Are you a critic, cheerleader or coach?

The cheerleaders and critics in our lives are easy to find. Good coaches are a rare and invaluable resource.

It's easy to surround ourselves with cheerleaders or critics in anything we do.

Cheerleaders offer endless praise and positivity without giving constructive feedback. Critics do the opposite, finding fault in almost everything we do without showing how to improve. Both can be detrimental to growth. What we need instead are coaches - people who strike a balance between encouragement and honest critique.

Cheerleaders may boost our confidence and self-esteem in the short term. But their feedback could be more specific and generalised to help us improve.

Telling someone "you're doing great", regardless of the actual performance, does not provide incentive or direction to reach excellence.

Blind optimism and compliments hinder improvement.

Critics offer the flip side, an overly sceptical eye for flaws without care or guidance. Critics focus on what is going wrong and need a remedy to get it right.

Their negative tone can knock down even the most confident person and drain motivation. Constructive criticism is very different from criticism that aims to tear down.

Coaches fill the vital middle ground. They take the time to understand our talents and abilities to establish a development plan. Goals are set, progress is monitored, and feedback is given in the spirit of moving forward, not mere judgment.

Coaches personally demonstrate what the proper technique looks like and how to correct mistakes. They instil confidence while also pushing us to grow beyond our comfort zone.

The cheerleaders and critics in our lives are easy to find. But actual coaches are a rare and invaluable resource.

Their mix of support, honesty, expertise and commitment makes them the ideal mentors to accelerate our improvement in any skill or endeavour. Rather than surround yourself with unbalanced praise or criticism, seek an experienced coach to optimise your potential.

"Help others achieve their dreams and you will achieve yours." ― Les Brown