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![A few more…
“We got to a client to find an agile coach getting a team of 30 people in
a room for a standup and each person would go and move their post it
note on the wall as they spoke about it. Stand ups would take for ever.”
“The [coach’s] official title was "Head of Enterprise Agility". This person
would organise monthly "Agile Lunches" where teams would get
together and have team building exercises. They would also put up
"Agile Myth" posters all over the place.”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/flaccidcoaching-161107033123/85/Flaccid-coaching-5-320.jpg)
Uploaded byRichard Banks
Flaccid coaching
This document discusses weak and ineffective agile coaches. It provides examples of coaching failures, such as coaches who are unaware of what the team is working on or who delegate tasks at standups. Coaches may organize team-building activities but not help the team get work done. The document advocates for coaches to observe teams, provide practical guidance and correction, and initiate conflict when needed to drive improvement. However, it notes that coaching may sometimes come too late to save failing teams, or that old habits may die hard even after coaching as people don't fully gain understanding.
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Flaccid coaching
- 1. A word ofwarning…. • Bullet points and boring formatting follow. • Ideas expressed may only be cohesive to the presenter. • Time poor Richard has been time poor. • Rule #1 of presentations: Never start by apologising for what will follow. But since you’re my friends… it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?
- 2. So, Flaccid coaching,huh? What do I mean? This: • Impotent • Lacking strength, force, vigour • Insipid • Passive • All the talk, none of the walk
- 3. The symptoms andsmells… Companies who have an “agile coach” already, yet have… • Poor practices with no signs of improvement over time • Disempowerment and morale that only seems to get worse • Ivory tower attitudes; us/them mentalities • Vague, handy wavy, communications and buzz word bingo • Games and team building exercises, not getting stuff done • Focus on “the feels”, ignore professionalism and delivery • Poor behaviours never get called out • Servants, not leaders
- 4. A few storiesfrom the field “I was unaware we even had an agile coach until a few weeks in. Turns out they were sitting with the real product owner, yelling out buzz words like 'self-organise' for when there wasn't a plan and creating motivational posters” “At our standups, we had the product owner asking when things would get done and the scrum master delegating tasks.”
- 5. A few more… “Wegot to a client to find an agile coach getting a team of 30 people in a room for a standup and each person would go and move their post it note on the wall as they spoke about it. Stand ups would take for ever.” “The [coach’s] official title was "Head of Enterprise Agility". This person would organise monthly "Agile Lunches" where teams would get together and have team building exercises. They would also put up "Agile Myth" posters all over the place.”
- 6. Coaching Nightmares: Insightswe can Learn from Gordon Ramsay (Craig Smith) Episode formula:
- 7. The worst coaches(and scrum masters)… • Lucky if they get the first two • Many fail to even go and observe, relying on second hand info.
- 8. The only slightlyless worse ones… • Ask for teams to commit to improvement • And fail to give any practical correction or guidance at all
- 9. Initiating conflict? • Oneof the hardest things I learned how to. • But without conflict, we never improve.
- 10. Well meaning, butweak coaches… • Lack confidence / experience. • Lack skills / domain knowledge. • Fail to lead by example • Fails to engage experts to help when they have gaps
- 11. How do wehelp the weak coaches? • Critical First Step – Get permission to help! • Without permission, advice and support will be spurned • Consider the Ramsay model (but without the swearing) • Listen & Learn • Observe • Hold a mirror • Ask to commit • Teach & Mentor • Stand with the coach • Retrospectives for the coach
- 12. Not quite sosimple though • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2674314/More-60-cent-Kitchen-Nightmares-restaurants-visited-Gordon-Ramsay-closed.html • Ramsay visited 77 restaurants across seven seasons • Nearly 50 of the eateries have since shuttered • Some didn’t last long enough to see their episodes air while still in business & one closed during filming for the show.
- 13. Why? • Too lateto save? Ramsay was only delaying the inevitable? • Remember, the restaurants were already on the brink of failure • Honeymoon was over and best intentions faded? • i.e. old habits die hard • People learned to mimic? They didn’t gain understanding? Sounds familiar, right?