People are not inherently coachable or uncoachable. Everyone has moments during which they are coachable and others during which they are not.
Coachability is a way of being that can be chosen at any given moment.
Coachability is a hallmark of great coaching. It is measured by how Performers (also known as the Coachees) interact with their environment. It is visible and observable behavior.
As Coach, what can we do to help Performers be more coachable?
To answer this, let us understand how coachability works.
• It is not being defensive when challenged
• It is welcoming feedback and ideas for improvement
• It is asking for coaching
• It considers and uses ideas offered by others
• It seeks training and development in the form of reading, classes, new assignments, and coaching from others
• It means having a good sense of own strengths and weaknesses
• It is handling failures and setbacks with grace
What are some ways Coaches can enhance coachability?
- Plan a good SETTING, including the time, place and environment.
- Appeal to a NEED by acknowledging, boosting confidence and empathizing
- SAY it so they HEAR it, which means using and delivering words according to how a performer listens
- Make things SIMPLER: Unstuck, unburden, simplify
It’s the Performer’s job to be coachable. However, to be a more effective Coach, we will do what we can to help the Performer feel more open to coaching!
In our POWERinU Coaching workshops, we emphasize this:
The best coaching enabler, or lever, is coachability. If the Performer is not open and ready, the coaching conversation is a waste of time. As a Coach, job number one is to help enhance the Performer’s coachability. It’s like proper hydration before and during a marathon. Without it, nothing else matters.
As Coach, what else can we do to help Performers be more coachable? Let’s share what has and has not worked well. Let’s be coachable!