Agile Transformation is a journey. It is complicated, time-consuming and there are many intense moments. During this transformation, Agile coaches are at the forefront to support business agility and cultivate new habits that will bring challenges and, most of all, value to the organization and its people.
During the last couple of years, I am also ‘transforming’, I am keeping personal notes and I am forming a roadmap on how my new role can bring value! As the time goes by, I realize that the role of the Agile Coach is much more than having an adequate skill set, the necessary competences and being aware of all the best practices.
The role of an Agile Coach is to solely help the teams understand the reality of their work! What makes someone an efficient coach isn’t the problems he/she solves but the questions he/she asks! Trigger the teams to think for themselves and achieve the most they can!
A great Agile coach takes on too many roles throughout his/her relationship with the teams. There are times where I need to step into the role of the facilitator, some other times act as a trainer, an advocate or a reflective observer – examine and discover people’s skills, group dynamics and bring best practices on the table that teams can rely on; help people take advantage of their own experience and knowledge, bring it on-board and translate it into hands-on for performing work.
When coaching teams, I often find myself performing a self-assessment. So, it is not only about modelling teams, it is also about modelling myself: use speech filters, think before speaking, behave as the anti-speaker of the teams, be aware of the influence I have, dare to repeat, lead my example and have fun – the more difficult a situation is, the more I need to smile and have fun!
Conclusion: No, I cannot be your best friend, but I can be your faithful ally!
Author: Rania Alexiou.