The Real Purpose of an Agile Coach

I love seeing coaches roll up their sleeves and dive in. It gives me goosebumps to witness the passion they put into helping a team and the smiles on their faces when they know they’ve made a meaningful difference to the team’s sprint outcome.

I’m glad coaches feel they were available to their team when needed most and take pride in going the extra mile to help the team succeed. I know how much the team appreciates the support, and it’s clear they feel confident knowing the coach is there when the chips are down. For those interested in making such an impact, Agile Coaching Certification Programs provide the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in this role.

There’s only one problem with it. That’s not their job!

If you are in one of the thousands of organizations that use external coaches to help improve your team’s performance, please understand, their role is not to play the game for the team. Their role is to prepare the team for the game. And what I just witnessed was a coach that has all the right intentions, but totally the wrong execution.

To understand this, it’s important that we’re first clear about why a coach is being paid to be there. It is to help the team perform better. This should not be through team augmentation, day-to-day management, or doing the work on their behalf.

Of course, there are times when a coach needs to roll up their sleeves and ‘lead by example’. They will often need to physically show how to implement new practices, suggest changes, or show people how to run special events. SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One) is a methodology of teaching the team through direct observation. I highly recommend coaches use this, especially for new teams. It is a ‘teaching’ method, not a ‘coaching’ method, and should be carefully and thoughtfully applied.

A coach is there to ask the necessary questions to get the team to self-identify how they could execute a little bit better or a little more efficiently. They are responsible for encouraging the team to take a good hard look at themselves, by giving them the ability to easily recognize opportunities for improvement, and guiding the team on building a strategy and action plan to bring those to life. Sometimes, though less often, providing mentoring along the way.

To coach effectively, they need to be with the team to see them in action (we call this going to gemba). It can be a fine balancing act making sure they are not there too often, and inadvertently become part of the team. They need to do their job from the sidelines. Remember, the coach isn’t there to play the game with the team.

Adapting with the team

Team Self-reflection

In this endeavour, a coach is at first invaluable because they can “see” what the team cannot. This is especially the case when teams are working in very stressful, delivery-focused environments and are afforded very little time to self-reflect and adapt their methods. The coach must be the team’s spare pair of eyes, observing and then holding up a mirror for them to see. And because (in my opinion) a coach should be very experienced in their field, they can do this better than those that are not, and therein lies their value. They can provide feedback through expert analysis and understanding, rather than amateur opinion.

You can easily tell when a coach is becoming the crutch for the team. It’s when the coach feels they are required in every event or meeting (as if they were the team). Along with when management demands that the coach “must be there at all times”, or when the team feels that the coach is letting them down by being absent from the day-to-day. In other words, it is when the coach cannot separate themselves from being “in the team” with working “on the team”.

Quick Tip

Coaches should regularly ask themselves, “Am I making myself obsolete?” and “Am I helping the team to find their own path?” They should also consider, “Why does the team need me all the time?” and “Why does the management team expect me to attend every event?” It’s possible that the coach’s own behavior is contributing to the team’s misunderstanding of what a good coach does and how a coach should operate.

If, after reflecting on these questions, a coach realizes they are “needed” and are with the team all or most of the time, it’s likely they aren’t delivering the full value they should. Ultimately, this means the coach isn’t fostering what the team truly needs: a self-managed, self-organized, continuous improvement culture.

For coaches aiming to enhance their effectiveness and ensure they provide the highest value, Agile Coaching Certification Programs offer valuable insights and training.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn how to create relationships with teams and be able to challenge organizational culture through thoughtful and deliberate interactions, join our EPiC Coach course.

Click on the image below for more information: