Are Modern Leadership Terms of Art Trying to Replace Good Ole Fashion Friendships?

Last night, I met with a friend.  We don’t know each other very long, but we have established a true friendship.  We share stories, we listen from nothing about each other’s life events (judgment free), and we offer moral support about everything and anything….and occasionally offer some advice that may or may not be acted on…which is irrelevant.  It is all about the experience, the relationship, the “FRIENDSHIP” that is being created.		I remember when I used to call up or just hang out with a friend and we would spend hours chatting just about anything.   From those conversations, ideas were born, actions were taken, and forward momentum was made. Just about any topic was fair game and it left the bond between my friend and me that much greater.  Therapist were for life’s extraordinary circumstances …not for everyday living life.
Coaching, Mentoring, Leading or Therapy….are they synonymous? Synonymous to what? “FRIENDSHIP”			When I first started at my current place of employment nearly 20 years ago, one of the owners shared a message with me that generally said, [I know you can achieve your goals quickly, however, I ask that you slow down and build relationships along the journey to the finish line. This will allow you to be quicker in the long run.]  That advice has served me well over the last 20 years of my career.  Life is all about relationships.  I am a believer that if we spent more time kindling relationships with the people that are or should be important in our lives, we would have less of a need to rely on coaches, mentors, leaders or therapist for the basic things in life and keep those professions for the extraordinary circumstances in our lives.  AND, just maybe, we would feel more connected to our own lives by spending more time with friends. Be a friend...It's a great way to learn about yourself, give back to others and create a life with purpose.
I can officially say that I coach people, mentor people, lead people, counsel people…etc.  What does that really mean? Now there are technical definitions for each of these terms of art.  Joanne Hunt the leader of New Ventures North, offers the following definitions (Hunt 2000): • Managing – Providing clear, concise focus on outcomes, deliverables and due dates to the team • Leading – Providing inspiration and encouraging the team towards a vision which embodies new possibilities • Mentoring – Providing expert advice and guidance, taking members of the team under ones wing and	providing a role model which the team can aspire to being • Coaching – Providing a development focus for new competencies, qualities and ways of being as team members.  However, I would argue that, in my own words, all those definitions mean the same….to inspire, converse about the possibilities, sometimes offer an opinion and sometimes just offer moral support, offer encouragement, etc. Hmmmm, doesn’t that sound a lot like what many of used to call “a friend” for.