Being coachable

Why is being coachable, so critical for deriving benefit as a coachee from a coaching relationship?

Being coachable is about UNLEARNING ie. emptying your cup. Unlearning implies acknowledging that what has been valued till date is no longer useful or contributing to progress. In fact, it might be keeping the person stuck. Unlearning creates the clearing for alternative learning.

Let’s use a metaphor to connect with this distinction: If your cup is filled or even partly filled, you cannot derive value – and you just won’t realize this. If there is even some or a drop of milk in your cup you cannot fill it with water and expect to drink water from this cup – you will end up drinking milky water – not just water.

The consequences of not being coachable will manifest in at least 3 ways in the coaching relationship:
• Arguments
• Poor and/or inconsistent follow-through and
• Lack of practical progress
This does not benefit either the coach or the coachee.

Coaching is not for everybody – only those who are coachable.

Think Sachin Tendulkar.

Coaching is the escalator of champions – Raymond D D