A good coach helps you see the forest for the trees.

They give you feedback that you can’t give yourself. They know when to push you. They know when to tell you to take it easy.

A good coach knows your strengths. A good coach knows your weaknesses. They know when focusing on one and not the other will make all the difference.

Coaches ask the tough questions. They won’t let you off the hook.

They give you stretch assignments because they want to help you grow. They force you to be independent when every bit of you wants to stay dependent. They don’t let you fail without helping you learn from that failure. They don’t let you succeed without understanding exactly why you were successful.

A good coach teaches grit.

A good coach teaches presence.

They come from backgrounds similar and dissimilar to yours. They are in formal and informal leadership roles. They coach because someone once coached them, or because they wish someone had once coached them.

Coaches learn as much as they teach. They listen more than they speak. They understand more than they let on.

ANYONE can be a coach.

YOU should be a coach.

EVERYONE needs a coach.