Lead, Mentor, Train, Tutor, Coach, Manage: Is there a difference?

Yes, there is a difference and part of that difference is in the follower, but first the question at hand -

Mentoring: where there is a mutual relationship with an intentional agenda to convey specific content along with life wisdom from one individual to another. (Howard Hendricks, The Elements of Mentoring)

Coaching/Training: an advising relationship in which an expert walks alongside another individual through a process or set of decisions and/or disciplines. (in part Howard Hendricks, The Elements of Mentoring)

Tutoring: one-on-one private individual instruction that is customized to meet specific needs

Managing: a hierarchal relationship in which in which the senior person handles, directs, governs, or controls the people and processes on an orginization despite hardship and difficulties

Leading: influencing others at all times; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in part through mentoring, training, discipling, tutoring, and/or coaching

Too many of us limit our belief of Leading to speaking at a seminar, leading a class/small group, "managing" people, etc. Yet, while Leading will often include one or more of these areas, most of us have been wrongly trained that to lead we have to be in a position of recognized authority; out in front; respected. We've been taught that Leading is specific to a time or place. That is incredibibly bad thinking and behavior. Whereas mentoring, training, tutoring, coaching, and managing have specific time sets, Leading is continuous, all encompassing.

Randy Pennington, in his excellent book, RESULTS RULES!, does a great job emphasizing the importance of results; good or bad. After hearing Mr. Pennington speak, reading his book, and reflecting on what all he has to say, I've realized how LEADING RULES! also.

Good or bad, you and I are LEADING every hour, of every day...and that RULES! who we are and how people react to us. We are following also and both dratiscally effects the sphere of influence and how well we trust and are trusted.

One of my life disciplines the past 16+ years is..."I will be the same 5 years from today, as I am today, except for what I listen to, what I watch, the books I read, and the people with whom I associate."

And finally, where does following fit into all of this? EVERWHERE. We have to be good followers to be good at any of this.
Pay attention, be purposeful, follow well.

To that end....

Danny