So what makes a *good* coach or advisor then?

Let's get this part covered off the bat: I'm willing to bet that a lot of you read my last post and thought that I was just another snowflake, making excuses for snowflakes just like me.

Maybe you're not the people I'm talking to, then :)

Because here's the thing - a great coach or advisor *will* push you. They *will* challenge you.

On the other hand, they will *not* gaslight you. They will not indulge their narcissism by undercutting your confidence until you crave their approval. They will not tell you that you need to be a different person to reach your goals.

A good advisor or coach will help you *recognize and use your strengths* and to make choices that will improve or take advantage of your situation. They'll give you *opportunities* to think differently. They'll use their insight to help you develop your own.

I'm not saying it's all sunshine and rainbows. Being coachable (and providing great coaching!) is *hard*. Setting ego aside for the sake of a partnership built around achieving a shared goal is *hard*. It takes trust. And sometimes there are non-negotiables.

Here's one example: As an outsourced CFO and business advisor, my job is to help my clients run successful businesses, whatever their definition of success is. There's one condition that I have to *impose* on the way to that goal - Consistent. Positive. Cash Flow. Without that, you don't have a business.

The rest? Totally up to my clients! I may not understand or even like some of what they want, but that's not the point. Beyond helping them achieve that positive cash flow, *I* am not dictating the objectives of those relationships. *I* am there to help my clients reach *their own* goals.

That means that I need to concern myself with a whole hell of a lot more than just what a well-heeled A-type influencer dude would do. I need to understand why that goal is important to my client. I need to understand what they're willing to do and what they aren't to get there. I need to know how they want to treat their partners and influence the communities around them. And I need to understand at least a little about how they think and feel about business, money, relationships, effort, and tons of other things. Maybe most importantly, I need *permission* to push my clients if I'm going to push them.

It's not up to me to break anyone down to rebuild them in Gary V's image. It's up to me to help people realize their own idea of their potential and the potential that their businesses have.

Tell me your thoughts! And feel free to shout out other coaches and advisors who've helped you reach *your* goals instead of inflicting their own on you. Let's celebrate those folks :)