Agile Coaching like a Being a Parent
I became a team lead in 2006 for the first time. This was completely new thing for me. I was doing my best to accomplish the project goals. My managers were helping me in my leadership growth. Then after 2 years, my first son was born. And then my journey called "parenting" has started. When I was back from maternity leave I started looking at lead role a little bit differently. I found leading and coaching teams very similar to bringing up children.
Infants - coaching by example
Preschool - coaching by questions
Older children want to do everything by themselves. They already know the "theory" and would like to practice everything. They are trying and sometimes failing. Then parent need to step in and by asking question try to help kid in understanding what was wrong and how to avoid the same for the future.
So when your team is trying to 'apply' Scrum theory to daily work - that's mean it is mature enough to be in a preschool. You still need to look after it however you can leave the team with some smaller and easier problem to solve. You can give it some well defined task and check the results. The most important event on this level of maturity is Scrum Retrospective. Team need to reflect itself and identify areas for improvements. Adaptation is very important on this level and can help the team in reaching the next level.
School - coaching by giving feedback
When your child is going to school it's time to take a deep breath and wait for the results of your hard work in the recent years. You need to let him go alone to school or to holiday camp (despite the fact you are very worried). You know that letting him alone is the best thing you can do. You were giving him an example and explaining him all dangers in the world for the last several years - now he need to take care of himself. Sometimes he still fails or undermine your trust - then you need to give him constructive feedback.
When your team is on this maturity level you can be proud. Now you are ready to fully trust your team, give them challenging tasks, leave it alone in resolving complex problems. These teams are doing mature retrospection by identifying "real" impediments and problems with achievable corrective actions. This is self organizing team :) Your role here is to listen, observe and give a good feedback when it is needed. It is like a helping them to back on the rails :)
So good luck in bringing up your team!
Infants - coaching by example
At the beginning little child need lots of parent's attention, time and care. Parents need to look after the kid most of the day. They need to show and teach little people everything starting from sitting and walking through walking and finally dressing by himself.
Taking after the infant is similar to coaching very young teams that have little experience with Scrum methodology. This can be teams that were working in waterfall for a long time or newly built teams. You need to take care of this team everyday, explaining them what Scrum is, showing good practices by example. At the beginning you can be Scrum Master, lead the Scrum Events. At the same time you can observe the team member and try to find out the person who can be Scrum Master in a future.
Taking after the infant is similar to coaching very young teams that have little experience with Scrum methodology. This can be teams that were working in waterfall for a long time or newly built teams. You need to take care of this team everyday, explaining them what Scrum is, showing good practices by example. At the beginning you can be Scrum Master, lead the Scrum Events. At the same time you can observe the team member and try to find out the person who can be Scrum Master in a future.
Older children want to do everything by themselves. They already know the "theory" and would like to practice everything. They are trying and sometimes failing. Then parent need to step in and by asking question try to help kid in understanding what was wrong and how to avoid the same for the future.
So when your team is trying to 'apply' Scrum theory to daily work - that's mean it is mature enough to be in a preschool. You still need to look after it however you can leave the team with some smaller and easier problem to solve. You can give it some well defined task and check the results. The most important event on this level of maturity is Scrum Retrospective. Team need to reflect itself and identify areas for improvements. Adaptation is very important on this level and can help the team in reaching the next level.
School - coaching by giving feedback
When your child is going to school it's time to take a deep breath and wait for the results of your hard work in the recent years. You need to let him go alone to school or to holiday camp (despite the fact you are very worried). You know that letting him alone is the best thing you can do. You were giving him an example and explaining him all dangers in the world for the last several years - now he need to take care of himself. Sometimes he still fails or undermine your trust - then you need to give him constructive feedback.
When your team is on this maturity level you can be proud. Now you are ready to fully trust your team, give them challenging tasks, leave it alone in resolving complex problems. These teams are doing mature retrospection by identifying "real" impediments and problems with achievable corrective actions. This is self organizing team :) Your role here is to listen, observe and give a good feedback when it is needed. It is like a helping them to back on the rails :)
So good luck in bringing up your team!
Comments
Post a Comment