Finding the Teachable Moment

How does the bluebird know when its fast-growing offspring is ready to be pushed from the nest? Bluebirds have genetically coded weaning instincts and an innate sense of timing. They watch for certain subtle signs of maturity: restlessness, wing strength, the eagerness of the infant’s lunge toward the birdhouse exit even when there’s no worm dangling from mama’s beak, and a whole bunch of other stuff they haven’t told the bird researchers.

One key to their attentiveness is the way they take different viewpoints. Bluebird parents often perch some distance away and call out to the baby bluebird, as though to gauge reaction time—how fast does Junior respond to the chirp? A parent bluebird might perch atop the birdhouse and peer down through the entrance hole. While it would obviously be easier to observe from inside, the bluebird knows that to get a true picture, it must balance the comfortable and familiar close-up examination with views from more dangerous and diverse angles and conditions.

Baby bluebirds and protégés need teachable moments. One of the chief complaints protégés make about their mentors is, “He was not on hand when I really needed him.” This key, often brief opportunity is sometimes called “the teachable moment.” The timing of this moment is important: it’s a combination of the learner’s readiness to learn, the quickness with which learning can be applied, and the special conditions likely to foster or support learning.

So what should a mentor do to match teaching with timing? And how does the mentor demonstrate the right amount of attention? Too much attention can leave the protégé feeling smothered; too little can make her feel abandoned.

• Stay vigilant for every opportunity to foster discovery. Whenever you communicate with the protégé, ask yourself, “Is there learning that can be derived from this?”

• Keep a lookout for signs of protégé apathy, boredom, or dullness, any of which may indicate a plateau in learning.

• Ask A and listen for B. For example, ask the question, “How would you describe the challenge in your job?” but listen for the answer as if you had asked, “How would you describe your growth or learning deficit in your job?” It is far easier for protégés to talk about being challenged or not being challenged than to discuss a learning deficit.

• From a distance, watch the protégé at work. As you watch your birdhouse from a distant railing, keep in mind that your goal is to determine whether it might be a good time to intervene as a mentor.