If Building Trust Is Important, How Do We Teach Novice Evaluators to Do It?

Abstract

People and relationships matter in evaluation. While our literature is replete with examples and guidance about how one might go about using interpersonal skills in practice and the reasons why these skills are important, the pedagogy of interpersonal skill development regarding evaluation remains underdeveloped. In this practice note, an evaluation educator shares an intentional, purposeful, and ongoing activity for helping novice evaluators learn to build trust with stakeholders during a semester-long evaluation practice course. An explanation for why the focus is on trust is presented before describing the learning activity itself. Next, a discussion of factors related to the enactment of this learning activity, including implications for evaluation pedagogy, are presented.