The growth of Agile Coaching throughout the industry has been one of the most fascinating things experienced in the Agile world over the past few years. Agile coaching is a profession that continues to be chaotic, unpredictable, and dynamic all at once. There are a few hypotheses, albeit what is causing this condition is not entirely certain:
The job is not exclusively defined by one authority (or governing body). The Project Management Institute (PMI) is the de facto only authoritative body in the field of project management. It outlines the relevant procedures, employment opportunities, and accountability structures. As of 2022, there is no such entity for Agile Coaches. Check out the Agile training online to learn more about Agile coaching.
‘Agile’ cannot be defined in a single way. The term “Agile” itself can be defined in a multitude of ways. These definitions include a methodology, a frame of mind, a procedure, and so on. As a result, the definition of “doing Agile” has become fragmented. Because of this, it is quite distinctive to particular teams and organisations.
What is meant by “coaching” is not defined consistently in general. This is most likely a result of the absence of a single regulatory authority that establishes what constitutes “coaching”.
If you’re not an Agile Coach, you might need one someday
Even if you don’t want to become an agile coach and don’t require one, you can run into a situation where you need one to assist an organisation-wide endeavour. As a result, this issue may affect you sooner or later; in my opinion, it is only a matter of time until you need to know what an “Agile Coach” actually does and whether hiring one is worthwhile for your project from a financial perspective.
1.Stop assuming that Sports coaching and agile coaching are identical.
Since we were little children, many of us have participated in sports or have coached sports teams. As a result, many professionals attempt to draw a distinction between professional coaching and coaching in sports. Although there may be some parallels between the two, this comparison is frequently flawed. An Agile Coach typically has very little authority and little positional power in a professional working setting, thus strong sponsorship is needed to affect change.
2.Stop assuming Scrum Masters are aware of coaching.
Your high-performing Scrum Masters might naturally be coaches depending on their degree of training and experience. However, in my experience, the bulk of Scrum Masters fall short of their promise and are mostly used as team administrators or auditors. Scrum Masters must develop new skills that go beyond facilitation in order to transition into coaching roles; coaching postures are important skills that must be earned and mastered.
3.Stop assuming Agile Coaches are just trainers.
Even while most coaches will prioritise training, it should only occupy a small portion of their time. When teams are able to put the new ideas and techniques they have learned into practice, which may take weeks or even months after the training sessions, this is when teams frequently recognize the benefit of coaching.
4.Stop requesting the coach to perform office duties.
Your Agile Coach is most likely a highly qualified, successful, and experienced individual. While you can put your trust in them to perform honourably, you should avoid making easy mistakes like asking them to complete status reports or audit team activities.
5.Stop assuming all Agile Coaches are the same.
Based merely on a resume, it might be challenging to determine a coach’s skills objectively. Therefore, my advice is that you ask for recommendations from reliable coworkers or members of your network to ensure that you locate the best fit for your company.
6.Give up presuming that Agile Coaches are familiar with all frameworks and techniques.
While some coaches may be more knowledgeable about Scrum, others may be more knowledgeable about Lean/Kanban. Additionally, although some coaches may be very knowledgeable in scaling Agile, others may have no experience at all with several teams collaborating to achieve a common objective. A thorough evaluation of the coach’s experience is crucial since selecting a coach without the appropriate level of domain understanding can be an expensive error. Additionally, don’t automatically assume that consultants with high hourly bill rates are experienced or knowledgeable in the field; remuneration is not necessarily a reliable indicator of these things.
7.Quit requesting that your bosses provide Agile coaching.
Your managers will still need to coach the team and support them as they go through the change process as part of an Agile adoption campaign. The best practices and typical problems to avoid when applying new techniques and procedures, however, are probably not something your supervisors are qualified to advise you on. It’s wonderful to hear that your bosses are enthusiastic and interested in undertaking this kind of job. Support them by providing them with the necessary Agile coaching training and help them learn this new role.
Conclusion
When it comes to adopting Agile, there are numerous ways to go wrong, and having a competent and reliable coach will probably make all the difference between success and failure. Therefore, be careful when selecting your Agile Coaches, and make sure to create a coaching agreement so that you both understand the interaction model and what success looks like. You can enroll at a good Agile training course to learn more about Agile coaching.