Coachable does not mean compliant. Some of my best athletes and most intense competitors toed the line of insubordination. Not often, and not for rebellion’s sake. They had strong opinions and beliefs and voiced them. They cared deeply about winning, about the team, about excellence. This made our team better.
Experience factored in as well. Over their four years on the team they usually learned that there’s a time, a place and a way to voice those strong opinions. They learned and grew. They were coachable. And they made me better – I had to bring my best game as their coach. I had to help them understand why it was better to go in the direction I believed in. And sometimes I had to stop and recognize that they were seeing something I was not.
You do not want compliant leaders and teammates. That leads to group think. You want highly talented, performance driven athletes who are coachable AND have an edge. Coachable and compliant are not the same thing.
BUILT TO LEAD 