Coder, Coach, Catalyst - using questions to make people grow

Asking the right questions is more powerful than having the right answers. As technologists, we quickly jump into solution mode and try to help by offering solutions and sometimes even taking on other people's problems as our own. This is not our fault; we've been trained this way. However, computer problems and people's problems are often very different, and solving or taking on somebody else's problem not only burdens us but also robs them of an opportunity to grow. If you feel like every problem in your organization or team constantly gravitates towards you, if you wonder why people just don't "learn this stuff," or if you are looking to become better at helping others grow, this talk is for you! In this talk, we will go over basic coaching skills to help you help others - everything from properly listening to asking the right questions. We'll cover different formats from impromptu coaching to more formal coaching and how to use coaching skills to coach up and sideways in your organization. Come to this talk if you are interested in making the people around you grow and excel and, in the process, create more time to work on your problems, not theirs.