All of us have the propensity to be stubborn on occasion. I mean, it is a necessary survival tool.

It can also be a detriment as well. 

The joy of being coachable is at the heart of a growth mindset. The belief that what we do, can accomplish, or who we are directly related to our being open minded to critique, direction, or our ability to see things in a different light. 

So what is coachability?

Openness to feedback:

When we are confident in who we are, and want the ability to grow, accepting feedback is crucial in our overall growth. 

Do you want to know if your communication needs work? Ask for feedback.

Are you dealing with difficult customers correctly? Ask for feedback.

Do you need some assistance with time management? Ask for feedback.

Not all feedback is perfect, and it’s important to ask for it from the right people. These would be experts or mentors who may specialize in the areas you may need improvement with. 

Willingness to learn:

As many of us grow older, we tend to become a little more stuck in our ways. Part of that comes from the wisdom that you gain as you mature, but much of that is also a comfort response. In other words, it’s easier to just believe what you know to be true or “good enough” than to take the initiative to change a belief or habit.  

Having the humility and confidence to know that you don’t know everything is crucial in our path towards growth. First look to understand before looking to be understood.

Adaptability:

Probably one of the most important aspects of coachability. If you're open to feedback, and have a willingness to learn, then being able to put that information to good use needs to have adaptability. Change is hard. It’s why many people are stuck in their lives. They have a fear of the unknown. Being adaptable means you have a willingness to change. You can adapt to new habits, and accept the pains of personal and professional growth. As the owner here at Red Dog’s Roofing often says “I needed to be comfortable feeling uncomfortable in order to grow myself and the business.”

Another important aspect of being coachable is remaining humble, and having the ability to be reflective. Humility keeps us open to the fact that we can always learn from another source. We don’t know everything, and never will.

Being reflective gives us the ability to take an objective look at what we’ve learned, and how it can be best utilized to help guide us to where we need to be. If we’ve received feedback about something, reflecting on it will give us the opportunity to assess our past behaviors, and how new habits or behaviors could benefit us in the future.

Even mistakes should be reflected upon. What could I have done better? What went wrong, and how can I prevent this next time?

Being coachable means you can also be approachable. Management, or even your own employees, family, or friends know that they can come to you with any issue that needs to be resolved, knowing that you’ll be open to being coachable. You’ll take the time to hear people out and reflect upon the feedback you’ve been given.

Red Dog’s Roofing is a local, community focused roofing company based out of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, who have provided exterior remodeling solutions for generations. Their newest initiative is supplying guidance to the next generation of tradespeople by offering resources, encouragement, and solutions to make them more empowered choices in their careers and in their lives. http://www.reddogsroofing.com