One of the best decisions I have ever made was seeking out a leadership coach. The thought first occurred to me after reading Andy's book, The Next Generation Leader, a couple of years ago. Sort of like a small group, my leadership coach is the person that has the inside track on my leadership. Consequently, he is empowered to ask me the tough questions.
There are lots of people that I turn to for advice. Business leaders, church leaders, old people, young people. I rely on them for perspective that I may not be able to achieve sitting "inside." But, with my coach, it's different.
Not only does he offer advice and endure my rants, he challenges me. He is close enough to what I do that he knows what I do and don't do. Not from 24/7 observation (at least I don't think it is), but by paying attention to the metrics that matter. He has a sense of "what's really going on" by reading the data presented by my attitude, concerns, dreams, victories, failures, etc. and by the actual data of our church. When he senses that I am drifting, that I am not being clear, that I am not focusing on what matters most, he has the authority and my trust to ask about it.
Yesterday, he asked me some tough questions. Questions I have never been asked, and so, I have never had to answer. Answering them was painful. Being honest with myself, with him, and with God was not easy. But, it's necessary. And it's good. God has handed the pruning sheers to my coach. I'm thankful that he's not afraid to use them.
At the same time, I have never had a bigger cheerleader/encourager than my coach. He notices things that I would never notice on my own. And, rather than just assuming that I see it too, he calls it out and makes sure that I get the necessary encouragement out of it. It's a gift that he has that I don't. I tend to be too hard on myself. My coach helps me see the good stuff that I miss.
Coach, thanks for not being afraid to encourage and to prune. I'm better for it.
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