The Development and Implementation of an Interpersonal Skills Training Course for Young and Emerging Evaluators

Out of all the American Evaluation Association competency domains, evaluators report the least confidence in their interpersonal abilities and believe this is an area they need further training to develop. This study sought to remedy this gap by creating an interpersonal skills training course for young and emerging evaluators. A three-stage mixed methods design was employed to develop, pilot test, and implement a comprehensive interpersonal skills training course. Findings from the pre-course and post-course assessments as well as in-depth qualitative interviews revealed participants increased their knowledge of the interpersonal skills needed in evaluation practice, confidence in their interpersonal abilities, and ability to use targeted interpersonal skills in practice. The findings suggest the value and importance of creating a dedicated interpersonal skills training course for evaluators and showcase a training format that is well positioned to equip evaluators to handle the interpersonal aspects of evaluation practice.