Trust is where “the rubber meets the road” in coaching. It is very similar to how much you care about people. But if people do not trust you they are not going to listen to you, and they will not have a willingness to go “all out” to stretch them-selves. Great coaching leaders establish long-term relationships built on trust. Trust is built through being your word, having actions aligned with stated values, and being impeccable about all that you do.
The delicate thing about trust is that it can take years to build and seconds to destroy. Trust is like the capital you have built that you use every day to run your business. Without trust, you are done, so be very careful about protecting it!
Remember the cultural context of cynicism for leaders. John Q. Public has been burned a time or two, so I encourage everyone to be impeccable as a coaching leader. If you happen to trip and make a mistake, clean it up quickly and be honest about it.
