After Setting the Foundation of a coaching relationship with ethics and an agreement, the International Coaches Federation (ICF) list of Core Competencies moves to the category of Co-Creating the Relationship. Two coaching competencies are listed. The first of these is Establishing Trust and Intimacy with the Client.
A professional coach establishes trust by demonstrating trust and by caring. To give trust is a first step towards receiving trust. To care is essential to the effectiveness of a coach. Coaches want their clients to create the life the client wants to live. To support this, the coach lives personal integrity, keeps promises, and respects the client’s perceptions, learning style, and preferences. An effective coach training program provides tools for recognizing personal preferences and learning styles with a focus on how to treat the client based on who they are as a person.
Professional coaches develop competency in establishing intimacy through their ability to establish trust, understand the client, and focus on working with the client based on their preferences. When the client experiences trust and respect, the client is comfortable openly discussing their goals and actions at a deeper level of intimacy.
One of the greatest indicators of whether a coaching relationship will be successful is the relationship between the coach and the client.
