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Agile Coaching means different things to different people. Both to those who do it and to those who benefit from it. Agile Coaching for me is a function of (professional coaching, educating, mentoring, facilitating) as a basis. There are more hats that an Agile Coach can wear, but let's stick to the basic ones for the starter.

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Agile Coaching is built on top of Professional Coaching. The latter's essence - it is a partnership between people where one or more help others realize their potentials (achieve their goals) in their way of seeing the world. There is nothing that a Coach adds or changes - just is a neutral partner focusing on a person in their world. A person is responsible for goal achievement 100%.

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Agile Coaching is similar, but coaching (partnership) happens while others are achieving their goals in the Agile context which is a different way of seeing a world, specifically the world of work and business. In essence: an extreme focus on own people, customers and uncovering better ways of doing it. Emphasis is on human side of things & continuous uncovering of better ways.

Therefore, an Agile Coach starts in a coaching hat and switches to other hats (educate, mentor, facilitate, etc.) according to person's or team's or even a larger setup's Agile state. For example, a team would find itself not enough customer focused and would like to be more customer focused. This is a nice goal in the Agile context that might require an Agile Coach to switch hats. Another example would be that a team would love to increase its satisfaction level and find ways around how to do it. A team is responsible for goal achievement 100%.

 

So, how does Agile Coaching work in practice?​​

 

Agile Coaching service #1:

Establishing an Agile Coaching agreement (contract, hand-shake, alignment) where I help you understand better yourselves (your goals in Agile context) and me better understand you so I can offer you best service humanly and economically. Usually takes 1 hr. Target audience: individuals and teams.

 

Agile Coaching service #2:

Agile context understanding and Agile state evaluation (often, but not always after service #1 we end up here). This is a larger workshop with pre-work. Outcome is the clarity of your environment's gaps in the Agile context and next steps. At least half day workshop. Target audience: selective.

 

Agile Coaching service #3:

Agile transformation & change management guidance (explanation of the essence of going to Agile, connection to change management, people resistance reasons, management role in that, leadership etc.). 90 min. Target audience: top management, management and leadership teams.

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Agile Coaching service #4:

Agile team development. If you'd like to become an Agile Team, this is a service for you. Includes parts of other services. First meeting: 1hr to set the scene and agree on regular cadence.

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Agile Coaching service #5:

If you'd like to increase your Agile Coaching and Scrum Mastering skills and learn how to run above services on your own, then this is for you. Me becoming your teacher & mentor.

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Above is not all. We are Agile here, so if you're interested left or right, let's just talk! And all of above are valid both in on-site as well as online formats.​

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Both Professional Coaching and Agile Coaching have nothing to do with leadership and management of people. If people in leading and managerial roles decide to use Professional Coaching and Agile Coaching skills on their own, that is their choice and is generally a good thing to do. However, if Professional Coaches and/or Agile Coaches are hired/engaged, then these people should not become rescuers of leaders and managers in their leadership and management work (be aware when that kind of responsibility throw happens). Instead, Professional Coaches and Agile Coaches should remain partners. It is a different work and different responsibility.