Are you coachable?

coachable“You need to be coachable,” he said to me.

I remember vividly sitting in the VP’s office as he said those words to me. It was more than 16 years ago and I was in senior management with a Fortune 500 company.

I was great at my job. My team loved me and my colleagues appreciated me, too. More importantly, my customers adored me and my staff.

Yet, there I was sitting in the “hot seat” because I was viewed by management as not being coachable.

Definition 1 of coachable

First, let me say this; coachable has a different meaning when you’re working within a corporation than it does when you’re an entrepreneur. The underlying meaning is “you must do whatever I say and not stray from any direction that I give.”

At least that’s what the VP meant. You see, I had asked for approval to attend a professional conference. When he denied my request, I sought the support of the advisor of the group hosting the event. He happened to be an officer of the corporation (a position higher than that of my VP). I know he called my VP and I assume he encouraged him to approve my request. He must have because I went to the conference. 🙂

So, the VP wasn’t really telling me that I wasn’t coachable; he was scolding me because I didn’t accept his unreasonable denial of my request.

Definition 2 of coachable

As coaches, I know the actual definition is different than definition 1. Being coachable very simply means being open to feedback, council and support. It also means being responsible to yourself and for your own actions. When you are coachable, you pursue growth and learning. The work is clearly understood and you respond to your new learning… and you take action. You do the work and you make things happen. As a result, you create extraordinary results.

Look, as coaches, we want to work with coachable clients. And, we want our clients to hire us to explore solutions to their most pressing challenges. We don’t tell them what to do. Instead, we ask questions to guide them to their answers. Our vested interest is based on the client’s tangible results, ability to solve their problems, and transformation.

Using the last definition is rewarding because it inspires the client to take action and builds credibility in our work. We’re able to move the client to do the work that yields personal success, extraordinary results, plus financial and business growth. Those are HUGE dividends inherently part of coaching. How kewl is that?!

I posted this image on Instagram, but I knew I wanted to share a few additional thoughts.

Sound off in the comments about what coachable means to you.

WendyY Bailey is often called a Force of Nature and a trendsetter in the coaching industry and for good reason. With more than 20 years of experience, she brings fearless innovation and bold strategy to entrepreneurial leaders, coaches, speakers, trainers, and consultants across the globe serving clients across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Spain, and Italy. Affectionately known as “WendyY” by clients, business associates, and colleagues, she’s also lovingly called “Auntie” or “Mama Coach” for her signature blend of Southern charm, fierce wisdom, and deep coaching insight. That special mix helps her clients double, triple, even quintuple their bottomline profits. WendyY is an internationally recognized thought leader, award-winning coach, two-time bestselling author, and sought-after business mentor.