As organizations seek to embrace a more empowered, productive, and adaptable culture, they are adopting the use of agile coaches who act as catalysts for this change. Through Agile coaching, managers and leaders hire servant leaders who provide professional coaching, teaching, facilitation and mentoring. Through this, they assist organizations in achieving their goals and achieve impressive results.
What is an Agile coach?
What distinguishes Agile coaches from other project management consultants is that they embody the Agile values, practices, and principles. There are generally eight capabilities that an agile coach should possess. They should be Lean-Agile practitioners, and apply the Agile practices and live by the Agile values. They also act as professional coaches and partner with the clients, inspiring their professional and personal potential.
Agile coaches also facilitate their client’s growth by helping them develop solutions and make significant decisions. These coaches also act as teachers and instruct others in precise knowledge and skills. Mentoring is another of their competencies, where agile coaches share skills and perspectives that promote growth.
Additionally, these coaches have three critical fields of mastery: business, technical and transformation mastery. Hence, they are experts at catalyzing organizational change, driving product development and innovation, and as software craftspeople.
What are the core values of Agile Coaching?
Four fundamental values make up the Agile Manifesto. These include:
Individuals and interactions
Unlike previous software teams that would focus on implementing the best tools and processes, Agile coaching recognizes the importance of focusing on people. Having the right individuals in the software team is essential for the success of the project. Additionally, the interactions or communication between the team members is vital. Their collaboration will bring solutions to the problems being faced by the organization.
Customer collaboration
The Agile Manifesto also looks past contracts, which were the previous focus of project managers. The consultants would sign contracts with customers who would detail their desired final product.
Unfortunately, the finished product would be different from what the customers wanted at the end of the term. This manifesto focuses on the continuous development of clients. Consequently, there exists a feedback loop between Agile coaches and the client to ensure that the product works continuously.
Response to change
Unlike previous projects, where the plan was static, with Agile, the priorities are constantly changing with the shift in the client’s needs. Agile teams, including their software team, should be able to change direction when needed to. They, therefore, use dynamic roadmaps to meet the client’s requirements.
Working software
The provision of software to Agile’s clients and their customers is a high priority. Consequently, they do not emphasize documentation while foregoing coding, as previously done by other firms.
How does one become an Agile coach?
To become an Agile coach, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. The specific field of specialization would be based on your career aspirations, such as IT, project management, development, etc. You will then need to gain working experience as a project manager or Scrum master.
As a Scrum master, you will have the chance to learn about the Agile methodology and the complexities of Agile teams. Once you have gained these skills, you can apply for Agile coach positions. There are various courses beyond conventional degrees that can help you grow your Agile coaching skills. Obtaining an Agile coaching certification will also legitimize your position as an Agile coach and validate your position in the field.
What are the key traits of an Agile coach?
The following skills are vital to be a great Agile coach:
Knowledge of Agile Principles
The Agile Manifesto is made up of a comprehensive philosophy. Agile uses various frameworks such as Scrum, Lean, Continuous Delivery, DevOps, etc. You need to be familiar with all these methods to be an effective Agile coach.
An open mindset
Agile coaching is a dynamic facet that is always growing to adapt to changing needs. It will place significant demands on your versatility. You should, therefore, be open to new insights, tools, and techniques.
People skills
As an Agile coach, you will need to work with people and motivate them to work towards their goals. Therefore, you will need people skills like proper communication, conflict resolution, perseverance, and patience.
Conclusion
Agile Coaching is an effective way of bringing change to organizations. Through the Agile Manifesto, coaches can help managers and leaders achieve the firm’s goals while adapting to the ever-changing business environment.
