Cristiano Ronaldo is a lot of things.
This week Real Madrid played Juventes in the second leg of a home and away series. The caption under the photo reads: Cristiano Ronaldo shows what he is made of after scoring the penalty that saved Real Madrid from Champions League humiliation against Juventus. The man is a beast on the football (soccer) pitch!
Ronaldo is a champion, he loves the BIG stage, he is THE MAN when everything is on the line. In addition, he is seldom criticized for his humility. I’ve found that humility is one of the key qualities of a coachable person in the arenas you and I minister.
What makes a person coachable? I’ve been asked this question and have thought about a concise response. Most of the time, I vett potential leaders that I am considering to coach using my intuition. Here are some of the issues I consider:
- Like-minded vision
- Like-minded values
- Like-minded expectations for coaching
- Alignment in the “x” factor(s)
- And the all important – chemistry!
In general, I believe a coachable person is one who is willing to work hard. A coachable person is teachable, that is, they desire to learn and grow. A coachable person possesses a high degree of self-awareness.
Do you coach leaders within local churches?
Do you coach leaders in church planting networks?
Do you coach leaders in mission societies?
I’ve coached leaders in the venues mentioned above at about every imaginable position, and for years I’ve had the good fortune of attracting people who fit the description of a coachable person above. When I hear leaders struggle with people they lead, supervise and develop; I’ve discovered that the three virtues Patrick Lencioni identifies in The Ideal Team Player provides a great framework to vett strong team members, employees and people you want to coach. Let me suggest the three virtues, along with a key question that I use to help vett potential leaders to coach.
Three virtues of a coachable person:
- Hungry – Is this person a hard worker?
- Humble – Is this person eager to learn?
- Smart – Is this person emotionally self-aware?
Of course, if you are leading a team and you have inherited the members of the team, you must work with the personnel you have. As a church planter, you may not have the luxury to recruit the ideal team player; but this gives you an idea of the qualities to look for. Likewise, when people approach you to coach them, these virtues along with the clarifying question can guide your decision-making process.
The three qualities were identified in The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni; and provide a helpful description of who would make a good candidate for you to coach.
