When we consider strengths, Charles Darwin famously advanced the evolutionary idea of, “Survival of the fittest.” We get that part, but to a lesser extent, we understand, “Those that survive are the most adaptable to change.”
That means a lot to leaders. I have two things in mind here …
First, are we coachable?
Are we indeed coachable ourselves? Sadly, not all of us are. I have no idea what the percentages are, but it’s certain not all of us want to be critiqued. If we aren’t coachable, we probably don’t want any feedback on our performance. We’re pretty confident about our skills, or we pretend to be, or we don’t think outside opinions are all that helpful. Or, we just don’t appreciate what we may hear, so we think it’s better not to hear it. As you can tell, there are a lot of “or’s” at play. Identifying the real root of our discomfort is important, and eye-opening … because it will help us break down a self-defeating barrier.
Second, are we skilled at coaching others?
My guess is, if we didn’t pass the first test (we don’t want to be coached), we probably don’t offer much coaching to others either. Those two mindsets go together. In my observations of both work and life, I’m convinced that the most naturally talented in any field are seldom the top performers. Who’s the fittest? The best learners, adapters, and appliers of new practices. They’re the ones who make major advances, and leave those who were born with many gifts short of their ultimate potential.
So here’s to those who are open, approachable, and interested in their own development. Those who believe change is the path to greatness. And those who pass it on to others … with coach”ability.”
– Jerry Strom
Twitter: @JerryRStrom. For more information about our leadership and team development programs, please visit http://www.JerryStrom.com . Join the mailing list to receive new articles as they are published. This article is based on research conducted for the *‘The Relationships Report: The Linkage between Leadership and Relationships,’ by Jerry Strom & Company, Inc. Find ‘How Leaders Build Relationships at Work’ at http://www.jerrystrom.com/research/js_relationships.html short insights on Twitter at #RelationshipsRPT