Be Coachable: What Sets Good Leaders And High Performers Apart

Be Coachable: What Sets Good Leaders And High Performers Apart

There are so many factors that set good leaders and high performers apart. It's not just your talent or intelligence that makes a difference in your career. While I'm sure these factors help, what truly sets good leaders and high performers apart is their approach to learning — their desire to be coachable. 

Good leaders and high performers share a passion for continuous learning.

It's easy to think that because we have specific skills in certain areas, we can't learn anything new from the people around us. But this isn't true at all. While we may be experts in our own fields, there are always other people who know more about different areas than we do. The best thing about being coachable is that it allows us to gain knowledge from others without going through the long process of learning everything ourselves first.

Good leaders and high performers are open to different perspectives.

Being coachable isn't just about asking questions or seeking advice — it's about being open-minded enough to consider new perspectives and different approaches to problems or situations. It's also about admitting when someone else has a better idea than yours (which happens more often than you might want to admit).

Good leaders and high performers ask for feedback and act on it.

Feedback is critical for personal and professional growth. Good leaders know this and are always seeking ways to improve themselves and their teams. They know that just because they might be great at something doesn't mean they can't do it better or differently next time. The key is listening to others' perspectives and making the necessary changes to improve performance or results.

Not all feedback is helpful or accurate, but if you don't know where you stand, there's no way to know what areas need improvement and how much effort will be required to reach your goals.

Good leaders and high performers understand the power of questions.

It's important to be willing to admit when you don't know something (or even when you think you do). This shows humility and confidence—you're confident enough in yourself that you don't need others' approval but humble enough to recognize when your knowledge or skills fall short of what's required for a particular situation or project. But remember, asking great questions isn't enough. You have to actually listen to the answers and do something with them. 

Good leaders and high performers admit to, learn from, and act on mistakes.

Failure and mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow, not something to fear or avoid. The best way to improve your performance is to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are (whether they are in your own field or not). When you make a mistake, instead of trying to cover it up or ignore it, own up and ask for help. This shows that you are willing to take responsibility for your actions and shows others that they can trust you with their time and effort. A good manager will always choose co-workers with this trait over someone who is less reliable or more difficult to work with. 

Regardless of where you are in your life and career, you can continue to improve. But it's hard to acknowledge the areas where you need to grow if no one is willing to tell you. Look for opportunities to be coachable; seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, family, and friends. Appreciate it when someone gives constructive criticism, but also look for places where you can provide that same type of guidance to others. It's not hard to make a good first impression or develop solid relationships with others, but it is hard work to continue making a positive impact on other people. And that's what truly matters.