Lesson 9.9
Coachability: Feedback Is Information, Not an Attack on Your Identity
Estimated time: 7 minutes
A coachable employee can receive useful information and improve from it.
Coachability does not mean:
- accepting insults
- agreeing with every accusation
- tolerating humiliation
- never asking questions
- having no opinion
It means being willing to ask:
Is there something useful here that can help me improve?
Scenario
A supervisor says:
“Your customer explanations are accurate, but they are often too long. Customers are becoming confused. Try giving the answer first, then additional detail.”
Employee A thinks:
“They hate me.”
Employee B asks:
“Can you show me an example of how you would shorten it?”
Employee B has converted feedback into learning.
When Feedback Is Wrong
You can still respond professionally.
“I understand the concern. Can we review the transaction? I think there may be some information missing.”
Coachability does not require abandoning facts.
Useful Feedback Should Be Specific
Managers should also avoid vague statements such as:
“Improve your attitude.”
Better:
“When customers ask questions, please stop interrupting them before they finish speaking.”
Specific behavior is easier to improve.
Remember
Feedback works best when one person is willing to give it clearly and the other is willing to examine it seriously.