CPABC Industry Update Summer 2016 | Page 19

How Coaching Others Will Make You a Better Leader By Lisa Martin B eing a great leader isn’t just about being really good at your job. It’s about ensuring that those who you lead are satisfied, challenged, and successful in their roles. Job satisfaction in the workplace directly impacts the overall success of a company, and happy employees who stay, stem from leaders who invest in their people. Coaching others can be challenging. You have your own tasks to accomplish, and allocating your time to uplifting others can take away from your own agenda. But guiding others to succeed in a way that is not self-serving will make you a better leader. Here are some ways that coaching others will help you in the long run: Ask questions – to guide others towards success. Asking questions as opposed to telling others how things should be done is a great way to help foster professional growth in others. Creating a framework for self-discovery enables your team to develop new skills somewhat organically, and allows them to feel challenged in their role. Share knowledge and resources – to help you work more efficiently. There is much to gain from sharing your knowledge and expertise with others. Educating your team about your area of expertise will make them feel trusted and eager to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. Creating and surrounding yourself with a team of experts will result in the ability to work more efficiently, with extra help readily available when needed. SUMMER 2016 | page 19