Trust Deficit and Coaching Breakdown: Insight from a B2B Sales Team Intervention

Abstract

This study investigates the implementation of a coaching program in a B2B sales organization in Indonesia. Initially intended to enhance team performance, the intervention unexpectedly uncovered deeper organizational barriers related to trust and structural clarity. A qualitative exploratory case study approach was used to examine how trust deficits shaped the effectiveness of coaching in a sales environment characterized by ambiguity and competition. The population consisted of six sales team members and one internal observer, with the coaching process spanning eight weekly sessions. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, reflective notes, and organizational artifacts. The findings reveal that coaching unintentionally surfaced systemic issues, including lack of transparency in client assignments, absence of performance benchmarks, and internal mistrust. Rather than driving performance outcomes, coaching served as a diagnostic lens through which these hidden dynamics were exposed. A conceptual model was developed to illustrate the role of trust, leadership behavior, and psychological safety in shaping coaching effectiveness. The study concludes that organizational readiness—both relational and structural—is essential for coaching interventions to succeed.