Are you a coach or a guru?
A great coach gets people to achieve by pushing them further than they think they can go, keeping the pressure intense.
When we were preparing students for jobs with vertical structure – bosses with bosses – the skill of being pushed by a coach was valuable.
A great guru shows people where the goal is and how to get there, and then gets out of the way, letting the drive come from within their students.
More and more, the world is valuing autonomy and self-motivation. What our students need are gurus who can point and encourage, but allow students to develop the internal strength they will need to succeed.
Are you a coach or a guru?