Looking for capital for your business or investors for your company? Then you need a killer executive summary in your business plan.

When I was a little boy, my great-grandfather had a scarecrow in his garden. I often wondered if the scarecrow ever really fooled anyone or anything that came near it. According to my great-grandfather, it worked on those creatures that were easily scared, fooled or didn’t know better. Today, I have come to think of certain executive marketing officers in this manner: If they put up a strong front, no one will question what they are doing or why they are doing it.

When writing a business proposal, the executive summary is arguably the most important component. You should write it as if the success of the entire proposal rests upon it.

Common sense dictates that before you build a security infrastructure, you need to understand what you’re trying to secure.

You get through college with IQ, but you get through life with EQ-emotional intelligence. 80% of the qualities that lead to success are “soft”skills, EQ. People with high EQ experience less stress, enjoy better health, demonstrate higher levels of morale and performance, and report a better quality of life. It’s competencies like resilience, optimism, intentionality, and empathy. It’s applicable to team work, leadership, motivation, negotiation, ethics, and sales. EQ isn’t new, but full recognition of its value is.

What is executive coaching? Coaches help executives increase their productivity, work relationships and work satisfaction, and the quality of their lives and that of the organization by increasing their emotional intelligence. They also help the executive define authenticity and values. Skills, training, education and experience will get you in the game, but the higher up you go, the more your emotional intelligence makes the difference.

Just as shamans, snake doctors and financial folks once freely dispensed unregulated advice and wares to the public, business coaching currently requires no specific training, experience or credentials. Any organization or individual, including your neighbor, bartender or hairdresser, can legally profess to be a coach.