After football training camp in college, the coach met with each of us individually. The purpose of the meeting was to evaluate our training camp performance and set goals for the upcoming seasons. One of the areas being evaluated was “coachability.” Coachability is not really a word, but what it meant was, how would a player handle the coach’s instructions and criticisms. Important to the coach was the player’s attitude towards working for the good of the team and the acceptance of his input in achieving that goal. Obviously a high score on coachability was desirable. It meant that you were open to new ideas and committed to improving your performance.

In life, we receive many forms of instruction from all sorts of people. The most difficult for us to accept is criticism: even when it’s framed as “constructive criticism.” The initial reaction to criticism is to bristle and defend oneself. If handle appropriately, however, criticism can reap big rewards.

Steven K. Scott, in his book “The Richest Man Who Ever Lived” tells the following story.
 

In every bucket of criticism there is always a little gold. Sometimes it’s just the tiniest of flakes and other times it’s a giant nugget. If you mine the criticisms you receive, no matter how hurtful or devastating they may be, you will eventually find nuggets of gold that will forever change and improve your life.

I learned in playing sports that if I wanted to be a better athlete I was going to have to be open to the instructions and criticisms of the coach. That early lesson has value as I strive to be a better leader. If I want to improve my leadership skills I must continue to be open to the instructions and criticisms of others. As long as one remains “coachable,” old or young, new tricks can be learned.