on insight or emergence

• Direction is adjusted fluidly, not formally renegotiated

• “What we thought we were doing may change as we speak”

7. Process and awareness as success

• Success is not just outcomes but increased awareness

• Focus on what is becoming visible in the moment

• Learning itself becomes the measure

Core MCC essence

👉 “Let’s stay with what is emerging between us and let the coaching contract evolve as awareness unfolds.”

⚖️ Simple comparison

Area

PCC

MCC

Contract style

Structured agreement

Living, evolving relationship

Focus

Goals & outcomes

Awareness & meaning-making

Role clarity

Clearly defined upfront

Continuously co-created in moment

Process

Planned & aligned

Emergent & adaptive

Success

Goal achievement + learning

Depth of awareness + transformation

Coach stance

Collaborative facilitator

Present relational observer-participant

Here’s how you would say it as an MCC-level coach speaking to a 12-year-old client—simple, real, present, and not over-explained:

Before we start, I want to explain something in a simple way so we both know how this works.

This is not me telling you what to do, and it’s not me fixing you or judging you. I’m not here as a teacher or someone with all the answers.

Think of this like a conversation where I help you think more clearly about things that matter to you by asking questions and really listening to what you say.

You can talk about anything that’s on your mind—school, friends, pressure, decisions, anything. And we don’t have to know the “right answer” straight away. We just explore it together.

There’s nothing you can say that you’ll get in trouble for in this space. It’s private, which means I won’t go and tell other people what you say here, unless there is a serious safety reason.

In this conversation, you are the one who decides what we talk about. I’m not going to control the direction. I’ll follow what feels important for you in the moment.

Sometimes I might pause you and ask questions about how you’re thinking, not just what you’re thinking, so you can understand yourself better.

There’s no pressure to get it “right.” We’re just trying to notice what’s really going on for you and what you’re learning about yourself as we talk.

So I want to ask you something to start:

What would you like this conversation to help you with—or what’s been on your mind that brought you here today?

And as we go, if anything feels confusing or not right, you can always say so, and we’ll adjust together.

“The Space We Are Creating Together” — MCC Coaching Contracting Initial Macro discussion

Before we move into anything structured or goal-oriented, I want to start with something simpler and more fundamental.

What we are doing here is not me stepping in as an expert to fix, guide, or advise you. And it is not a performance conversation where you need to present yourself in a certain way.

What we are creating is a thinking space between us—a space where what is usually automatic, assumed, or unnoticed can start to become visible.

And I want to be very intentional about how we enter that space together.

I don’t see our agreement as something we finalise once and then follow mechanically. I see it as something that lives and evolves in real time, as you become more aware of what is actually important for you.

So rather than locking everything in upfront, I want us to stay close to what emerges as we go.

In this space, my role is not to give you answers or to interpret your life for you.

My role is to pay attention to how you are thinking while you are thinking, to notice patterns, shifts, assumptions, and tensions that may be shaping your experience without you fully realising it.

And I may sometimes reflect those back to you—not to direct you, but to increase your awareness of what is happening internally as you speak.

Your role here is not to perform or to get it right.

Your role is to bring whatever is real for you in the moment—even if it is unclear, messy, contradictory, or still forming.

Because often what is most valuable is not what is already fully formed, but what is just starting to become visible as we speak.

There is nothing you need to prepare for this conversation in advance.

We are not measuring success by how quickly you reach answers or how clearly defined your goals are.

Instead, we are paying attention to something deeper:
how your thinking shifts, how your awareness expands, and what becomes visible that wasn’t visible before.

Everything you share here stays confidential. This space is designed so that you don’t have to manage impression, risk, or external judgment while we are working together.

That safety is not just procedural—it is what allows more honest thinking to emerge.

As we work, we may notice that the conversation doesn’t always follow a straight line.

We may move between goals, reflections, emotions, assumptions, identity, or even how we are experiencing each other in the moment.

And that is not a distraction from the work—that is the work.

Because how you are thinking in real time often matters more than what you are thinking about.

So rather than me defining everything upfront, I want to start with a simple question:

What is most present for you right now that feels important enough to bring into this space?

And as you answer that, I’ll also be paying attention not only to what you say—but how you are saying it, how you are making meaning of it, and what might be forming underneath it.

And before we go further, I want to check something important with you.

As you hear how I’m describing this space, what do you imagine this coaching might be for you—and what would need to be true for you to feel that this is actually valuable for you?

We don’t need to finalise everything right now.

But we do need enough shared clarity that we both understand:
we are entering a space where awareness, not advice, is the primary tool—and where what changes you is not what I tell you, but what you begin to see for yourself.

So let’s begin there.

What feels most alive or most important for you right now, as we start this conversation?

Coaching Contracting Assessment Sheet

Peer assessment tool for evaluating coaching contracting competence. Score each section out of 7 and use tick criteria to guide observation.

ACC LEVEL - Foundation Contracting

• Explained coaching purpose

• Explained what coaching is NOT

• Set logistics (time, cost, frequency)

• Mentioned confidentiality

• Clarified roles

• Asked client expectations

• Confirmed understanding

I’d like to take a few minutes to explain how coaching works so we are clear on what to expect from each other.

Coaching is a structured conversation that helps you think more clearly, explore your goals, and take meaningful action. My role is not to give you advice or tell you what to do, but to support your thinking through questions, reflection, and challenge so you can arrive at your own insights and decisions.

It’s also important for me to clarify what coaching is not. Coaching is not therapy, counselling, mentoring, or consulting. I won’t diagnose problems, provide expert solutions, or fix issues for you. Instead, I will assume you are capable and resourceful, and my job is to help you unlock that capability.

In terms of logistics, we will agree on how long each session will be, how often we meet, and any costs involved if applicable. We will also agree on the structure so you know what to expect in each session.

Everything we discuss is confidential. That means I will not share what you say with anyone else, except in rare cases where there is a legal or safety requirement.

Just to be clear on roles: my role is to facilitate your thinking, ask questions, and support your progress. Your role is to bring the topics you want to work on, make decisions, and take responsibility for your actions between sessions.

Before we begin, I’d also like to understand your expectations. What would you like to achieve from coaching, and what would success look like for you?

And finally, I just want to check that everything I’ve explained makes sense to you, and that you’re comfortable to proceed under these terms.

ACC Score (out of 7): ________

PCC LEVEL - Professional Contracting

• Co-created purpose

• Explored goals and motivations

• Defined success criteria

• Explored learning style

• Established working alliance

• Clarified agenda ownership

• Set accountability expectations

• Explored challenge preference

• Checked alignment

• Agreed process review

PCC Score (out of 7): ________

I’d like us to spend some time together to shape how we’ll work in this coaching partnership, so that it feels meaningful and useful for you.

Rather than me defining the purpose, I’d like us to co-create the purpose of our coaching together. Based on what’s important to you right now, what would you like this coaching space to really serve?

From there, I’d like to understand your goals and motivations more deeply. What’s drawing you into coaching at this point in your life or work, and what matters most for you in making progress?

We’ll also define what success would look like for you, so we can both recognise when this coaching is actually making a difference in your world.

I’m also interested in how you prefer to learn and reflect. When you’re thinking through challenges, what approach tends to work best for you?

Together, we’ll establish a working alliance—a way of working that feels safe, honest, and productive for you. This includes how we show up in the conversation and what helps you stay engaged and open.

I want to clarify that you own the agenda in our sessions. You bring what feels most relevant, and we will work with what matters most to you in the moment, even if it shifts.

We’ll also talk about accountability—what that should look like for you. How do you want to be supported in following through on what you decide?

It’s also helpful for me to understand your preference for challenge. How direct or stretching do you want me to be when I notice patterns or offer reflections?

Along the way, I’ll check in to make sure we stay aligned on where we’re going and how we’re working together, so the coaching continues to feel useful and relevant.

Finally, we’ll agree on a simple process for reviewing how the coaching is going, so we can adjust if something isn’t working or if your needs evolve.

Before we begin, I want to check—does this feel aligned with what you’re looking for, and is there anything you’d want to shape differently?

MCC LEVEL - Master Coaching Contracting

• Contract treated as evolving

• Meta-contracting present

• Focus on thinking patterns

• Real-time reflection used

• Emergent themes allowed

• Identity/meaning explored

• Relational dynamics noticed

• Systems thinking included

• Process over outcome

• Presence over structure

• Re-contracting in session

• Learning-based accountability

MCC Score (out of 7): ________

I want to start by saying that I don’t see our agreement as something fixed or final. Rather, I treat our coaching contract as something that can evolve as our thinking and work evolves together. What we agree today may deepen or shift as we explore what is actually emerging for you.

As we begin, I’m also paying attention to how we are thinking together in this moment. Not just what you want to achieve, but the patterns in how you make sense of things, how your thinking unfolds, and what seems to be shaping your perspective right now.

We may find ourselves moving beyond goals quite quickly, into what is really present for you—what is emerging in your awareness as we speak. I’ll follow that, rather than trying to hold us strictly to a predefined agenda.

At times, I may pause and reflect on what is happening between us in the conversation itself—how we are relating, what is being said and also what is not being said. This includes the relational dynamics and energy in the space between us.

Rather than focusing only on outcomes, I’m interested in what is happening in your identity, meaning, and deeper assumptions—how you are seeing yourself, your situation, and what this all represents for you.

We may also zoom out from time to time to consider the broader systems around you—work, relationships, culture—and how they may be influencing what you are experiencing.

If something new emerges in the moment, even if it is unexpected, I will likely follow it. That means we may re-contract in real time during the session, shifting direction if that feels more alive or useful than sticking to the original framing.

In this space, accountability is not just about tasks or follow-through, but about what you are learning about yourself as you take action or even as you don’t take action. We treat that learning as part of the process.

I will place more emphasis on presence than structure, and on what is unfolding in the conversation rather than trying to tightly manage it.

Before we continue, I want to check in with you—not just for agreement, but for what feels most alive for you right now in this moment, and whether anything is shifting as we begin speaking together.

Overall Notes:

Strengths: ____________________________

Gaps: ________________________________

Key observation: _______________________

At MCC level, coaching is no longer explained as a method, process, or structure. It is experienced and described as a relational, emergent space where thinking becomes visible, meaning is created in real time, and transformation arises from awareness rather than intervention.

Here is what “coaching is” at MCC level:

Coaching is a shared space of presence where two people meet without a fixed agenda, allowing what is most alive, subtle, or emerging to surface and be explored in the moment.

It is not about guiding the client toward goals in a linear way, but about attending to how the client is thinking, sensing, and making meaning as it happens, and how that shifts through the interaction itself.

Coaching is a relational field, where what arises is not only inside the client or the coach, but between them. The coaching work includes noticing the dynamics of that relationship—what is being said, what is withheld, what is felt, and what is unconsciously shaping the conversation.

Rather than focusing on solving problems, coaching supports the client in becoming aware of the patterns, identities, assumptions, and narratives through which they are experiencing life, and how those patterns are formed, maintained, or loosened in the moment.

The coach does not stand outside the system as an expert, but participates in it with deep presence, curiosity, and disciplined attention, noticing shifts in energy, meaning, emotion, and perspective as they unfold.

Outcomes are not directed or imposed; they emerge organically from increased awareness, often in ways that could not have been planned at the start of the conversation.

Coaching, at this level, is less about doing and more about being with precision—staying fully present with what is emerging, while trusting the client’s inherent capacity for insight, choice, and movement.

It is fundamentally a transformational process of consciousness in action, where change happens not because something is “added” to the client, but because something becomes visible that was previously unseen.

And even the idea of “success” is fluid—it is defined in the moment by what becomes more true, more clear, or more alive for the client as the conversation unfolds.

At MCC level, “what coaching is not” is not just a list of boundaries—it is a way of clarifying the absence of intervention, control, and pre-definition, and distinguishing coaching from anything that tries to shape the client from the outside in.

Here is how it is expressed:

Coaching is not a process of fixing, improving, or correcting a person. It does not assume something is wrong that needs to be repaired, nor does it position the coach as someone who adds what is missing.

It is not advice-giving, teaching, or transferring expertise. The coach does not stand in a superior position of knowing, nor do they provide answers, strategies, or solutions. The client’s own meaning-making is primary.

It is not therapy or counselling, where the focus is on diagnosing, healing, or resolving psychological distress rooted in the past. Coaching does not treat pathology or interpret the client through a clinical lens.

It is not mentoring or consulting, where the direction, content, or solution is shaped by the experience of the professional. Coaching does not import external models as the primary source of truth.

It is not a goal-driven performance intervention in the traditional sense. While goals may emerge, coaching is not bound to predefined outcomes or linear progressions toward fixed endpoints.

It is not a structured conversation where the agenda is set in advance and followed rigidly. At MCC level, structure is secondary to what is emerging in the present moment of awareness and relationship.

It is not something the coach does to the client. Instead, it is a co-created space of attention, where both coach and client are part of the unfolding system of thinking, meaning, and perception.

It is not focused primarily on behaviour change. Behaviour may shift, but only as a by-product of deeper shifts in awareness, identity, and perception.

It is not about certainty, control, or predictability. Coaching does not try to reduce complexity prematurely or force clarity where ambiguity is more useful.

And finally, it is not separate from the relationship itself—the coaching is not just in the techniques used, but in the quality of presence, attention, and relational awareness that arises between coach and client in real time.

Coaching, at MCC level, is not advice-giving, teaching, mentoring, consulting, or therapy. It is not about fixing people, solving problems for them, or applying external models to move them toward predefined outcomes.

It is also not a structured, agenda-driven process where progress is measured only through linear goals or performance improvement. While goals may emerge, coaching is not bound to them in a fixed way.

Instead, coaching is a co-created relational space where awareness unfolds in the present moment. The coach does not stand outside the system as an expert, but participates through deep presence, noticing how the client is thinking, sensing, and making meaning as it happens.

Change is not imposed or directed from the outside. It emerges naturally as the client becomes aware of patterns, assumptions, identity, and meaning in real time.

So at MCC level, coaching is less about doing something to the client, and more about being fully present with what is emerging between us—trusting that increased awareness itself creates movement, clarity, and transformation.

At MCC level, confidentiality is not simply a rule or ethical boundary—it is part of the relational field that creates psychological safety, depth, and truthfulness in the coaching space.

Here is how it can be expressed:

Confidentiality in coaching is not just a procedural agreement; it is an implicit foundation of trust that allows what is true, vulnerable, and unfiltered to emerge in the moment.

It is held not only as a commitment about information not being shared, but as a quality of presence between coach and client, where the client experiences a space free from judgment, evaluation, or external consequence.

At this level, confidentiality also includes an awareness of what is unspoken—the coach is sensitive to what the client may be withholding not because of external risk, but because of internal patterns of protection, identity, or fear of exposure.

The agreement itself is simple, but the lived experience is deeper: the client is entering a space where what arises can be spoken, explored, and witnessed without it being carried outside the coaching relationship.

At MCC level, confidentiality is not just about protecting information—it is about protecting the integrity of the thinking space itself, so that emergence, honesty, and transformation can occur without distortion.

Even the discussion of confidentiality is not static; it can be revisited in the moment if something in the relationship or context shifts. In that sense, it is held as alive, relational, and context-sensitive, rather than fixed and procedural.

Ultimately, confidentiality supports one thing: the ability for both coach and client to stay fully present with what is real, without fragmentation between the coaching space and the outside world.

At MCC level, clarifying roles is not about defining fixed responsibilities—it is about establishing a dynamic relational field where both coach and client are actively co-creating meaning in real time, while still holding clear ethical distinction.

Here is how it can be expressed:

At MCC level, the role of the coach is not to guide, advise, or structure the client’s thinking, but to bring deep presence, disciplined attention, and relational awareness to what is emerging in the moment.

The coach’s role is to notice patterns in thinking, shifts in meaning, emotional undercurrents, and relational dynamics as they arise, and to reflect these back in ways that create greater awareness. The coach does not direct the outcome, but stays fully present to the process as it unfolds.

The client’s role is not simply to bring topics or work toward goals, but to engage authentically with their own thinking, experience, and emerging awareness, allowing what is present to be explored without needing immediate resolution.

The client is also not positioned as someone who must “perform” in coaching; instead, they are the primary source of meaning-making, with full ownership of what arises, what is explored, and what actions (if any) follow.

While roles are distinct, they are not rigid. In the coaching space, both coach and client are part of a shared system of awareness, where each influences what emerges through attention, language, and presence.

The coach holds responsibility for maintaining ethical integrity, presence, and non-directiveness, while the client holds responsibility for their own lived experience and interpretation of what arises.

Importantly, role clarity at MCC is not about control—it is about creating enough psychological and relational safety for deep emergence to occur without confusion of authority or responsibility.

So rather than fixed roles in a structured process, what is established is a living agreement about how we will think, attend, and be together in this space.

At MCC level, “responsibilities” are not framed as task lists or compliance expectations. They are understood as relational stances held in a shared field of awareness, where both coach and client are responsible for the quality of attention, presence, and meaning-making in the conversation.

Here is how it is expressed:

Client responsibilities (MCC level)

The client’s responsibility is not to “perform coaching work,” but to engage honestly and directly with their own experience as it unfolds.

This includes bringing whatever is most present or relevant for them, even if it is unclear, contradictory, or emotionally complex. The client is responsible for staying in relationship with their own thinking—not outsourcing meaning or deferring to the coach for answers or direction.

They are also responsible for noticing and exploring what arises internally during the conversation—assumptions, patterns, identity-level narratives, and emotional responses—and allowing these to be part of the coaching space.

Most importantly, the client holds responsibility for what they make of the awareness that emerges, and how they choose to act—or not act—beyond the session. The coaching does not own outcomes; the client remains the source of all meaning and action.

Coach responsibilities (MCC level)

The coach’s responsibility is to bring high-quality presence, precision of attention, and relational sensitivity to everything that emerges in the coaching field.

This includes listening not only to content, but to how the client is thinking, shifting, resisting, or opening, and reflecting patterns, tensions, and meaning structures as they appear in real time.

The coach is responsible for maintaining a stance of non-directiveness without disengagement—fully present, but not imposing interpretation, advice, or agenda.

They are also responsible for noticing the relational dynamics between coach and client, including what is happening in the moment that may be shaping awareness, trust, or openness.

At MCC level, the coach holds responsibility for the quality of space—creating conditions where deeper awareness, emergence, and transformation can naturally occur without forcing direction or structure.

Finally, the coach is responsible for their own internal state—staying grounded, present, and aware of their own interpretations, so they do not unconsciously steer the client’s process.

At this level, responsibility is less about roles as tasks, and more about how both participants are contributing to the quality of awareness in the shared system.

At MCC level, asking about client expectations is not about collecting goals or aligning deliverables—it is about surfacing assumptions, meaning, and the implicit contract the client is already bringing into the space, often before they are fully aware of it.

Here are MCC-level ways to ask that question:

“As you enter this coaching space with me, what are you noticing you are expecting from this experience—even if those expectations feel unclear or unspoken?”

“What do you imagine will happen for you in conversations like this, and where do those expectations come from?”

“If you notice yourself already holding a picture of how this should go, what does that picture look like?”

“What are you hoping I will do, not do, or help you with—and what might that reveal about how you see yourself in this process?”

“As you sit here right now, what are you assuming coaching is going to be for you?”

“What would need to happen in this space for you to feel this is valuable—but also, what might you be worried won’t happen?”

“How are you defining a ‘good’ conversation for yourself, and what shapes that definition?”

“What expectations do you think you might bring that could either support or limit what becomes possible here?”

“What do you notice in your body or thinking when you consider what you expect from me as a coach?”

“Before we go further, what feels important for me to understand about what you are hoping for—or protecting against—in this process?”

At MCC level, the purpose is not to confirm expectations—it is to make expectations visible, relational, and workable in the moment of awareness.

Here is a full MCC-level contracting opening flow (spoken script). It is designed to be relational, emergent, and presence-led, not procedural or checklist-based.

MCC Coaching Contracting Opening Flow (Spoken Script)

I’d like to start by not rushing into defining things too quickly, but instead creating some space for us to notice how we are entering this conversation together.

As we begin, I’m aware that both of us are bringing something into this space—even if it’s not fully formed yet. So I’d like to start there.

What is it like for you to be here right now, in this moment, starting this conversation?

As you speak, I’m also interested in what you might already be expecting from this kind of conversation, even if those expectations feel unclear or unspoken.

What are you noticing you might be expecting from me, from coaching, or from yourself in this process?

And as you reflect on that, I’m curious—where do those expectations come from? Are they based on past experiences, assumptions, or something you’ve been told coaching should be?

Rather than me defining a fixed structure, I want us to stay close to what is actually emerging between us as we talk.

So I’d like to ask—what feels most important for us to pay attention to in this space together? It may not be a goal yet, it might just be something present for you.

As we continue, I’m also noticing that every coaching relationship has a certain way of working that develops over time.

So I’m curious—what kind of space would allow you to think most clearly and honestly? What helps you open up your thinking, and what tends to shut it down?

You may already have a sense of what would make this valuable for you.

So I’d like to ask—what would need to happen in this space for you to feel this is useful or meaningful? And what might you be hoping does not happen?

I also want to acknowledge that how we work together matters just as much as what we work on.

So as you sit here with me now, what are you noticing about how you are relating to me in this conversation?

And if we stay with that for a moment—what do you imagine your role is in a conversation like this, and what do you imagine my role is? And does anything shift as you say that out loud?

We don’t need to lock everything in rigidly, but it is useful for us to have a shared sense of how we will work.

So let’s explore—how will you know if this coaching is actually making a difference for you? Not just in outcomes, but in how you are thinking or seeing things?

And I also want to check something important.

Is there anything you’re aware of that you might be holding back right now, or not fully saying yet—and if so, what makes it easier or harder to bring that into this space?

Before we move forward, I want to pause and check in with you.

What feels clear for you now about how we will work together? And what still feels open or uncertain?

And finally, just to close this part of our conversation—not as a formality, but as a real check-in—

Are you comfortable with how we’re approaching this space together so far, and is there anything you would want to shape differently before we continue?

Here is a tight, memorisable MCC exam-ready opening script (60–90 seconds). It keeps MCC principles (presence, emergence, relational awareness) but is compact enough to deliver smoothly in an assessment.

MCC Contracting Opening Script (60–90 seconds)

I’d like to begin by not rushing into structure, but by noticing what is present for both of us as we enter this conversation.

What is it like for you to be here right now?

As we start, I’m curious—what are you noticing you might already be expecting from this conversation, from me, or from coaching itself?

And where do those expectations come from for you?

Rather than fixing a plan upfront, I’m interested in what feels most important for us to pay attention to as we work together.

What feels alive or present for you right now that would be useful for us to stay close to?

And as we begin interacting, I’m also noticing the way you are relating to this conversation.

What do you notice about how you are experiencing me right now in this space?

We may not define everything in advance, but it is useful for us to understand how we will know this is valuable for you.

So how will you recognise that this coaching is making a difference—not just in outcomes, but in how you are thinking or seeing things?

Before we continue, is there anything you are aware of that you are not yet saying or fully bringing in?

And finally, are you comfortable with how we are entering this space together, and is there anything you would want to adjust before we go further?