A Teachable Spirit
“Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.” Proverbs 9:9 (NLT)
If you want to be a great leader or unlock your potential, you need to possess a teachable spirit. I once heard someone say “to be successful tomorrow, be teachable today.” Unfortunately many of us don’t have a teachable spirit. John Maxwell defines teachability as “possessing the intentional attitude and behavior to keep learning and growing throughout life.” We need a teachable spirit. Being teachable requires HUMILITY. The #1 reason we aren’t teachable is because of PRIDE. Pride makes us think that we know everything and we can’t be told anything. Pride makes you think you know more than you really do. Pride comes before a fall. If you want to predicate your failure see if you’re operating in pride. Drop your ego and be teachable.
Jimmy Evans, in his teaching, The Treasure of a Teachable Spirit talks about the 5 Traits of an Unteachable Spirit. Here are the signs that he provides to show if you’re an unteachable person.
5 Traits of An Unteachable Person…
- Chronic Failure
- Argumentative and Defensive Nature
- Isolation and Withdrawal in Time of Difficulty
- Blame Transfer
- Surrounding Yourself With People Who Agree With You and Feeling Threatened by Those of Differing Opinions
When a person isn’t teachable they constantly fail and make the same mistakes. When someone corrects them they get argumentative and very defensive. They withdraw from others and don’t get help when times get hard. They blame others and they only associate with people who think like them. They stay away from people who challenge them. These are traits of prideful, ignorant, rebellious and unteachable people. If you aren’t a teachable person you stunt your growth and your success. What do teachable people look like and how can we become more teachable?
Traits of A Teachable Person…
- Learn something new everyday
People with a teachable spirit dedicate themselves to life long learning. They make learning apart of their daily habit. Each of us should seek to learn something new everyday.
2. Seek/embrace the correction, counsel and instructions of others
Teachable people actually love feedback from others. They seek and embrace what others have to say to them because they know it’s going to make them better. They respond the RIGHT way to constructive criticism by receiving it in love. They know they don’t know everything therefore they LISTEN to learn rather than to respond. They put into practice what they learn from wise people.
3. Look at the man in the mirror
A person with a teachable spirit is constantly evaluating themselves. They don’t settle for good, they want greatness. They are constantly improving, learning from their mistakes and working to be better. They are like Michael Jackson, they look in the mirror and make that… CHANGE!!!
People with a teachable spirit learn something new everyday, seek counsel from others and they look at the man in the mirror. We need a teachable spirit. None of us can be greater leaders or fully unlock/reach our potential unless we pray to God to possess A Teachable Spirit.
