I still consider the risk to be worth it. The greater risk to me would have been to breach confidentiality, which is essential to an executive coaching relationship.

Acknowledgment, as research suggests, is a cornerstone in retaining valuable employees, and witnessing genuine recognition in action was heartening.

There are clear-cut situations in which people are in danger, but most have multiple shades of gray. Blowing the whistle may keep some from harm but put others squarely in its path…

If a person is editing their thoughts out of fear you might blab, you may end the conversation with a feeling of vagueness and irresolution, sensing you still don’t know their genuine opinions.

My own philosophy about secrets is that the longer we hold them the more potential negative impact they have. I’m not talking about other people’s secrets because those aren’t ours to share.

What people are willing to share with us is a gift and it enhances our ability to be clear and to make good decisions. The less willing people are to confide in us, the weaker the information we have to make good decisions.

We tend to measure a person’s character through their integrity and intention. We can measure a person’s competence through their capabilities and results produced. This gives us a formula for how we look for trust in others.It includes both subjective and objective considerations. If we identify that one or more of these Cores of Credibility are missing, we have specific information that helps us know where to start restoring trust with that person.

I often tell prospective clients that one of my roles as an executive coach is to be an accountability partner. I have firsthand experience in knowing how important that partnership can be as I look for it personally and professionally myself. It’s much more fun to include others in our goals, successes, and even the failures.