In Essential Dynamics we use the term **guide** to describe that key professional advisor, because it portrays the best balance of client ownership and professional expertise. If you want to undertake a perilous journey, you engage a **guide** to assist. It is still your journey, you must take all the steps, but the guide walks with you, sharing insight and wisdom just when you need it. A guide can help you step back and see the system from a more holistic and objective view. Essential Dynamics views the challenges of life, organizations and society in the context of the [[Quest]]. The Quest follows the patterns from literature known as [[The Hero's Journey]]. A guide acts as the mentor figure, a key role in [[200601 Hero's Journey - Early Connections to Essential Dynamics]]. >The Mentor provides motivation, insights and training to help the Hero overcome his doubts and fears and prepare for the Journey. Often the Mentor has traveled the road before and can provide needed guidance to a Hero who is reluctant to face the unknown. > >Stuart Voytilla Mentor can be considered a "gift word", where it is a title which can only be bestowed by someone else, with their admiration and gratitude. # See also - [[_Essential Dynamics Wiki/1. Concepts/Leadership]] - [[The Management Attention Deficit Problem]] %% # Contrasting Titles All this is from Merriam Webster - guide - *one that leads or directs another's way* - coach - *one who instructs or trains, especially one who instructs players in the fundamentals of a sport and directs team strategy* - in current business use, one who gets the most out of you without provide any direct advice or counsel. "How do you feel when you say that?" - mentor - *a trusted counselor or guide* - [[Roy Group]] calls mentor a "gift word" which you cannot apply to yourself. - teacher - *one that teaches* - consultant - *one who gives professional advice or services, expert* - advisor - *someone who gives advice* - expert - *one with the special skill or knowledge representing mastery of a particular subject* - counsellor - *a person who gives advice or counselling* - too tied into psychological counselling - leader - *person who leads: such as guide, conductor* - sage - *one (such as a profound philosopher) distinguished for wisdom* Interesting that in guide is the only term that refers to the person being guided - "another" Part of [[Divine Aid]] Counterpart to [[Service]] Maybe this is **help others** and **receive help from others**