In one of my earliest posts entitled Just Be Curious, I divulged how grateful I am for people willing to risk admitting they lack some knowledge of a topic and are willing to ask thoughtful questions. More often than not, I strongly encourage a practice known as Appreciative Inquiry (AI), especially when engaging in building relational equity among personal and professional communities, because it requires us to “frame conversations in ways that make people you’re talking with want to engage and take action,” shares Stavros, Torres, and Cooperrider in Conversations Worth Having. Now, my current train of thought on AI is to seek ways to incorporate this positive approach in my classroom, in developing a Habit of Growth, in advising sessions with students, and in day-to-day conversations with others; however, this week, I am being challenged to consider the use of AI in my encounters with God, and instead of providing a to-do list of what I desire for Him to make happen, how would that relationship shift, if instead, I asked Him to Teach Me.

If there exists a desire for my college students to be curious, should I not be modeling this same curiosity in my own learning, whether that education is related to my personal, professional, or spiritual life? So, I am committing to shifting my brain to an Improve Mindset, and as a result will choose to ask appreciative questions such as, “Lord, what do you want me to learn from this _____?” That simple blank can be filled with a number of nouns including the following: book, song, article, conversation, moment, relationship, person, event, encounter, failure, diagnosis, complication, disappointment, etc. The list is endless and will be different for each and everyone of us, yet the principle is the same, what is the Lord desiring to Teach Me, and am I willing to admit my lack of knowledge so that I might, in fact, be teachable.

This Teach Me attitude is critical in all Seasons of Life, whether you are an emerging adult or like me, currently at half-time; and I return again and again to the importance that mentors, or learning partners, can have on us in each and every phase of life that we navigate. Looking back over the past 25 years of my career, I am reminded of how many wonderful encounters I have had with people who were influential in my life personally and professionally. As a sports information director, I was frequently asking questions and guidance of colleagues like Scott Cummings, Chris Hershey, Brent High, and Chris Mathes Ziegler. How quickly that network expanded to so many relationships in both athletics and academics. I stood on others’ shoulders and asked them to Teach Me; and I am so grateful for their willingness to guide this newbie, treasuring now the opportunities to reconnect and remember, even if only on social media.

So, whether I am researching content for a class presentation, asking for divine guidance on a personal issue, or engaging in a conversation with others, I will be constantly reminding myself to think of the sentence shared above, and ask appreciative questions that will expand and grow my knowledge bank, even if the only result is a gained understanding of a friend. Incorporating this Teach Me mindset into my prayer life might be a bit more challenging, as the feedback is not always as instantaneous as that from facial expressions during a face-to-face conversation with a colleague, but I am committed to this approach! So, regardless of where you find yourself in life, I want to encourage you to accept the challenge that I am embracing to be teachable, be curious, be First to Help, be relational, and to be intentional in asking appreciative questions.

Please consider adding your thoughts and comments to being teachable below.

Reference:

Stravos, J.M., Torres, C., & Cooperrider, D. (2018). Conversations worth having: Using appreciative inquiry to fuel productive and meaningful engagement. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.