PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

A key element for contracting in coaching/ training/ mentoring and memberships is addressing and handling all confidentiality issues.

Confidentiality in this kind of relationship is crucial for mutual trust as well as opening a clear way for the client to achieve all they need/ want and dream.

A breach of confidentiality is the worst that can happen in a coach/ trainer/ mentor and member relationship.

It is absolutely crucial that all confidentiality agreements points and details are clearly explained in the coaching / training/ mentoring and membership contract, and all parties involved are in full agreement in regards to that before the professional relationship begins.    

Keep in mind that “Total Confidentiality” can technically never be guaranteed because there may be legal, organizational, law or wellbeing reasons that could require disclosure of the client’s confidentiality.

This should also be clearly stated in any coaching/ training/ mentoring and membership contract.

Below are the key things that should be covered by in contracting:

• What will be shared?

• With whom?

• How?

• When?

• What will not be shared?

• What are the organizational guidelines?

• What are the requirements of the PCG’s Ltd., you are a member of?

• Feedback about the coachee or mentee- the organization may require a summary about the coachee or mentee- how? what?

• Feedback from others about the coachee or mentee provided on the basis of anonymity. Agree in advance how anonymously the feedback will be reported: unidentified, identification by category of person (work group, level, etc.) or by specific name.

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Breaking Confidentiality

On the, hopefully rare, occasions when a coach/ trainer/ mentor and member face a situation where confidentiality has to be broken due to something that has come up in a session, what is the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member supposed to do?

• The coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should stop and think about the next step.

Double check with the client that what you heard is indeed whet he/ she confirm as to whether this subject needs to be disclosed.

• Face the facts whatever they are at the time – the sessions should be paused at that moment and the client must be made fully aware  of the make sure that you pause the session and highlight to the client that a confidentiality issue has arisen and needs to be dealt with straight away.

• Define, Examine&Verify – address the issue with the client.

• Ask the appropriate/ needed questions to help both you and the client understand whether the confidentiality part of the contract needs to be breached.

Questions such as What? Who? When? How? areneeded at this point.

That simple honest clarification could very well show that disclosure no disclosure is required at that point.

• Consent/ approval/ agreement – Should there arise the need for a disclosure to be made, the coach/ trainer/ mentor and members should first acquire the client’s agreement for it to be done.

This should be reflected in the professional contract signed by all parties and the client can be referred to it should the time come.

Furthermore, make sure if the client needs support to make this disclosure and who it is made to? With what consequences to the client and coach/ trainer/ mentor and member? Check if the client needs support in making the disclosure- who can it be made to? Would the coach/ trainer/mentor and member need to be present?

• Avoiding Dealing with an issue/ ignoring i’s existence – although the client may have ignored the issue for a very long time in order to avoid dealing with the issue in a timely, practical manner; hence the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should be aware not to become part of this avoiding behavior pattern.

Should a disclosure be needed, the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should be adaptable and make sure that the Ethic Code is followed at all times as well as any disclosure procedures followed.be resilient and ensure that you act professionally and ethically.

Should the issue not be resolved as agreed, the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should return to it and seek the proper actions to be done in order for the issue to be dealt with.

• Denial/ refusal – in a situation where the client refuses disclosure, the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should clearly point out the clauses in the contractual agreement and the professional ethical code requires that requires the client to make the disclosure or the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should.  Check how this will affect the client. Look into the reasoning behind the client’s refusal – is it an organizational issue that is causing the hesitation?

• Acute Focus not Wavering Focus – should a disclosure have to be made, the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member have to be as focused as they possibly can on the information that needs to be disclosed, and to make sure that what is disclosed is only what is needed, the specifics. That is why acute focus is required.

• Method – the coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should agree with and/ or inform the client about how the information will be disclosed, time place and form. This is done to give the client a sufficient time to prepare themselves.

• Analyze the relationship – when the disclosure issues are resolved, it is absolutely fundamental that he coach/ trainer/ mentor and member and the client review their relationship.

It is possible that the client is wanting to continue the professional service relationship.

The coach/ trainer/ mentor and member should see how they feel after the issue is resolved.

All sides should question what the impact would be?

Will all parties involved be still nonjudgmental and as per all things agreed in the contract?

Are there and what are the values/ beliefs, etc. that might be affected?

Is the coaching/ training/ mentoring and membership relationship still going to be as effective as before?

• Guidance and Surveillance – there is a possibility that mentoring can be requested to assist and review what has happened and point in the right direction.