What is teachability?
What is teachability? And why not having this quality can block our road to reaching our potential?
I was reading one of the books of my mentor, John Maxwell, and what he wrote on teachability, resonated with my young adulthood memories of my wonderful grand-father.
John Maxwell said: "“You must have a teachable spirit. If you don’t, you will come to the end of your potential long before you come to the end of your life. If you want to be successful tomorrow, then you must be teachable today. You need more than a great mind for learning. You need to have a great heart for learning.”
My grand-father was a very knowledgeable lawyer but a humble servant of his clients. He loved his clients as his friends and I remember my grand-mother complaining about his attitude of not charging those who couldn't afford his services.
But more than anything else, he always and I mean always had a book in his hand. He was constantly learning and was always trying to improve himself.
He was also reciting the most beautiful and spiritual poems of Persian poets such as Hafiz, Rumi and Saadi. I couldn't really understand back then what he was describing to me as the source of all being, our connection to the source and to each other at spiritual level or when he was talking about the importance of love, the most powerful energy of all. I was too young and very preoccupied with what I thought to be true back then.
We both grew older and I watched him never getting tired of reading, learning and growing himself.
What was really striking to me was his attention and patience when someone was talking to him. He would listen quietly and attentively and would allow the other person to talk, to reflect and to come back to what was said and correct himself or herself. He would provide a space for others to take as much time they needed to find the right answer and not to rush.
He was only giving his opinion when he was asked to and never ever impose his opinion, although most of the time he was right. He was always the first one to offer help with a big smile, always!
How did my grand-father knew all these things? I think I now know why. I think because he had a highly teachable attitude. He wanted to learn from others, even from those you might have thought didn't have so much to offer.
He read and learned all his life and he always encouraged us to do the same. He walked his talk to the very last days of his life, when he was still able to seat on a chair and hold a book. I never forget the last time we said goodbye. He was in his bed and I was leaving for the airport to go back to Canada, where I lived back in 2005. He held my hands and told me that it would be the last time we saw each others. I panicked and objected but he calmed me down and said:" You know I will always be here and beside the people I love." His words still bring tears into my eyes but he was right. He never left and always lived in my heart and mind.
I am now understanding and learning what he knew back them. I am learning we need to give up the urge to show what we know and give others a chance to be heard. I am learning we need to respect others opinion at a much deeper level and give them the space and the confidence to go deep and find their answers. I am learning we need to learn from anyone and any situation. I am learning these as a coach but as a student.
Today, I am thinking of this amazing man who left this precious memory and lesson with me and taught me to value others and to give not only my attention but give my heart.
His words are ringing in my ears, as I am reading the book of another amazing man, John Maxwell, who is changing my life now.
I want to always be teachable. I know the more I read and the more I learn, the more I know I don't know anything.
How teachable are you? Do you think you want to be a lifelong learner and stay on this journey of quest for the rest of your life?