Establishing Trust in the Coaching Relationship

By guest blogger Tiffany Kalinka

In most relationships it takes time to establish trust.  Whether it be personal or professional, trust is built upon honesty, loyalty, and understanding.  These attributes take time to acquire and can only be gained if the people in the relationship are actively listening to each other. The coaching relationship is unique in that trust can be established quickly and is solidified by the third session.  The guided meditation, derived from the goals created by the client in the second session, is a powerful tool.  It not only creates trust between the coach and the coachee, it gives the client a tool for empowerment and motivation.

The guided meditation is written with powerful and positive wording.  The goals that the client created are described and repeated using words that motivate and empower.  What is especially important is the use of the client’s own words in the writing of the guided meditation.  In order to do this, the coach must utilize active listening skills. This lets the client know that they are being heard and that their words are powerful.  Trust is built upon the guided meditation.  It is a powerful tool both for the client, and for the coach as well.