That Thing We Call Trust

A few weeks ago I went to the eye doctor to have my eyes checked. Long hours in front of the computer strained my eyes and I knew it was time for an "upgrade". Or maybe it was something else. I only started wearing glasses two years ago and my experience with eye health was minimal. Luckily, I trusted the doctor. When he told me I sat too close the screen of my laptop, I believed him. When he told me that a freckle on the side of my eye was nothing serious, I knew he was right. I trusted him. But why did I trust him?

What is that thing we call trust?

Since coaching is basically built on trust, I thought I would expand on the topic. After all, I aspire to be a trustworthy coach.

First off, trust is not as intangible as you might think. Actually, there is even a formula that allows us to measure trust. It was developed by D. Maister, R. Galford and R. Green and explained in their book, called  “The Trusted Advisor”.

According to the authors of the book, the level of Trust depends on four variables.

Trustworthiness = Credibility x Reliability x Intimacy / self-orientation (interest)

In other words, if you trust someone, you find them credible, which means you believe they know what they are talking about. You also think they are reliable and you can depend on them. Lastly, there is a sense of intimacy between you, which means you feel secure with them; you know that whatever you share with the person is safe with them.  All this can be diminished by the person’s self-orientation/interest.  People with higher self-orientation are less trustworthy because their interests don’t align with those they work with.

In the case of my eye doctor, I found him trustworthy because he scored high on:

credibility- he was in his sixties, so he has practiced ophthalmology for many decades and whatever he said, he said with confidence;

reliability- he was available when he was supposed and the process of making the appointment, check out and getting my glasses was smooth;

intimacy- he was professional but friendly and informal. I felt safe talking with him.

He also scored low on self-orientation. His attention was fully on me. He asked me relevant questions and  performed thorough tests to ensure I got what I came for.

So, when you consider hiring me as  your personal coach, and worry if you can trust me, perhaps the following information can help you decide.

I’m a trained and certified Life Coach with ICF credentials, so I have relevant knowledge. I have a pretty good record of keeping my appointments and responding promptly. Whatever you share with me, stays with me- ICF coaches follow a code of Ethics. And last but not least, my time spent with you, is dedicated 100% for you.