Can You Make Yourself Coachable?

Here's a simple guide to finding out how coachable you are and how you can make yourself coachable.

Do you think you are coachable?

Let's begin with the markers of coachability. Answer the following questions as best you can:

Do you actively want to improve your performance rather than just your knowledge?
Is there someone or a group of people you see as mentors or coaches?
Are your discussions with your mentor regular enough to have an impact on your knowledge and performance?
Lately, have you had a conversation that you would deem as coaching, and are you the coachee?
Have you recently learned something from someone?
Did you recently adjust your behaviour due to suggestions or insights gained through a chat with someone?

If you answered "yes" to all of these questions and can recall specific instances when they happened, then congratulations! You do not need to continue reading this article. What you'll read next is probably already familiar to you.

Why you should be coachable

Many people, especially managers and those aspiring to be executive or life coaches, want to develop their skills, and for a good reason: it improves the outcomes of coaching sessions. However, even the best coach cannot overcome an uncoachable individual.

The one and only way to coach someone who is uncoachable is if the individual chooses to be coachable. If you find yourself uncoachable because you responded no to several of the questions mentioned, you may see that there is still hope.

You can flip a switch to change from uncoachable to coachable. Remember that the coach's ability is secondary to your desire to be coached and change.

Why should you be coachable? The ability to learn from others is referred to as coachability. When you are coachable, you gain access to the knowledge and experience of others. You can also get the most out of criticism, become more self-aware, and be more adaptable to change.

Many people avoid coaching because they are unwilling to recognise their flaws or are worried that they cannot improve. It's known as a fixed mindset. Nothing prevents you from reaching your full potential more than a refusal to change or evolve.

4 steps toward being coachable

There are simply too many advantages to being coachable to ignore. If you believe you have not wholly benefited from it and wish to change that, here are some suggestions for improving your coachability.

Determine to work on yourself. Decide on the areas of your life where you want to progress and have a vision of the type of personal development you want to see in the near and distant future. It is usually beneficial to have both short-term and long-term goals. When you choose somebody to be your coach or mentor, be sure you have a clear plan for your personal development.
Be willing to learn while staying humble. The lessons will be delivered by various individuals, from formal to informal trainers. One of our biggest blunders is judging the individuals we speak with and ignoring learning opportunities with those we believe we are superior to.
Seek out coaching. Steer your own personal growth by seeking the assistance of individuals who can assist you as a mentor or coach. When someone offers to coach you, such as your supervisor or manager, there is a good chance they notice something you need to rectify or better. There's nothing wrong with that. If you truly want to progress, consider developmental coaching, where the purpose is to pursue your goals rather than just treat a performance issue.
Ensure that there are follow-ups and check-ins. Coaching is a partnership, not a one-time transaction. Many coaching efforts fail because the coach and coachee have an embarrassing dialogue about a specific performance issue and expect things to improve as a result of that one discussion. Or they don't. They only have to go through that discussion as a symbolic intervention they do not expect to succeed. When you seek coaching, request regular review meetings to analyse your progress and re-calibrate developmental approaches and efforts.

Take a moment to study some of the most effective coaching partnerships. You can observe them in sports where coaching is needed, and athletes/talents seek it. No matter how talented, those who don't seek coaching will be laid off and overtaken by those who can adjust to perform better.

No one pursues sports believing they have reached the pinnacle of performance and will not require additional coaching to improve. Seeking assistance on your developmental journey is the quickest way to grow.