Career: Being "teachable" - Your greatest career asset: Part II

So what are some the benefits of being teachable? Let's take a look:

You open the door for more knowledge - Managers who see that their employees are teachable will have a greater desire to pour out even more of their knowledge to them. Most managers are more than willing and ready to share what they've learned over the years. However, they will only pour out the true treasures of what they've learned to those who have willing and ready ears.

You gain the trust of your manager/employer - When your manager sees that you put the advice and feedback they give you into action, they'll trust that you have their best interest, and the company's best interest, in mind. They'll also trust that they have an employee who is willing to be shaped into the leader the company needs.

You accelerate the growth of your business acumen - Business acumen can be defined as the ability to judge well and make insightful decisions within a business context. As you allow yourself to be taught through mentorship and experiences, you will gain the ability to discern between a good business decision and bad business decision. The ability to correctly judge which decision is the wisest within the workplace is key to furthering your career. Companies are not only looking for good workers, but also good decision makers.

You'll be that much safer in the workplace - Good decisions lead to good outcomes. As you remain teachable, you'll begin to make decisions which further the mission of your company and goals of your manager, which will reflect favorably upon you. Managers want to keep around those employees who make them look good, which will equal job security for you.

Being teachable in the workplace is indeed humbling. However, the rewards of allowing yourself to be shaped and molded into a better worker and leader far outweigh being stuck in the same old mindset and career level for years, all because of a lack of respect for the opportunity to be taught through your own mistakes and the knowledge and insightful experiences of your manager.