A Teachable Attitude

http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/2011/01/24/how-do-i-maintain-a-teachable-attitude/

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"The most important skill to acquire is learning how to learn." (John Naisbitt)

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Quoting John C. Maxwell: "Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply. It is the hunger to discover and grow. It is the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn."

More Maxwell: "When I teach and mentor leaders, I remind them that if they stop learning, they stop leading. But, if they remain teachable and keep learning, they will be able to keep making an impact as leaders. Whatever your talent happens to be - whether it's leadership, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, or something else - you will expand it if you keep expecting and striving to learn."

Pursuing Teachability:

1. Learn to Listen
Listen to others and remain humble, and you will learn things that help you expand your talent.

2. Understand the Learning Process
The goal of all learning is action, not knowledge.

3. Look For and Plan Teachable Moments
Read books, visit places that inspire you, attend events that push you to change and spend time with people who stretch you.

4. Make Your Teachable Moments Count
Take action steps that make teachable moments count: points that mean something to you, changes you need to make, lessons you need to apply...

5. Ask Yourself, "Am I Really Teachable?"
All the good advice in the world won't help if you don't have a teachable spirit. Am I open to other people's ideas? Do I listen more than I talk?

We all need to soften our attitudes and learn humility. From John Wooden: "Everything we know we learned from someone else."

Good stuff.