There is a glaring irony in life. Those that are at the top of a game know they need more insight and help to keep getting better. Those that are not even in the game think they have the answers. I guess this is why those that seek to be the best become the best. They understand that others help them get there.
World class athletes have a coach or several coaches. I enjoy reading about those relationships and how the athlete keeps enjoying greater results from being coachable. The same mentality is required in business for achieving more. Here are four ways to be coachable:
- Eat and Drink Humility. Coachable people realize they do not know everything. Benjamin Franklin said, “Pride is a funny disease. It makes everyone sick except the person who has it.” Humility has to be chosen in order to see clearly. Without it, there is no opportunity to grow.
- Ask Great Questions. Einstein’s mother used to ask him every day after school, “What questions did you ask today?” People who cannot be coached have stopped asking great questions. They are in auto-pilot. Either their passion is gone or their self-esteem keeps them from engaging people who have answers.
- Invest In Yourself. If you were different in how you think, would you get different results? Obvious answer. Irrational behaviors, however. In our knowledge economy, what would it be worth to grow in knowledge? Coachable people connect knowledge to results. They connect knowledge to dollars. They value what they pay for and pay for what they value.
- Constantly Upgrade. We can observe the rigidity in our parents and grandparents as they age. They love the routine and seem to stay safe. The funny thing is that we become them. They were once us. If you do not flex a muscle, it will atrophy. Train your brain to keep refining. Look for better ways. Never be content. The world around you is constantly upgrading. If you are not in the same mindset, then you will feel the effects of old age.
Coaching does not work for non-coachable people. Success will be limited if you cannot grow. The neat thing is that it is a choice. You are who you have been becoming. What will you choose?
