Guideline Two: Try To Understand The Client’s Work Situation Including Work-Related Roles and Relationships
Trust is easier to bring about if you get a deep understanding of the Client’s work situation and relationships, including the work-related roles and relationship with boss, peers and subordinates. This information will be invaluable when you discuss specific decisions or actions that your Client should consider to take that involve the work situation or work relatinonships. When you have this deep understanding of your Client’s work situation and relationships , the Client will be more likely to trust you because your Client knows that the things you want your Client to think about are based upon you having a deep understanding of your Client’s real situation rather than theoretical situation.
To get this deep understanding of your Client’s work situation and relationships , ask work-related questions about such things as your Client’s:
• Responsibility and authority
• Accountability relationships
• Delegating approach
• Prioritization of efforts
• Commitment to planning before acting
Guideline Three: Create Clarity About Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an essential element in creating trust with your Client. It will have a negative impact on building a trusting relationship with your Client if there is a perceived breach of confidentiality about something discussed by the Client with you.
To avoid this potential barrier to developing trust, take the time to create clarity you’re your Client about confidentiality. Discuss with your Client what will be held confidential and what you will need to share with the Client’s boss. Discuss with your Client the ground rules that include the reality that some form of reporting on your results need to go back to the Client’s boss because the boss has a vested interest if the organization is paying for the coaching/training. Then remind your Client that you are only going to be disclosing to the boss that which is relevant to the company and this will be done without breaking confidentiality between you and your Client.
if you demonstrate your commitment to confidentiality, it will help build trust over time because your Client will feel confident that confidentiality exists.
One reason is that the Client is worrying about confidentiality and lacks trust you will keep confidence.Keep on the lookout for an undercurrent that your Client is withholding things from you. There are different reasons the Client might feel he or she can’t talk freely with you. If you sense this is the case, you might say something like, “For you to get the most benefit from my working with you, you need to talk freely with me and I need to know what I can do to bring this about.”
Guideline Four: Be Sensitive To How You React To What Client Says
If your Client is concerned about how you will react to what the Client says, the Client may be withholding things from you. To overcome this hurdle, control your reaction to what you hear from your Client. Try to react without displaying or expressing any displeasure or consequence from what the Client has told you. If you express your views in a critical or judgmental way, it can set up a barrier to trusting that it is OK to tell you what the Client things is real.
Of course you want to react with emotion when you are celebrating something the Client has achieved.
