I believe two of the biggest attributes to growth and development are the willingness to learn, and the willingness (and ability) to be coachable.
Let’s face it; if we aren’t learning, we aren’t growing.
I’m a big believer in the concept of having a student mindset; a natural curiosity to learn more, try new things, and to be receptive.
One of the things I have enjoyed about entrepreneurship is that I’m always having to learn new things: It could be a new product, new industry, or a shift in a business model; the process of learning and understanding something new is very exciting and provides opportunity for personal growth. This isn’t unique to entrepreneurs, but oftentimes when we’re faced with something new or different it’s an opportunity for growth.
I had the privilege of serving as an Adjunct Professor in Entrepreneurship for a couple of years and being around students not just studying entrepreneurship, but also engaging in it, and it reinforced this excitement around the concept of having a student mindset.
Change can be scary for some; but for those that can embrace it, the results can be very rewarding. In order to capitalize on that reward, you have to be willing to learn.
I was thinking about some quotes regarding learning and being coachable and have a few that I would like to share.
I recently read one of the best quotes I have ever seen about being coachable from the Stoic philosopher Epictetus:
“You cannot learn that which you think you already know.“
Rewind to about 400 years before Epictetus and you’ll hear something similar from Aristotle:
“The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.”
Fast forward a couple of thousand years to something more contemporary with a quote by Michael Jordan from his biography.
“My best skill was that I was coachable. I was a sponge and aggressive to learn.”
All of these quotes are complemented by the old adage “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”
You need to actively seek opportunities for personal growth.
Growing and being coachable isn’t just about listening to the feedback given to you by your coaches, leaders and mentors; I think it’s taking it a step further and actively seeking out opportunities for feedback and growth.
It’s also about seeking opportunities to learn from others; putting pride aside (which isn’t easy for many), and always finding areas for incremental improvement.
A very close friend of mine who does international consulting on business and strategy and is also a former collegiate and professional athlete has this to say about being coachable. All top performers in sports have coaches, and good coaches are the ones that can bring out the best in you. They see you from the outside and can help identify those areas for improvement.
What are some areas where you can grow and develop?
Where are the quickest gains for incremental improvement?
To answer these…
What are some areas where you can grow and develop?
For me, setting aside some things that may have worked in a different situation and being wide open to brand new ideas from leaders in a new industry. This is a balance because some things in marketing and even sales are universal, but some are industry specific (even regulated)
Where are the quickest gains for incremental improvement?
Setting and sticking to a rigid schedule of block time with balance and a foundation of self care to make sure I can be healthy (physically and mentally) to serve others.