Law Schools

5 Ways To Be More Teachable

A lack of teachability is a pervasive problem in the legal profession.

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A lack of teachability is a pervasive problem in the legal profession. I found this surprising as a law student. I went to law school to, well, learn. But it was evident that many of my classmates believed that they were the smartest person in the room and that there was no additional knowledge for them to obtain. This always bothered me. Setting aside the ridiculous amount of money we were paying to be there, I am also a firm believer that if I am the smartest person in the room, I am in the wrong room. Regardless of the school, work, or life situation you find yourself in, there is always something to be learned. Whether you are struggling through your second semester of law school, gearing up to graduate, or practicing as a newly minted attorney, you can always benefit from being a bit more teachable.

(1) Ask and reflect

My dear friend and business mentor Nicole Walters always says, “closed mouths don’t get fed.” Now, when she says this, she means if you don’t ask for the sale, you don’t make any money. Good advice. But I think this is highly applicable to becoming a more teachable individual. If you don’t ask questions, it is far more difficult to obtain knowledge. Sure, you will still learn just by listening, but it might not be what you want to learn. Become curious and interested in learning new information for the sake of learning and not only because it is “on the test.” And don’t let the answers to your questions pass through you; reflect on them and how they may add to or change your understanding of the topic.

(2) Try anything once

When I was a kid, my grandma, “Chickie,” used to make me try all sorts of “weird” food that kids don’t normally go for. (What, don’t all toddlers eat oysters, mussels, and various other seafood?) The rule was I had to try something once before I could decide I didn’t like it. I can’t say I was the biggest fan of this rule when I was 5, but I’ve definitely used this concept to get myself to be a more open-minded adult.

So, that new study schedule that your professor recommended or that new tip for organizing your trial binder that your senior associate made? Try it. Just for a week or for one trial. Afterwards, take a few minutes and reflect on what worked and what did not. Remember, you are able to accept some of the knowledge you receive and are free to discard what doesn’t work for you. But you will never even have the choice if you don’t first try.

(3) Build your trust muscle

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A big part of being teachable is being open to change. It can be really hard to allow someone to guide you if you are highly skeptical and don’t trust them. This doesn’t have to mean that you become a completely naive person who thinks everyone is honest and can be trusted. Rather, practice believing that the people in your life, like your professors or your boss, have at least some interest in helping you learn and grow. This will allow you to open your mind more to learning from them in both direct and indirect ways. For example, you might be more open to receiving and understanding constructive criticism, or you might find yourself becoming more observant of how and why they do things.

(4) Write your feedback down

Feedback is not always welcome, particularly for type A law students and lawyers. The only feedback we typically like to recieve is “great job,” “A+,” and “I’m using your exam/essay/brief as a model.” The feedback that is far more valuable to us is less pleasant to receive because it focuses on our areas of weakness and the places we can improve. I urge you to become more open to receiving, and really hearing, all types of feedback.

There are many ways to receive feedback.  It can be written down in the form of a grade or comments on a test or paper, received face to face in a conversation, or observed through subtle gestures. Whatever the method, you should always take note. If your feedback is written, save it; if it is oral, ask if you can record it and/or take copious notes. We often have amazing ideas about how we will implement feedback while a conversation is happening, only to have that idea escape our brain the moment we leave the meeting. I can’t even tell you how many strokes of genius have escaped on the walk from a meeting to my car. Instead of letting this happen, pause and take notes. Capture the big important points of your conversation. Then, step away from your notes for a few days and come back to them with fresh eyes for new insights.

(5)  Resist the urge to be right

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Part of the journey in obtaining knowledge is receiving information that challenges or conflicts with your existing beliefs. In order to become more teachable and to expand your knowledge, it is imperative that you resist the urge to always be right. I am not suggesting that you should blindly believe every bit of advice or information you receive. However, before you immediately judge the validity of a statement, take a few moments to sit with it. Toss the idea around in your mind and allow it to challenge you and your thoughts. Bonus points if this feels wildly uncomfortable, because growth often happens in our discomfort.

Go forth and learn. Become a sponge and soak up all the knowledge you can for as long as you can. They say you are what you eat, but more importantly, you are what you know. And remember, if you think you are the smartest person in the room — find another room.

Kerriann Stout is a millennial law school professor and founder of Vinco (a bar exam coaching company) who is generationally trapped between her students and colleagues. Kerriann has helped hundreds of students survive law school and the bar exam with less stress and more confidence. She lives, works, and writes in the northeast. You can reach her by email at info@vincoprep.com.

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