Are You Truly Coachable? Exploring Self-Perception and Reality with the Coachability@Work Assessment

As a dedicated D1 athlete and Dominican Republic national team player, I never imagined I'd find myself scrutinizing my coachability through an assessment. After all, years of training and competition surely meant I had coachability nailed down, right?

However, the reality wasn’t what I anticipated. 

I recently joined the communications team at Coachability Consultants, and as part of my introduction to the organization, my team members asked me to take the Coachability@Work Assessment. They explained that the assessment is a great tool for new hires like me– it can help me gain a better understanding of my strengths and areas for growth as I start this professional experience. 

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What is the Coachability@Work Assessment?

The Coachability@Work Assessment tests 10 factors that influence one's ability to operate in a highly coachable way. It involves a series of thought-provoking questions that delve into various aspects of my professional mindset and behavior. 

From exploring my approach to learning and growth to examining how I receive and respond to feedback, the assessment provided a snapshot of my coachability in the workplace. Each question challenged me to reflect on my attitudes and behaviors, ultimately leading to a better understanding of my strengths and areas for development. 

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Self-Perception vs. Reality

As I reviewed my results, I felt a mix of validation and surprise. While I felt affirmed  in areas where I expected strength, such as Growth Mindset and Initiative, I discovered unexpected nuances in Authenticity and Confidence. This assessment indicated that my confidence could be influenced by the way feedback is delivered to me, and this prompted some reflection. I thought back to a few years ago, when my confidence was rattled on the soccer field.

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After my freshman season playing forward at University of Central Florida, I tore my ACL during a practice. After a grueling recovery process, returning to the soccer field for my sophomore season felt like coming home. Yet, as I soon discovered, the journey back to my former glory wouldn't be as straightforward as I had hoped.

I was eager to reclaim my position on the team, to prove that I was still the player I once was. And for a while, it seemed like I was on the right track. I played decent minutes during the fall season of 2022, gradually finding my footing with each match.

But then came the end-of-year meeting with my head coach, a conversation that would shake the very foundation of my confidence. As she spoke, her words cut through me like a knife. 

"Your fitness level needs improvement," she said, her tone firm but not unkind. "If you want to play more minutes and avoid the risk of injury, you need to work on your conditioning."

I sat there, stunned, as the weight of her words settled over me. I had thought I was doing well, given the circumstances. But now, all I could hear was the echo of my own inadequacy. In that moment, the feedback felt less like guidance and more like a condemnation of my abilities.

As I reflected on that interaction, the words from my Coachability@Work Assessment results came to mind: "Feedback delivered in a harsh manner has the potential to discourage or derail productive engagement for individuals with this score." Those words resonated with me because they captured exactly what I had experienced at the beginning of my sophomore season.

For days, I wallowed in self-doubt, questioning whether I had what it took to succeed at this level. But then I began to understand– my coach hadn't criticized me to tear me down; she had done it because she believed in my potential.

Slowly, I began to shift my perspective. Instead of viewing her feedback as a judgment of my worth, I saw it as an opportunity for growth. As the assessment indicated, I do have a high-level growth mindset! I embraced the challenge of improving my fitness, channeling my frustration into determination.

While I have always viewed myself as a confident person, the Coachability@Work Assessment shed light on an aspect of my confidence I hadn’t considered before– that the way feedback is delivered can discourage me sometimes. As I begin my career in communication, this is valuable self-awareness that will help me navigate future feedback conversations.

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Develop Your Coachability with CCI

At Coachability Consultants, we value personal narratives as powerful tools for growth. Resources like the Coachability@Work Assessment-- the only scientifically-validated assessment for coachability on the market-- can help people pinpoint their existing coachability factors and chart a path for how they can elevate.

For a deeper understanding of why coachability is crucial, check out our blog or sign up for our newsletter. If you're interested in boosting coachability within yourself or your organization, take a look at our services or get in touch with us directly. 

Let's embark on this journey of growth and self-discovery together.

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Sources: 

• Hardy, L., & Jones, G. (1994). "Self-confidence in sport: A cognitive model." Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 6(1), 68-83.
• Lang, Sarah. “The Harm in Being a People Pleaser.” Capsule NZ, 21 Sept. 2023, capsulenz.com/be/people-pleasing/.