Date
2-28-2025
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Patrick Slowinski
Keywords
executive, business, coaching, rapport, strategies, challenges, demographics, qualitative, phenomenological, experience, race, gender, culture
Disciplines
Business | Psychology
Recommended Citation
Devereaux, Tanya, "Exploring Rapport-Building in Coaching Relationships: Coach's Perspective" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6526.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6526
Abstract
This dissertation examines rapport-building strategies and challenges executive coaches face in their interactions with clients, with an emphasis on demographic influences. By employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study captures the subjective experiences of 14 active executive business coaches. These coaches discussed techniques for rapport-building, such as pre-meeting engagement, setting expectations, and creating safe environments during initial sessions. The findings reveal that demographic factors—such as race, gender, and cultural background—impact the coach-coachee dynamic, often necessitating adaptive strategies to align with the unique needs of each client. The themes that emerged from the research aligned with existing literature, and professional experience in some cases, while others provided fresh insights that expanded understanding in unexpected ways. Specifically, the study explored themes such as "Coaching Hats On and Off," where coaches balance professional distance with empathy, and "Values as Guiding Stars," which highlights the ethical foundations guiding their practices. This analysis underscores the importance of emotional intelligence, flexibility, and understanding in fostering effective and inclusive coaching relationships. Limitations and recommendations for future research address the need for broader participant representation and suggest exploring clients' perspectives to enrich the understanding of rapport dynamics in diverse settings.
