As an action learning coach, how would you handle the following situation:
You are doing a leadership development program with 8 peers in a consulting firm. One of the participants reports that her boss brought an issue to her yesterday that she had discussed in the action learning group a week ago. She is very upset. (The problem centered around not being given the responsibility that her boss had promised her when she was hired a year ago.) As it turns out one of the other team members decided she could help by going to talk to the boss. The team had agreed to keep what was said during the Action Learning confidential. Consequently, the trust has been shattered for this team member.
As an Action Learning Coach, encountering a situation of “broken trust” is challenging but also an opportunity to reinforce the principles of Action Learning and help the group rebuild trust. What the coach can do may include:
1. Acknowledge the situation and create a safe space by facilitating a group discussion and validate emotions.
2. Reinforce confidentiality and regain commitments.
3. Address the team member who breached trust through private conversation.
4. Provide support to the affected member. Discuss her she would like to move forward and what support she needs from the group.
5. Use the situation as a learning opportunity by asking reflective questions like:
“What have we learned about trust and confidentiality from this situation?”
“How can we ensure that our actions align with our commitments as a group?”
In a situation like this, I would first acknowledge the emotional weight of what happened. If a participant feels betrayed, especially after trusting the group with something personal and vulnerable, that’s not something to brush past. I would pause the session and bring the group together to address what happened, not to place blame, but to reflect on the breach of the confidentiality agreement we committed to.
I would ask a question that helps the group reflect on both the impact and the values at stake. Something like, “What does confidentiality mean in this space, and what happens when it’s broken?” or “How do we rebuild trust when it’s been compromised?”
My goal wouldn’t be to fix the relationship in the moment, but to help the group take responsibility for the dynamic and think about how they want to move forward. I would also make sure the participant who was affected has the chance to speak, if and when she’s ready, without being pressured. I would check in with both parties afterward to support their individual processing.
For me, trust is foundational. Without it, real learning and growth doesn’t happen. How the group navigates this could actually be an important learning opportunity.
As the Action Learning coach, since this happened outside of the session, I would raise the concern at the beginning of the next session and gently invite the group to reflect. I might say, “Let’s take a moment to check in—what’s happening in the group right now?” This opens space for awareness without assigning blame. I would then guide the team to revisit their initial agreements, especially the commitment to confidentiality, and ask, “Why is that important in Action Learning?” This reminds them that trust is foundational not only for psychological safety, but also for meaningful learning.
Without focusing on the individuals involved, I would facilitate a reflective dialogue around leadership—exploring how good intentions, like wanting to help, must still be exercised within agreed boundaries. Questions like, “How do leaders handle information that is sensitive or not theirs to act on?” and “What does accountability look like in this team?” help the group process the situation as a learning moment.
In the session as well, I would ensure that the team member who felt betrayed is supported, and if appropriate, offer her space to share what she needs to feel safe again. I would also encourage the group to co-create next steps—perhaps revisiting group norms, reaffirming trust, or acknowledging the impact of the breach. The goal is not to punish, but to enable the team to reflect, recalibrate, and grow as leaders—grounded in WIAL’s principles of learning through questioning, shared responsibility, and real-time leadership development.
That’s a very sensitive situation, and I would start by acknowledging the participant’s feelings and the importance of what was shared:
“Thank you for bringing this forward. I can see this has had a deep impact, and it’s important that we address it as a team.”
Before moving further, I would aim to verify the observation with the group in a neutral, non-judgmental way:
“One of the agreements we made as a team was to keep what’s shared in our Action Learning sessions confidential. It’s been raised that something discussed here may have been shared outside the group. Before we continue, can we take a moment to check in—have others noticed or experienced anything that might be related to this?”
This gives space for others to share their awareness and opens the door for honest dialogue. Once the team confirms the situation or adds more context, I’d gently move the discussion toward reflection and learning by asking:
“What is the impact of this situation on our group’s trust and learning environment?”
“What does this say about how we hold ourselves accountable to the agreements we make?”
“How might we move forward as a team from here?”
“What do we need to re-establish or change in our team norms to rebuild trust?”
The goal is not to call anyone out, but to encourage shared responsibility and learning from the breach.
As an Action Learning Coach, navigating a breach of trust among participants is one of the most challenging situations to manage. Trust is foundational to the success of any Action Learning session, and without it, the integrity of the process is significantly compromised.
In a scenario like this, my first step would be to remind the group of the confidentiality agreement that was established at the beginning of the engagement. I would also highlight the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful space for open dialogue and learning, and the potential impact that broken trust can have on the effectiveness of the team and the learning process.
In addition to addressing the group, I would meet privately with the individuals involved. With the participant whose trust was compromised, I would acknowledge their experience and express empathy for how the situation has affected them. I would assure them that I take the matter seriously and that, as a coach, I am committed to creating an environment where this kind of situation does not recur.
With the individual who broke the trust, I would seek first to understand their perspective, allowing them to share their intentions and context. Once I’ve heard them out, I would clearly explain how their actions—intentional or not—have impacted the group, undermined psychological safety, and potentially diminished the willingness of others to engage fully moving forward.
Ultimately, my goal in this situation would be to restore trust, reinforce the values and structure of Action Learning, and guide the group back to a place where effective learning and collaboration can occur.
Rachel Wang
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As an Action Learning Coach, encountering a situation of “broken trust” is challenging but also an opportunity to reinforce the principles of Action Learning and help the group rebuild trust. What the coach can do may include:
1. Acknowledge the situation and create a safe space by facilitating a group discussion and validate emotions.
2. Reinforce confidentiality and regain commitments.
3. Address the team member who breached trust through private conversation.
4. Provide support to the affected member. Discuss her she would like to move forward and what support she needs from the group.
5. Use the situation as a learning opportunity by asking reflective questions like:
“What have we learned about trust and confidentiality from this situation?”
“How can we ensure that our actions align with our commitments as a group?”
Reply
ANGELINA ALICEA
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In a situation like this, I would first acknowledge the emotional weight of what happened. If a participant feels betrayed, especially after trusting the group with something personal and vulnerable, that’s not something to brush past. I would pause the session and bring the group together to address what happened, not to place blame, but to reflect on the breach of the confidentiality agreement we committed to.
I would ask a question that helps the group reflect on both the impact and the values at stake. Something like, “What does confidentiality mean in this space, and what happens when it’s broken?” or “How do we rebuild trust when it’s been compromised?”
My goal wouldn’t be to fix the relationship in the moment, but to help the group take responsibility for the dynamic and think about how they want to move forward. I would also make sure the participant who was affected has the chance to speak, if and when she’s ready, without being pressured. I would check in with both parties afterward to support their individual processing.
For me, trust is foundational. Without it, real learning and growth doesn’t happen. How the group navigates this could actually be an important learning opportunity.
Reply
Valentino Baguios
| #
As the Action Learning coach, since this happened outside of the session, I would raise the concern at the beginning of the next session and gently invite the group to reflect. I might say, “Let’s take a moment to check in—what’s happening in the group right now?” This opens space for awareness without assigning blame. I would then guide the team to revisit their initial agreements, especially the commitment to confidentiality, and ask, “Why is that important in Action Learning?” This reminds them that trust is foundational not only for psychological safety, but also for meaningful learning.
Without focusing on the individuals involved, I would facilitate a reflective dialogue around leadership—exploring how good intentions, like wanting to help, must still be exercised within agreed boundaries. Questions like, “How do leaders handle information that is sensitive or not theirs to act on?” and “What does accountability look like in this team?” help the group process the situation as a learning moment.
In the session as well, I would ensure that the team member who felt betrayed is supported, and if appropriate, offer her space to share what she needs to feel safe again. I would also encourage the group to co-create next steps—perhaps revisiting group norms, reaffirming trust, or acknowledging the impact of the breach. The goal is not to punish, but to enable the team to reflect, recalibrate, and grow as leaders—grounded in WIAL’s principles of learning through questioning, shared responsibility, and real-time leadership development.
Reply
Sherlyn May Tiglao
| #
That’s a very sensitive situation, and I would start by acknowledging the participant’s feelings and the importance of what was shared:
“Thank you for bringing this forward. I can see this has had a deep impact, and it’s important that we address it as a team.”
Before moving further, I would aim to verify the observation with the group in a neutral, non-judgmental way:
“One of the agreements we made as a team was to keep what’s shared in our Action Learning sessions confidential. It’s been raised that something discussed here may have been shared outside the group. Before we continue, can we take a moment to check in—have others noticed or experienced anything that might be related to this?”
This gives space for others to share their awareness and opens the door for honest dialogue. Once the team confirms the situation or adds more context, I’d gently move the discussion toward reflection and learning by asking:
“What is the impact of this situation on our group’s trust and learning environment?”
“What does this say about how we hold ourselves accountable to the agreements we make?”
“How might we move forward as a team from here?”
“What do we need to re-establish or change in our team norms to rebuild trust?”
The goal is not to call anyone out, but to encourage shared responsibility and learning from the breach.
Reply
Rickey Collado
| #
As an Action Learning Coach, navigating a breach of trust among participants is one of the most challenging situations to manage. Trust is foundational to the success of any Action Learning session, and without it, the integrity of the process is significantly compromised.
In a scenario like this, my first step would be to remind the group of the confidentiality agreement that was established at the beginning of the engagement. I would also highlight the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful space for open dialogue and learning, and the potential impact that broken trust can have on the effectiveness of the team and the learning process.
In addition to addressing the group, I would meet privately with the individuals involved. With the participant whose trust was compromised, I would acknowledge their experience and express empathy for how the situation has affected them. I would assure them that I take the matter seriously and that, as a coach, I am committed to creating an environment where this kind of situation does not recur.
With the individual who broke the trust, I would seek first to understand their perspective, allowing them to share their intentions and context. Once I’ve heard them out, I would clearly explain how their actions—intentional or not—have impacted the group, undermined psychological safety, and potentially diminished the willingness of others to engage fully moving forward.
Ultimately, my goal in this situation would be to restore trust, reinforce the values and structure of Action Learning, and guide the group back to a place where effective learning and collaboration can occur.
Reply