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Galileo made an interesting comment many years ago that has become a coaching mantra: "You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover himself."
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It's the trait that coaches strive to harness in athletes, that teachers work to build up in students, and that employers seek to develop in employees. Being coachable doesn't imply that a person needs to overhaul his or her entire personality, or put aside the way he or she has been approaching work thus far. It's not a matter of being manipulated or molded into someone else's image of what one should be. Being coachable is being willing to expand our comfort zone; to take the blinders off and take a serious look at areas where we can learn more, progress more, and mature more.
Research on coachability in sports conducted by Kearns, Campbell, Bufford, & Grant (2006) revealed an interesting anomaly: athletes often rated themselves as much more coachable than their coaches perceived them to be. So while a lot of employees may believe that they're flexible and open to feedback, being coachable often proves to be a greater challenge than expected. It requires the ability to put aside one's ego and listen to constructive criticism, and to humbly admit weakness and be open to change. This isn't an easy feat, but those who manage to remain objective and open minded will come out of a coaching situation a more well-rounded, enlightened, and productive employee.
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