Agile professionals are often seen as the experts for agile within their company. They are the go to person to discuss examples, scenarios, solutions and structure. Sometimes they’re sparring partners for just about any business- or personal challenge people might face, so they themselves practice individual coaching with their fellow employees. Furthermore within their company structures, they are surrounded by people of various backgrounds who both are (unwillingly or unaware) supporting or hindering a move towards more agile ways of working.
Reality is a tricky multi-faced hydra who never plays by the book. Guidelines are simple, application is hard. Team setups, management chains, people coming and leaving challenge our mindsets on a daily basis: Do we react impulsively in ways we’re used to, do we consciously decide for better ways or are there options in between?
How does this group of experts consistently stick to an agile mindset while continuously navigating complex circumstances?
The best way to stay the course is what an agile professional will tell their colleagues about any challenge:
- talk to peers
- find yourselves a coach/mentor
- brainstorm with diverse groups
This exchange sometimes is tricky to organize, superficial or simply just an idea in our heads that we rarely follow up on (or only on chance encounters).
Forums for agile professionals can only be a real part of our work routine when WE create space for it and invest in getting better together. In true agile fashion. Here’s what I offer in that direction:
Coach the Coach – Individual Coaching
You are working in an aspiring agile setup, your teams are challenging and you want to level up? I offer 1:1 sessions to coach agile professionals around topics such as personal development, agile practices, communication, challenges in their daily routines/with their teams. Let’s be honest: Anything can be a topic for individual coaching — it’s up to you, I’m here to listen.
- Operational: Hourly billing, min. 4x monthly standing appointments
- Why: Get better at how you are doing things and inspired trying new things
- Why with me: Actively working as an Agile Coach, Product Owner and Scrum Master, moderator and facilitator since 2007 across a wide range of industries I have made many mistakes and done even more things well: I’ve helped create truly high productive setups in startup and corporate environments, both as an employee and external partner. Through powerful questions and reflection we will unleash the solutions that you already feel will work.
Moderation for Agile Coaching teams
You are a team of agile coaches. Obviously, you are all experts and have collectively seen everything. How can you best leverage this and be your own best team education resource? I moderate and lead workshops, in which you can debate agile challenges you came across and exchange approaches. I moderate these sessions to help you work through real life examples and benefit from one another’s perspectives and experiences. I act as a neutral person from outside of your team who supports you in creating this advanced agile forum.
- Operational: Minimum 2h session plus 2h preparation and post processing
- Why: Leverage the experience within your expert team to work through challenges, questions and foster learning from one another
- Why with me: You don’t need me for this. BUT I offer a neutral, experienced moderation with no stake in office politics, management or peer relations. I just carry one hat – moderator for your agile coaching group who understands what you are talking about.
Coaching teams of Agile Coaches
A forum for your own advanced agile scenarios
Agile concepts are simple but quite hard to put in practice. Many scenarios often see many potential solutions. I offer team workshops, in which we dig deeper into more complex setups and conceptualize on applying agile basics. These sessions are most helpful for advanced agile professionals who want to challenge their routinely used tools and see if there is room for improvement.
- Operational: Half day workshop style
- Why: Advance your knowledge in agile scenarios and create an expert forum for your team
- Why with me: Since 2007 I have been part of newbie, aspiring, intermediate and expert agile teams as well as lead teams of experts. Creating a community of agile practitioners that goes beyond complaining, beyond hands-on repeating the same things with each team is what drives me. I’m passionate about forming groups that are learning and developing organization-wide methods to adopt better ways of working at scale.