Teachability Index: How Teachable Are You?

Teachability Index: Have you ever wondered whether or not you or your team could be doing better? Or maybe you’ve noticed some stagnation going on in your business?

I’m Jana Hennemann with We&Co, and today we will be talking about the teachability index and why it’s important in your business and in your teams.

First and foremost, what is the teachability index? It is a way people can gauge their willingness to learn, and their willingness to change.

How open are you to learning new concepts? And two, how ready are you to apply these changes in real life?

Imagine you’re attending a workshop. Your willingness to learn is high—you’re all ears, taking notes, nodding along. But here’s the kicker: How willing are you to go back to the office and implement what you learned? That’s the true test of your Teachability Index.

Or, have you ever been to a health talk or read a book with some fantastic concepts – you know exactly what you need to do to take action for your weight loss goals but when it comes to doing those actual things, you fall right back into your old patterns.

Relatable?

Why does this matter? In a fast-paced world, the ability to adapt and grow is not just nice to have, it’s essential. Businesses evolve, industries shift, and if you’re not learning and adapting, you’re not just standing still; you’re falling behind.

So, how can you boost your Teachability Index? What actual practical steps can we take to make sure we are always learning, adapting and applying?

1. Embrace Curiosity: Always ask questions, no matter how dumb you think they MAY sound. Chances are, someone else or maybe several people may have the exact same questions as you. The more curious you are, the more you discover, and the more you uncover for those around you.
2. Feedback is Your NEUTRAL Friend: Seek it, don’t fear it. Keep in mind that asking for feedback from others makes you more open to it. Often we go about life with blinders on we didn’t know we had. Others can see things about us we can improve on, and when you are generally curious and understand that NOTHING is personal, you are more open to hearing what others say about you.
   Constructive criticism is crucial for growth. The key is to one, assess who you are getting the feedback from (is it someone you value & respect or is it someone who is motivated by your failure), and two, do two or more people you respect or look up to, have the same feedback.

3. Commit to Change: When you learn something new, commit to trying it out. Even if it’s outside your comfort zone.

And take small steps. If you are used to working out once a month, setting a goal of working out every day for an hour is going to be too much for your brain.

The book Atomic Habits talk about this: Instead of committing to running an hour every day, go stand on a treadmill every day for a minute. After a week, stand on the treadmill every day for 5 minutes. Then 10, etc. After a couple of weeks, you’re going to turn that bad boy on, and before long, you’ll find yourself walking 30 minutes a day.

Be nice to your brain – change, but do it incrementally.

In summary, even if you don’t have a high teachability index, or you don’t work with a team with a high teachability index, there are action steps you can take to change.

I’m Jana Hennemann, wishing you and your team a higher willingness to learn & willingness to change!

Remember to like, follow & subscribe to our social channels and I’ll see you next week, same time and place!