Notion of a Sherpa

Definition of Sherpa
- a member of a Tibetan people living on the high southern slopes of the Himalayas in eastern Nepal and known for providing support for foreign trekkers and mountain climbers

I've been using this phrase of being a relationship sherpa in various places and as part of my elevator pitch. I thought it sounded cool and intriguing. What I've come to realize is that it's also a really good word to describe what I do.

In the traditional sense Sherpas support climbers in Nepal. The key though is in how they provide that support. The outfitter that sells the climbing gear supports the climbers as well by selling them the equipment they need. What they don't do though is go along for the journey and the climb. 

Sherpas are right there alongside their clients and accompany them every step of the way. This is also how I see my role with my coaching clients. I stick with them until they achieve their goals. This is the key. Some people provide advice and others may step in and help with some aspect but it's only the Sherpa that's there for the whole journey.

I'm glad that I finally figured out why this resonated so well with me...