The Right Coach

By Ron Hunter, Jr.

Who would you pick to coach you? If you are a golfer, you might select any of the top PGA tour players to help your swing. Who would you select for a tutor if you love church history? To become a better leader, you might select Maxwell, Bennis, Drucker, Burns, or another well-known leadership author. Who would help you connect better as a parent or grandparent?

Whatever your passion, what would it mean to spend 30 minutes each week with an expert in that field? Odd question: Is your profession your passion? If not, you might need to do some prayerful soul searching to recalibrate and rediscover that passion. If yes, then you owe it to yourself and the people you lead to fuel that passion regularly. Every solid leadership book suggests you must be growing and developing for those you lead to grow as well. The question is how are you stretching and learning?

The disciplines you adopt define you and your accomplishments. Whether you want to find insightful ways to parent, relate as a spouse, counsel as a grandparent, or develop as a leader, listening to leading experts can help you achieve those goals. Where can you find such a coach and what is the consulting fee?

There are three logical places to find this “deeper level” of coaching. The first is to attend a conference on the topic or topics in which you desire to become more proficient. The conference option requires the biggest investment, but you can hear from many leaders in one setting. Conferences allow you to interact with speakers and attendees, providing multiple learning experiences.

The second option for coaching gives you six to 12 hours with one coach depending on how long a book he or she wrote. Yes, this developmental opportunity requires reading. Pick from many great titles, but pick one where the author and publisher have credentials to truly help. Reading provides access to a coach and learning you might never have access to in person. Libraries have long been a bastion of learning, providing thousands of “coaches” you can take home with you.

A final and no-cost way to bring a coach into your world is through podcasts. Do you have time driving to and from work or while running errands? Turn off the music, as it is only bubblegum for your ears, and turn on substantive content. Podcasts deliver weekly content and coaching that speak into your selected area of ministry, family, and other significant relationships. Listening to podcasts forms a normal part of many people’s routines.

Such coaching could change your world and the lives of those around you. Look at it this way: spending time with one of these leaders is like having your own personal coach in all the areas that truly matter. While Randall House offers both a conference and reading opportunities (see sidebar), our newest coaching opportunity is the free D6 Podcast. This podcast, offered weekly, features experts in areas such as leadership, family, marriage, youth ministry, grandparenting, children’s ministry, pastoring, and many other family-ministry related topics. Imagine what listening for 30 minutes each week could do for you and your church ministry. Invite your ministry leaders and parents to learn along with you.

The D6 Podcast is free and easy to subscribe to via your phone or computer. Check out www.d6family.com/podcast for instructions on subscribing and to listen.

Who will be your coach? You make the call. Attend a conference, grab a book, listen to a podcast, and keep developing as a leader. You cannot teach what you have not learned. Your church cannot grow beyond what you know. And you cannot expect healthy growth without practicing healthy habits.

About the Writer: Ron Hunter Jr., Ph.D., is executive director/CEO of Randall House. Learn more at www.RandallHouse.com.