Goals Gone Wild October 6, 2006

Are You Coachable?

Matthew Poepsel, LeftBrain/Co-Founder

The other day, I'm proud to say that I received a very nice compliment. (Aw, shucks.) No, I wasn't recognized for my killer dance moves or my dapper 'do. This compliment was even nearer and dearer to my heart. During a post-meeting debrief, a woman I work with mentioned that she thought I was "very coachable".

For a self-improvement junkie like me, that was music to my ears.

24 hours earlier, we had been discussing my style of interviewing prospective candidates. In our conversation, she provided some constructive feedback with specific examples of where I might improve next time. I told myself that I would try to make the necessary adjustments. Apparently, I made some meaningful progress in an interview the next day, which led to her compliment.

Hooray, me! (I believe in celebrating personal victories - thanks for being there to share.)

Now back to reality. I may have gotten it right that time, but there are plenty of examples when I've missed opportunities to improve some aspect of my game. I may not have taken the time to stop and think about an improvement opportunity. Or perhaps I didn't have the personal courage to admit that there was a gap in the first place. Being coachable requires introspection, an open mind, and the willingness to change. That can be a tall order at times.

So, do you consider yourself to be coachable? Here's the best way to answer that question. When was the last time you received some constructive feedback and used that new perspective to adjust your behavior or way of thinking? Be specific. Don't cheese out on us. (Sorry, that could've been more constructive - I'll work on that.)

Just in case you're interested, here's a quick look at my recommended process for improving your overall coachability:

Proactively Seek Feedback - Help other people help you. Ask for feedback on your own performance in key situations. Ask important questions like "How do you think that went?" or "What do you think I could have done better?" or "When's lunch?". Open the door for others to help you help them help yourself. (Or something like that.)

Take Ownership - When you receive that feedback you seek, take it to heart. Appreciate that it comes from a different perspective that may actually be a blind spot for you. Try to remain open minded and make a commitment to improve. If you regularly discount the opinions of others, you may be missing out on growth opportunities that will help you succeed in the future.

Envision the Change - Think about how things might be different once you incorporate the feedback and make the necessary adjustments. If you receive feedback suggesting that you could ask more questions, think about the questions you might like to ask in a future setting. Prepare to succeed.

Exercise the Change - Follow through on the change when the opportunity arises. Goals expert Brian Tracy reminds us that the keys to success lie not only in what you learn but rather in what you do. Changing your behavior starts in your mind, but it must manifest in your actions.

Gauge the Response - Follow-up after the change to see if you've made meaningful progress. In this stage, there are two important people to engage. One is that someone who provided the original feedback - they're in the best position to independently rate your before-and-after. The second is you! How well you feel you internalized and incorporated the change is the most important element of all.

Whether or not you get complimented on your coachability, be confident that your ability to accept feedback and adapt is a major stepping stone toward your future success. Changing your life situation will always require changing your way of thinking and your behavior - it's the only way up!

And as always, if you have feedback for me, I'd love to hear it.

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