Agile teams are a great way to get things done. Team members are empowered to make the right decisions to complete these projects in the least amount of time. However, that doesn't mean they don't need coaching. Coaching agile teams is a way to help these teams get even better results.
Most product or IT managers need help coaching their agile teams and driving faster deliveries and improved performance because they can't seem to get their teams to adopt the right mindset. The good news is that there are some steps they can take to change this. With a little effort, they can help their team see the value in collaboration and continuous improvement.
This blog will look at different ways to coach your agile teams and get better results.
There are many different skills that an agile coach may need, but some of the most important ones are the ability to:
An agile coach should also be able to provide guidance on how to best use agile practices to achieve the team's goals and how to adapt those practices to the team's unique situation.
Now, the question arises - how can agile coaches ensure they're providing the best guidance?
By using proven practices to get better results, that's how!
So, let's understand the ways that agile coaches can use to coach agile teams.
You first need to get everyone's attention on what is important about this change and what they can expect from it. Talk about what would happen if they didn't change their mindset or behavior. You can also talk about how it will help them grow as individuals and improve their performance at work.
However, it takes work.
When you continue talking about how great Agile is, it sounds like you think you have all the answers and that the team has none. You can't just spring changes on people. Try to force agility on them sparingly. Instead, spend some time figuring out what the team does now and what they're worried about before you suggest any changes.
Each team is made up of a unique mix of people who face difficulties. Your job isn't to change them into an ideal agile process. Instead, it's to help them figure out which agile approaches will help them solve their problems best. Use concrete examples in simple language as opposed to creating generalizations.
The next step in coaching is to help your agile team define the workflow. You can do this through a daily standup meeting or by writing the process on a whiteboard. You must understand how each person fits into your organization and their role in getting work done. You're required to find answers to questions such as:
Once you've defined the workflow, it's time to refine it. Here are some ways you can help your team improve their process:
If a team member has a problem or needs help, take action! Expect them to devise a solution, but providing every possible assistance is necessary. You must be proactive by helping your people solve problems before they overwhelm them. Make sure you are available and willing to help or coach as needed.
This could mean answering questions about process, design, and coding practices, reviewing user stories and clarifying acceptance criteria, or helping team members understand their roles and responsibilities in the context of their team's goals.
While the word "facilitate" may sound like it would be easy, it's often one of the trickiest coaching tasks. You need to get people talking and listening while you guide them through a plan in a way that makes sense.
A good facilitator will:
Coaching from the top down means that you will spend a lot of time with your management and leadership teams, helping them understand what agile management is, why agility is important, how to support it, and how to get results out of it.
If senior management does not believe in agile principles and does not support them, it'll be difficult for any team to use agile methods successfully.
You could also work with your executive sponsors to make sure they agree with agile methods. This is especially true if they have technical experience or know what agile means.
Coaching from the bottom up involves working directly with your teams (maybe even through pair programming) to help them succeed as an agile team.
Documenting team processes is a great way to improve your team's work. It's also helpful if you need to explain how something works or show someone else how things are done.
Agile teams use project management tools, storyboards, wireframes, mockups, and other visual artifacts to help them understand what they're building and how it fits into the overall picture.
When you review your work together later, these videos will help you give better feedback.
A key aspect of coaching is helping people understand how their actions fit into the bigger picture. This means that you need to be able to explain why something matters, not just what needs doing.
When coaching your team members, focus on this aspect of coaching—helping them understand the bigger picture—rather than simply telling them what needs to be done.
The best way to do this is with a goal-setting framework. A goal-setting framework is a step-by-step process to achieve goals. It makes sure that employees are accountable and take the steps they need to reach their goals.
This can be as simple as setting quarterly goals in each area your team needs to improve or as complex as using OKR (objectives and key results) to measure progress on specific objectives.
Coaching can be difficult, but if you're an agile leader responsible for your team's growth and performance, these tips should prove to be quite useful.
Agile teams are less process-driven than traditional project management structures. The key to scaling agile methodology is coaching agile teams and creating a culture of accountability.
There are a few key things that all good agile coaches have in common: Firstly, they have a deep understanding of the agile methodology and can effectively communicate this to others. Secondly, they can create a supportive and collaborative environment within their team, which promotes learning and innovation. Lastly, they are constantly seeking to improve their skills and knowledge, as well as that of their team.
In general, an agile coach's first action is to assess the team's current situation and need to tailor their coaching approach to the team's specific circumstances. This evaluation will involve talking to team members, watching how they work together, and looking at any existing paperwork or processes. Based on this assessment, the coach will then be able to develop a plan for how to best support the team in their transition to an agile way of working.
Agile coaches typically have three levels of focus: the team, the organization, and the individual. At the team level, the coach works with the team to help them improve their process and deliver better results. The coach works with leadership at the organizational level to help them understand and embrace the agile mindset. At the individual level, the coach works with each team member to help them understand and apply the agile principles to their work.
