Fellow coaches:

We should never be a part of their nervousness. Their anxiety. Their fear. Their self doubt. They do enough of that to themselves. 

We NEED to be the leader they need. The person that helps them work through the hard. The person who teaches them how to deal with the tough. The person who is a living example of calm and stoic. The person that builds them up. The person that helps them with confidence. 

Sure, they need honesty but if you want that “honesty” to hit right, you need to build that trust. You need that connection with them. You need that relationship. They need to know you are there for them and care about them.