What is a coach?
A: A private tutor,
B: One who instructs or trains; An acting coach, especially one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a sport and directs team strategy; A football coach
The preceding is the Webster’s Online Dictionary definition of a coach.
I thought it might be interesting to start the discussion with a definition that was published and widely accepted. If I asked 10 people for their definition of a coach the answers would likely vary between: motivator; role model; trainer; instructor; teacher; mentor; guide; or manager. Any one or combination of these answers would be correct. They are, at the very least, adjectives that describe the qualities of a coach. The reality is that the concept of a coach means different things to different people. We should accept that and embrace it for what it is. Different work environments or developmental stages in our life require many facets of coaching for us to be ultimately successful.