The Power of Coachability in Public Accounting
A coach ramble today on the topic of coachability. Coachability is a skill that some might not even consider a skill, but is the key to improving your performance, becoming more adaptable, and getting promoted—especially in public accounting. The more coachable you are, the better chance you have of progressing up the ladder.
My Personal Journey with Coachability
Let me share a personal example. I love disc golf, but I’m not very good at it. I turned to YouTube, watching every video on technique—how to hold the disc, how to throw it, what my hips and shoulders should be doing. To get better, I knew I had to be extremely coachable.
So, what did I do? I sought coaching. I watched videos, took notes, and compared my performance to these experts. Then, I went out to the park near my house at 6 a.m., practicing with a net. I was being coachable.
The Coachability Process
Coachability involves three main steps: seeking coaching, receiving coaching, and implementing coaching.
- Seeking Coaching: Actively look for advice and guidance. In my case, I went to YouTube and looked for disc golf tutorials.
- Receiving Coaching: Be open to the feedback you receive. I took notes and compared my throws to those of the experts.
- Implementing Coaching: Put the advice into practice. I practiced in the park early in the morning, integrating what I had learned.
Applying Coachability to Your Professional Life
Now, think about this in your personal and professional life. How coachable are you? Are you seeking coaching from your supervisors or mentors? Are you receiving and processing their feedback? Are you implementing their advice in your work?
For example, after leading a board meeting, do you ask for feedback? Do you listen when they say you used too many filler words, or your posture was poor, or…they heard you burp? Do you take that feedback seriously and make changes for the next presentation?
The Benefits of Coachability
This concept isn’t new. It was shared with me by Jake Weiss, and I’ve found it to be one of the most powerful skills for success in any career, not just public accounting. Coachability leads to quicker promotions, better performance, and increased adaptability.
The Need for Coachability in Public Accounting
Now, let’s address a broader issue: the pipeline problem in public accounting. To tackle this, we need to be coachable at all levels—executive committees, advisory boards, managing partners, and partners themselves.
The National Pipeline Advisory Group has prepared a report outlining six key themes for improving our profession as well as a pledge you yourself can take to help drive this change. It requires us to be coachable. By becoming more coachable, we can make a significant impact on the pipeline issue in public accounting.
Conclusion
In summary, coachability is a crucial skill for success. Seek coaching, receive it with an open mind, and implement the feedback. Not only will this improve your career prospects, but it will also help address larger issues within our profession.
Thank you for reading. Cheers to becoming more coachable!
Doug, The CPA Coach
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