Fostering the trustworthiness of coaches in a trust-based academic development program

Simon, E ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1174-8650, Pleschová, G and Simon, A, 2025. Fostering the trustworthiness of coaches in a trust-based academic development program. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. ISSN 2046-6854

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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to illustrate how an academic development program can be structured to foster trust and support the creation of trustful coaching relationships; second, to examine how coaches and coachees perceive the trust-building – and thus, the trustworthiness – of coaches across the four dimensions of trustworthiness.

Design/methodology/approach: We employed a mixed-methods approach based on focus group interviews with 10 coaches and individual interviews with and survey responses by 20 coachees. Qualitative data were analyzed using systematic content analysis, while descriptive statistics were used to examine the quantitative data.

Findings: Our results indicate that the caring approach, associated with the benevolence dimension of trustworthiness, was most strongly emphasized by coaches and highly valued by coachees. However, maintaining trust also requires attention to the other dimensions: integrity, competence and predictability.

Practical implications: Findings suggest that coach training should not only emphasize a caring attitude but also cultivate all four dimensions of trustworthiness. Additionally, since shaping the micro-environment facilitates the development of trusting coaching relationships, future program designers should also consider this.

Originality/value: We present the first trust-based academic development program with a strong coaching component and evaluate the effectiveness of the coaching relationship using the same theoretical framework that guided the program’s design.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education
Creators:	Simon, E., Pleschová, G. and Simon, A.
Publisher:	Emerald
Date:	30 September 2025
ISSN:	2046-6854
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1108/IJMCE-09-2024-0106 DOI 2486106 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jeremy Silvester
Date Added:	14 Aug 2025 15:45
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2026 12:30
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54202

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