I was facilitating a training session recently and was reminded of the power of coachability. Here are a couple coachability stories (both true) I recall from time to time.

Story #1: Extreme coachability in action. This is the situation that allowed me to distinguish coachability and began my research and writing about it.

I attended a two-day personal productivity session several years ago. At the beginning of the session, the lead trainer (lead) introduced us to another trainer who would be doing some parts of the class as part of his training to facilitate this class in other cities. The lead said that he would be coaching the trainee trainer (trainee) on line (in other word, as things happened).

The trainee began his first part and all was going well. Suddenly, the lead stopped the trainee and told him what he was doing wrong and why. He did this while both were standing up on the stage and so that we all could hear. The trainee acknowledged the coaching and resumed, doing the parts he had messed up over.

This stop - coaching - resume pattern continued throughout the day. I remember thinking how much I admired the trainee's strength in being able to show this level of coachability. I think most people would have found the public nature of the corrections humiliating and embarrassing.

At a break, I asked the trainee if it was hard to be coached in this way. He said that it was a gift and that he and the lead had contracted for this type of direct feedback.

Story #2: A couple years ago, I attended the Taos Writer's Conference. I took a two-day poetry class taught by Levi Romero, a wonderful New Mexican poet. At the beginning of the class, Levi asked us the following question:

"Can I hang you from the vigas?"

He was asking about the type of feedback that we were willing to hear about our poetry. Vigas are the exposed wood beams that hold up the ceiling in traditional adobe construction. Levi was asking if we could take direct and maybe harsh feedback if it was warranted. We all gave him permission to hang us from the vigas and in doing so, shifted our coachability to a deeper level. The question and the agreement reduced our resistances and opened us up for more meaningful feedback.

Being highly coachable - to the point of setting aside our egos and defense mechanisms can open us up for a higher level of learning and can teach us a few things about the self-talk that gets in the way of our success.

Two key lessons/suggestions:

1. Contract for coachability. Have the conversation about the level of feedback you want to give or receive.

2. Try  extreme coachability for one week and see what happens.



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