--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Become a coach, not a king. A coach…" description: "\"Become a coach, not a king. A coach brings out the best in others, helping them to reach deep down inside and discover their potential. A king only giv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/john-c-maxwell-113_coach_become-a-coach-not-a-king-a-coach-brings_83614.jpg" --- # Become a coach, not a king. A coach brings out the best in… ![“Become a coach, not a king. A coach brings out the best in others, helping them to reach deep down inside and discover their potential. A king only gives commands.” quote by John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/john-c-maxwell-113_coach_become-a-coach-not-a-king-a-coach-brings_83614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/john-c-maxwell-113_coach_become-a-coach-not-a-king-a-coach-brings_83614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/john-c-maxwell-113_coach_become-a-coach-not-a-king-a-coach-brings_83614.jpg) > “Become a coach, not a king. A coach brings out the best in others, helping them to reach deep down inside and discover their potential. A king only gives commands.” [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership is more effective when it empowers others rather than imposing authority, fostering personal growth and self‑discovery. **In simple terms:** Empower, not command. Key Takeaway Leadership is about unlocking potential. Themes Leadership Empowerment Mentorship Personal Growth Influence Mood Inspirational Motivational Optimistic Type Advice Leadership Insight When to use this quote - Team meetings - Corporate training - Sports teams - Community projects - Educational settings Key Concepts Coaching Authority Motivation Self‑actualization Practical Applications - Design mentorship programs - Develop leadership workshops Questions to Reflect On - How can you shift from directing to facilitating? - What habits nurture a coaching mindset? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Deep down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-down/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) ## Related quotes > [There are small things that every coach brings when they go to a new team. Like, you need to press this way or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitar-berbatov/there-are-small-things-that-every-coach-brings-when-they-go-to-a-new/) [Dimitar Berbatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitar-berbatov/) > [King gives you this 'bro' stuff and tells you that the white man did this and we should stick together. Then he starts cutting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-tex-cobb/king-gives-you-this-bro-stuff-and-tells-you-that-the-white-man-did/) Randall "Tex" Cobb > [I think every coach brings their own personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-vogel/i-think-every-coach-brings-their-own-personality/) [Frank Vogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-vogel/) > [If the King gives up,he is not the King any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slf/if-the-king-gives-up-he-is-not-the-king-any-more/) Slf > [Whenever the circus would come to town, I would tell Ethan all kinds of kinky clown domination stories involving the leather clown, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/whenever-the-circus-would-come-to-town-i-would-tell-ethan-all-kinds/) [John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/) > [I am a person who believes in the good of people and who may have had things influence them to a certain degree, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-north/i-am-a-person-who-believes-in-the-good-of-people-and-who-may-have-had/) [Nolan North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-north/) > [Deep down, fundamentally, we are the 'unborn'. We never came into being and we never go out of being. All of these coming and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/deep-down-fundamentally-we-are-the-unborn-we-never-came-into-being/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [Famous people are deceptive. Deep down, they're just regular people. Like Larry King. We've been friends for forty years. He's one of the few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/famous-people-are-deceptive-deep-down-they-re-just-regular-people/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“If we can’t wake up to the fact that deep down inside we are good, then we deserve to remain asleep dreaming we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lon-milo-duquette/if-we-can-t-wake-up-to-the-fact-that-deep-down-inside-we-are-good/) [Lon Milo DuQuette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lon-milo-duquette/) > [I think of myself as being a bit of a wimp deep down - a bourgeois wimp - and I'm fighting that. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/i-think-of-myself-as-being-a-bit-of-a-wimp-deep-down-a-bourgeois-wimp/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [Why exactly are we so frightened of death that we avoid looking at it altogether? Somewhere, deep down, we know we cannot avoid facing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/why-exactly-are-we-so-frightened-of-death-that-we-avoid-looking-at-it/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We believe deep down that we've lost something precious and are seeking it outside ourselves, never realizing that we are carrying it within us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsoknyi-rinpoche/we-believe-deep-down-that-we-ve-lost-something-precious-and-are/) [Tsoknyi Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsoknyi-rinpoche/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) ## More by John C. Maxwell > [“Why do so many people do nothing? I think it’s because most of us look at the evils and injustice around us, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/why-do-so-many-people-do-nothing-i-think-it-s-because-most-of-us-look/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [You cannot have growth without change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/you-cannot-have-growth-without-change/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/change-is-inevitable-growth-is-optional/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Goals not only help you develop initial motivation by making your dreams obtainable, but they also help you continue to be motivated and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/goals-not-only-help-you-develop-initial-motivation-by-making-your/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Vision is a picture of a desired future; a picture of something that I don't possess right now, but it is something I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/vision-is-a-picture-of-a-desired-future-a-picture-of-something-that-i/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [If you want to make your mother happy, talk to her. If you want to make your father happy, listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-make-your-mother-happy-talk-to-her-if-you-want-to-make/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Experiences isn't the best teacher - evaluated experience is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/experiences-isn-t-the-best-teacher-evaluated-experience-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [A big man is one who makes us feel bigger when we are with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-big-man-is-one-who-makes-us-feel-bigger-when-we-are-with-him/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Passion gives you an advantage over others, because one person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/passion-gives-you-an-advantage-over-others-because-one-person-with/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I thought if I was open and honest, it would help the reader to get open and honest, and they also would realize sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/i-thought-if-i-was-open-and-honest-it-would-help-the-reader-to-get/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [A person who has a dream knows what he is willing to give up in order to go up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/a-person-who-has-a-dream-knows-what-he-is-willing-to-give-up-in-order/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [The bottom line on attitude is that a good one helps to increase your possibilities. Pessimists usually get what they expect. So do optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-bottom-line-on-attitude-is-that-a-good-one-helps-to-increase-your/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Working together precedes winning together...collaboration is multiplication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/working-together-precedes-winning-together-collaboration-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Leaders don't rise to the pinnacle of success without developing the right set of attitudes and habits; they make every day a masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/leaders-don-t-rise-to-the-pinnacle-of-success-without-developing-the/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Your leadership skills determine the level of your success, and the success of those who work around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/your-leadership-skills-determine-the-level-of-your-success-and-the/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) [Explore all 1,233 John C. Maxwell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## More Coach quotes > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I think it's very important to have contact with the players that I will coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-have-contact-with-the-players-that-i/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [No one likes a change of coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/no-one-likes-a-change-of-coach/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) > [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. It's a greater responsibility than most people give it credit for because you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/as-far-as-being-a-coach-it-s-always-fascinated-me-it-s-a-greater/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [Mourinho is a great coach. He has told me he believes in me, both in person but also publicly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-he-has-told-me-he-believes-in-me-both-in/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) [Browse all 2,963 Coach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Become a coach, not a king. A coach brings out the best in others, helping them to reach deep down inside and discover their potential. A king only gives commands.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John C. 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