Coachable?
Posted in Advice | 16 Comments
You don’t know everything.
You do know that, don’t you?
Continual learning is a basic necessity to professional improvement and in many cases it’s other people who will help you get there.
But only if you’re coachable. Are you?
To be coachable means to be…
- Approachable
- Attentive
- Receptive
- Curious
- Objective
- Trusting
- Shapeable
- Confident
It means you must listen with the intent to learn rather than to show what you know.
To be coachable means to lack arrogance and defensiveness… to minimize pride and ego. Completely teachable. Completely trainable. Completely malleable.
(Is there anything more frustrating than the know-it-all in the room?)
To be completely perfect, to need no more training or coaching, is to stagnate or die – and in many cases, to be dismissed. To know everything is to be un… believable.
The best professionals at all levels (and in most fields) require coaching to improve and they know it.
Are you one of them? Check yourself with the 8 points below.
Managers: How much development attention are you giving to your team? 20% of your week would be a full day of nothing but development time… 40% would be two full days, beginning to end.
Professionals: Don’t have a "coaching" manager? Consider finding a development or accountability partner.
____________________
A quick 8-point check on your coachability…
Which of these are true and to what extent?
- I usually allow my manager and others to complete their sentences before responding. (If you don’t, it’s not a good sign.)
- When I’m given feedback/ criticism, I usually think about it before responding, waiting just a bit. (If you don’t, you’re likely not giving it real consideration.)
- When I’m given feedback/ criticism, I rarely find myself defending a position or action immediately. (If this is true, you’re probably trying to really learn how you can improve.)
- When I’m given feedback/ criticism, I ask questions about it in order to try to better understand it. (A good sign.)
- I feel my work’s purpose is to serve my external customers. ("You’re gonna have to serve somebody." – Bob Dylan)
- I feel my work’s purpose is to serve my internal customers (managers, colleagues, other departments).
- I’ve changed/ revised my position/ approach because of the advice of another individual. (If not, how coachable do you really think you are? No one is always right.)
- My manager invests time in my professional development (If s/he doesn’t, it might be because of a perception that you’re uncoachable).
There’s no rating scale here. These questions are simply meant to raise awareness (when answered as objectively and truthfully).
____________________
A quick habit to improve your coachability…
After you’re given feedback/ criticism, before responding, ask a question…
- How do you mean?
- Can you tell me more about that?
- Can we talk that through so I understand it better?
Now go be coachable.~>
__________
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I needed these reminders…Thank you
Very useful info, as always ..
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Great article and very timely. I can use these concepts with my clients in my coaching business.
Thanks !
Definitely applicable in my job as a coach supporting teachers to improve classroom management skills; and more so for myself to understand where they are at as far as really being motivated to improve. This gave me additional insight. To apply it to myself is also important. Thank you.
Every young person who wanted to make it big time in life,not just just life but meaningful one, needs this post or site to make it.i personaaly thank God for your life.keep the fire burning and more people will change for better.God bless you
Powerful – Full of Power!
I love these tips. My favorite line is ‘It means you must listen with the intent to learn rather than show what you know.’ I have forwarded them to athletic coaches (one is putting it in his player handbook this year) and to my daughter who just started a new position. They are great reminders to review regularly, regardless of how long you have been on the job. Thank you!
[...] Coachable? [...]
Thank you for these helpful tips. It’s not always easy to be humble and accept feedback, but it truly is the only way to grow as a person and as a professional.
Thank you for this. I’m going to print and review this weekly to help me at a new job I’m starting. I think this is especially important when starting a new project/job since u will be learning and get a lot of criticism. Thanks again.
I am a work in progress, Thanks.
I teach a graduate level course in a school of teacher education. In that course the students identify their strengths and growth areas and develop a plan for improvement. I’m going to share this information with them. Thank you!
This is a great guideline as to how to be more coachable! There is always room to learn and to improve. I am taking these helpful tips, and will be adding them to my life!
Thank you!
Good reminders not just for our own personal use but to also share with your team members, especially those in supervisory and manager roles. Great timing as well as many of us are getting ready to provide annual year end evalutions and this is a great professional development conversation opener.
LOVE this! Thank you