Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review" The subtitle of this book says it is for 'ScrumMasters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers,' however, its guidance and advice extend to anyone associated with an agile (Scrum) team. It will also certainly help team members better understand their relationship to the work ScrumMasters, agile coaches, and project managers do for the team. And, beyond this, the book can be valuable to anyone working in a coaching capacity with any group of people, expanding the book's application beyond agile-based efforts." -Scott Duncan, Agile Coach " Lyssa explains brilliantly how skills from professional coaching can be applied to coaching agile software development teams. What I love about this book is how Lyssa brings practical advice to life by relating it to everyday experiences we all recognize. An essential guide for every agile manager's bookshelf." -Rachel Davies, author of Agile Coaching " As I read this book I could actually hear Lyssa's voice, guiding me and sparking precious 'a-ha moments.' This truly is the next best thing to having an experienced and wise coach sitting by your side, helping you be the best coach you can be for your team." -Kris Blake, agile coach " Lyssa Adkins presents agile coaching in a gentle style with firm underpinnings. She resolves the paradox of how coaching can help a team to self-organize, and shows how a nurturing environment can push teams to perform better than ever." -Bill Wake, Industrial Logic, Inc. " I love Lyssa's three qualities of an agile coach-loving, compassionate, uncompromising-sweet. Every chapter offers a compelling blend of philosophy and action, framework and freedom, approach and avoidance, as any agile book should. Coaching Agile Teams is a good candidate to become dog-eared on my desktop rather than looking good on my bookshelf. The depth and quality of expertise that Lyssa sought, sampled, and sounded out along her own coaching journey have been synthesized in her own voice of experience." -Christopher Avery, Responsibility Process mentor, www.LeadershipGift.com " In my experience with agile projects, the agile coach is one of the most important roles to get right. Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins gives the details and practical insights for what it takes to be a great agile coach." -Dave Hendricksen, software architect, Thomson-Reuters " I remember the first time I met Lyssa at a Scrum gathering in Orlando, and realized very quickly how inspirational she would become in the agile community. This book encapsulates her thoughts and ideas into a fantastic literary work that, I believe, fills a void in our community. We knew the role of a coach was needed, but for a long time we were not sure what that role actually was. We struggled as a community to explain what to do, when to do it, and what to do next. Lyssa not only collates all of the things we as coaches aspire to be, but has provided some great advice with realistic direction on how to be the best coach you can be for your team." -Martin Kearns, CSC + CST, Principal Consultant, Renewtek ply. Ltd.
Table of ContentsForeword by Mike Cohn xiii
Foreword by Jim Highsmith xv
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction xix
About the Author xxv
Part I: It Starts with You 1
Chapter 1: Will I Be a Good Coach? 3
Why Agile Coaching Matters 4
The Agile Coaching Context 5
Let’s Get Our Language Straight 8
Move Toward Agile Coaching 9
An Agile Coach Emerges 15
Native Wiring 16
Make Agile Coaching Your Personal Expression 18
A Refresher 18
Additional Resources 19
Chapter 2: Expect High Performance 21
Set the Expectation 22
Introduce a Metaphor for High Performance 23
The Destination Never Comes 29
A Refresher 30
Additional Resources 30
References 31
Chapter 3: Master Yourself 33
Start with Self-Awareness 35
Recover from Command-and-Control-ism 40
Prepare for the Day Ahead 43
Practice in the Moment 46
Be a Model for Them 53
Support Yourself 53
Always Work on Yourself 54
A Refresher 55
Additional Resources 55
References 56
Chapter 4: Let Your Style Change 59
Agile Team Stages 60
Agile Coach Styles 64
Feel Free to Let Your Style Change 67
A Refresher 70
Additional Resources 70
References 70
Part II: Helping the Team Get More for Themselves 73
Chapter 5: Coach as Coach-Mentor 75
What Is Agile Coaching? 76
What Are We Coaching For? 77
Coaching at Two Levels 78
Coaching People One-on-One 83
Coaching Product Owners 97
Coaching Agile Coaches 107
Coaching Agile Managers 109
A Refresher 114
Additional Resources 114
References 115
Chapter 6: Coach as Facilitator 117
Wield a Light Touch 119
Facilitate the Stand-Up 119
Facilitate Sprint Planning 123
Facilitate the Sprint Review 128
Facilitate the Retrospective 132
Facilitate During Team Conversations 136
Professional Facilitator and Agile Coach 142
A Refresher 143
Additional Resources 143
References 144
Chapter 7: Coach as Teacher 145
Teach During the Team Start-Up 146
Teach New Team Members 169
Use Teachable Moments 170
Teach Agile Roles All the Time 170
A Refresher 180
Additional Resources 181
References 181
Chapter 8: Coach as Problem Solver 183
An Agile Problem Solving Rubric 185
Problems Arise and Are Sought 186
See Problems Clearly 192
Resolve Problems 196
A Refresher 200
Additional Resources 201
References 201
Chapter 9: Coach as Conflict Navigator 203
The Agile Coach’s Role in Conflict 204
Five Levels of Conflict 204
What Level of Conflict Is Present? 207
What Should You Do About It? 211
Carrying Complaints 217
Unsolvable Conflict 221
A Last Word on Conflict 225
A Refresher 226
Additional Resources 226
References 226
Chapter 10: Coach as Collaboration Conductor 229
Collaboration or Cooperation? 231
From Cooperation to Collaboration 232
Build Individual Collaborators 233
Surplus Ideas Required 238
Build the Team’s Collaboration Muscle 239
Reveal the Heart of Collaboration 251
A Refresher 253
Additional Resources 253
References 254
Part III: Getting More for Yourself 257
Chapter 11: Agile Coach Failure, Recovery, and Success Modes 259
Agile Coach Failure Modes 260
Where Do Failure Modes Come From? 261
Recover from Failure Modes 263
Agile Coach Success Modes 266
Practice, Practice 268
A Refresher 269
Additional Resources 269
References 270
Chapter 12: When Will I Get There? 271
Agile Coach Skills 272
Beyond a List of Skills 279
A Refresher 285
Additional Resources 286
References 286
Chapter 13: It’s Your Journey 287
Agile Coach Journeys 288
A Refresher 305
Additional Resources 305
References 305
Index 307
