Why Complacency is Poison to Professional Development

A new book by Sean Glaze shares 4 questions to help you and your team STAY COACHABLE and thrive in change.

Today’s guest post is by Sean Glaze, author of Staying Coachable (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

Years ago, Charles Darwin noted that “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”

Regardless of your current career situation, change is always challenging you to adapt…to stay coachable.

Staying Coachable is the key to your growth and development.

And the truth is that everyone starts out coachable – it’s what allows us to reach the growth and plateaus and positions and views that we now enjoy…

But occasionally we become complacent.

And complacency is poisonous to your personal development.

The trouble is that we don’t always recognize our own complacency.

And so here, in a brief excerpt from the book, is part of the story and a few of the take-aways that Staying Coachable offers readers…

“So… you think I’m complacent?” Max asked.

Max’s question allowed her to continue sharing her message without needing to immediately address Wallace’s comment.

It was asked sincerely.

It was without the edge of attitude his father had heard in his voice for weeks, and Wallace’s focus changed again from himself to his son.

Gayle was excited to answer him.

“I do – Because you haven’t changed… you’ve just been complaining.”

She let that sit uncomfortably for a few seconds, and looked briefly at Wallace before finishing her reply.

Wallace felt like she was talking to him.

“But I was the same way for a time myself… lots of good people have been.

And the good news is, your condition is curable!”

Wallace sighed.

Max stayed close to her as they hiked downstream, clearly wanting to hear more.

“Eddie used to say that the greatest obstacle to improvement was being uncoachable. And when started saying it I didn’t really understand…

But he would come home and talk about players on his team and how they were more annoyed than appreciative when he took the time to coach them…

He would talk about how they complained and stayed stuck because they didn’t want to admit what they were doing was hurting them and the team.

That they were complacent, not coachable…”

“And then I started to see it in the people I worked with.

I recognized the same defensiveness and attitude in adults. The same refusal to accept and apply helpful advice… the same resistance to being coachable”

Max nodded, apparently agree with her observations and perhaps thinking of people that fit the description on his team.

Wallace listened closely, but a scowl had appeared on his lips.

Not because he felt she was wrong.

Wallace was actually thinking that his son needed to hear this…

But it also made him uncomfortable as he considered the way he had been acting during the recent acquisition his company was experiencing.

“Over the years, I saw so many managers spend company money for executive coaching… and a few of them really did get better and took advantage of it.

But it never seemed to affect the behavior of others.

And I realized that having a coach doesn’t make you coachable!”

“So what does?” Max asked.

Gayle chuckled at his enthusiastic curiosity. He seemed like a different kid.

“Being Coachable means the same thing today it did then.   The same thing for executives or coworkers or athletes…

It means you WANT TO GET BETTER, and you’re WILLING TO CHANGE.”

“Sounds pretty simple” Max announced.

“You’d be surprised!”

Wallace blurted it out without thinking, inserted himself into their exchange.

“He’s right.” Gayle reinforced Wallace’s comment.

She nodded at him.

They barely noticed the canyon walls at this point, or the growing number of people they were walking past, each absorbed in their tight bubble of conversation.

“It does sound simple… but it is not easy. Especially that last part.

See, everybody wants to get better…

The trick is in being willing to change!

Turns out most people want to get better, but they want to do it their own way…

That usually means doing what they already know, which is just repeating the same stuff that got them stuck…”

“Like complaining, or being annoyed…?” Max asked.

He was seeking her confirmation, but mostly parroting her earlier comments to show he had been listening.

“Exactly, Max!

Everybody wants to get better, but many aren’t willing to change. That’s why complacency can be so dangerous…

If you’re complacent, you resist changing and suffer.

But if you’re committed to improving, change is just part of the process!

Change is what happens when you make a commitment to something more important than your own comfort….”

Many of us are just like Max…

We don’t notice the impact of our complacency.

Everyone wants to get better.,

But far fewer are willing to change.

Not everyone will appreciate or apply the ideas that would allow them to enjoy the positive consequences that change promises.

That is why we ALL occasionally need the catalyst of a tough conversation.

We need reminders and encouragement to move beyond complacency.

Because our commitment to Staying Coachable is the one thing that ensures lasting success.

As a conference team culture speaker, I have found that all teams improve when the individuals on that team make a commitment to stay coachable… to not only want to get better, but to be willing to change.

If you or your team have become complacent – if you are looking for the questions that can unlock your potential and lead to relentless improvement – consider grabbing a copy of the book for yourself!

Sean Glaze is an expert at helping leaders create exceptional team cultures. His programs inspire your people to laugh together so they can have more success working together. Sean’s four books, The Unexpected Leader, Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable are entertaining parables with powerful take-aways for building and leading great teams! As a successful coach and educator for over 20 years, Sean gained valuable insights into how to develop winning teams – and founded Great Results Teambuilding to share those lessons with smart team leaders.

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