Ginny Wilson-Peters' Blog

Whether it’s a role model, mentor, or coach… what characteristics or qualities do you look for in a guide?

Last week, John Maxwell’s blog, “Qualities of a Good Guide” came across my inbox and reminded me of the importance of building relationships with others that you know will help you develop personally and professionally. Maxwell said, “Regardless of your level of natural talent, you will not reach your potential in life without the guidance of others. It’s hard to grow with no one else to follow but yourself.” So how do you select the role model, mentor, or coach to help you reach your potential?

Maxwell suggests looking for a guide with the following characteristics:

1) A Passion for Personal Growth – how will someone help you grow if they don’t have a passion for it themselves?
2) A Trustworthy Example – do they “walk the walk”?
3) Proven Experience – knowledge comes from experience, what can they teach you?
4) Friendship & Support – do they have an invested interest in you as a person?
5) Competence – can they be a “good” guide?

The blog also made me think of one of my favorite coaching quotes from Tom Landry, legendary NFL Coach, who once said, “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear – so you can see what you don’t want to see – so you can be what you’ve always wanted to be.”

I’d love to hear what you think… what characteristics do you find most helpful in choosing a guide?

To read more, visit John Maxwell’s Blog at www.johnmaxwell.com.

Kris – Thank you for sharing the article with us!

Would you like to be notified the next time I post? Sign up for our blog emails and happy reading!