Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
We've Moved
We've Moved
Walking Their Talk, Sustainability, Inspiration
Robert Galen
Sustainability

I saw this wonderfully courageous and informative post by Sabine Canditt the other day where she wrote about Sustainable Scrum. 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sustainable-scrum-responsible-choice-sabine-canditt-x0gef

After just completing a The Week program facilitated by the amazing Ann-Marie Kong, it touched my heart.

That said, I wanted to highlight one comment reaction/interaction between Sabine and Erich Bühler 

Erich said—

Thank you for bringing this approach into the world! Scrum does provide an iterative approach for teams to create value, but its scope is limited to the product level and struggles with dynamics across the whole organization for several reasons.
Without updating the underlying business and financial model at a strategic level, Scrum alone cannot transform organization-wide sustainability.

Sustainability
Short-takes, Inspiration
Robert Galen
Sandy’s Take
Sandy’s Take
Short-takes, Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
The Human Aspects of Agile Coaching
The Human Aspects of Agile Coaching
Coaching, ACGW, Personal Thoughts
Robert Galen
Keys to Building your Coaching Relationships

I talk a lot about the first step in coaching any client (individual, system, team, etc.) is to build a relationship, gain empathy and understanding, and then gain an idea of where/how to help initially. So, do NOT start to coach until you’ve done some relationship-building. 

But what does a coaching relationship, or a professional relationship in general, look like? What are aspects of that? Here are a few things that come to my mind—

  • Making + taking the time.

  • Explaining what you do—what is Agile Coaching.

  • Building some empathy; walking in their shoes; understanding where they are coming from.

  • Meeting them where they are.

  • Listening; reflective listening; building metaphors together.

  • Connecting with their language, not yours.

Keys to Building your Coaching Relationships

Badass Coaching

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Why do Agile Coaches have an Aversion to Consulting?

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Why do Agile Coaches have an Aversion to Consulting?

It seems to be an ongoing topic within the agile coaching community.  

Can an Agile Coach provide advice or consult with a client? The predominant answer seems to be no. Or something like—if you’re providing advice, then you’re NOT coaching. So, do you want to be a Coach? Or do you want to be a Consultant or Advisor? But you certainly can’t be both!

I’ve always wondered where this position comes from. If I’m advertising myself as an Agile Coach serving my clients…

  • Is it simply wrong to mix the two? Am I doing my client a disservice if I give them advice?

  • Or is it a skills challenge where many coaches find themselves under-skilled or uncomfortable delivering consulting advice?

  • Or, is it easier or less risky to professionally coach versus providing consulting advice?

  • Or is it something else altogether?

My initial reaction is that it might confuse Professional Coaching and Agile Coaching.  Thinking that they are the same. As I explored in my Extraordinarily Badass Agile Coaching book, they are not.