Have you ever wondered what it really takes to thrive as an agile coach? Or maybe you are tired of watching your team spin their wheels without delivering value. In this video, I will share my top five takeaways from the book that has been like my agile coaching The book title, Coaching Agile Teams, written by Lisa Huggins. I've read it every year for the past few years and trust me it's packed with insight you can put into action from today. So let's dive in and uncover how this book can transform your teams.
I'm Tutu Ario, an ICF certified coach and agile coach. I coach professionals like you through life's big shifts with my four-step coaching strategy but today we want to dive into a book that is practically my agile coaching playbook. The book is titled Coaching Agile Teams by Lisa Atkins.
This isn't just a guide, it's a wake-up call. I call it the original MVP of agile coaching books. So who is it for? Squam masters.
agile team leads, agile coaches, team coaches, agile managers, tech leads and even employers of agile coaches. Why? Because understanding what great value coaching looks like is key to driving organizational transformation. Let me tell you what I particularly love about this book. First, the reflective questions are the start of each chapter.
They help you tease out the main source and connect deeply with their ideas. Then there are the visual elements that make the concept pop out and capture the essence of what is shared in each of the pages of this book. And oh, let me talk about the metaphor.
So if you are a metaphor curious person, you're going to have a blast. It's like a metaphor playground for agile coaches. But I know you are busy, so let me save you some time. I'm sharing my top five takeaway from this book so are you ready steady let's dive right in all right takeaway number one wear the right hat and no i don't mean literally swapping out hat like they do in the fashion show though that will be fun it's about mastering the stance of an agile coach lisa says an agile coach is like a ship shifter sometimes you're a teacher sometimes a mentor a facilitator a consultant and sometimes you are just a coach.
So think of it like being Jack of all trades but with a purpose. Basically like the Swiss Army knife of the agile world. Now your superpower is knowing which arts to wear and when to wear it. This is about knowing which role to play as an agile coach which most times depends on what your team needs and I love using the metaphor for myself of a butterfly so I can go from one situation to the other wearing the right art and the right mindset.
When your team is new to Agile you might need to wear the teacher arts. Yes, explain the concept, walk them through the process. It's all about giving them the tools to succeed but as they grow it's time to swap the hats for the hat of a coach. Yes, that is where you step back and guide the team to solve their own problem rather than giving them all the answers. Then there's the mental heart.
This is when someone on your team needs a little care or skill, you know, maybe a pep talk. Maybe they're stuck and you've got a story to inspire them from your own experience. But don't forget, mentoring is about sharing your perspective while leaving the room for theirs.
So don't let us forget the role of the facilitator or mediator. When discussion gets noisy, you are the one that keeps things productive, making sure everyone feels heard. And if conflict pops up, because it always does, that's when you step in as a mediator.
to help the team navigate through it without drama well not too much drama anyway so you need some skill set for you know to be able to settle the conflicts on your team as well Now, there are moments that you will need to wear the consultant hat and share your expert advice. I'll say don't overuse it, okay? So I know it can be tempting, but don't. Please don't. Don't, don't.
And hey, sometimes the best hat to wear is none at all. As a coach, you encourage your team to unlock their potentials by self-discovery and experimentation. Ask, ask, and ask.
How might you solve... these and then do your team a favor shut up it's very simple boys hard you should also offer them your opinion and not impose it on them so there you have it being an agile coach simply means mastering the art of art switching where the right art at the right time and you will empower your team to collaborate and try like the pros they are. Like basically what?
A heart ninja. Which leads me to the takeaway number two. Stop being the boss. Stop being the boss and start being the coach. Shifting from the directive to coaching stand.
You don't need to be the hero. Come on, seriously. Stop swooping in with all the answers like the Batman or the Superman or what's the name of this other one?
Optimus Prime. It's time to hang up. I'm in charge.
I'm in charge at and then start putting on the hat. I'm here to support my team. Agile team tries when they are empowered, not micromanaged. And as an agile coach, your job isn't to tell people what to do.
It's to help them figure out how to do it themselves. As Lisa Atkins says, the best coaching results are from coaching a team to find their own answers, not telling them what to do. You've got to let go of the need to control. When you are the boss, you make all the calls.
But when you are the coach, you ask the question. You stack the ideas in your team and you trust your team to take ownership of the work. And Lisa puts it like this.
The role of the coach is to create a space for the team to succeed, not to be the one doing the work for the team. So that's how you build a culture of accountability and self-organization on your team. Let me let you in on the twist.
When you stop being the boss, you actually get better results. You are no longer the bottleneck. You are no longer the decision maker. Instead, you are there to guide, to remove roadblocks. and help your team become the very best of themselves.
Now, Lisa says it perfectly. As coaches, we are there to guide, not to provide answers. As a coach, you've got to trust that your team has the ability to solve their own problems.
You are there to create an environment where they feel safe to experiment, fail and learn. As Lisa reminds us in the book, coaching is about empowering the team to discover their own path forward, not giving them the answers that you think that they need. Let's look at it this way. It's like handing a student the answer during an exam.
Here's the problem. The more you step in with solution, the more the team will become reliant on you. They stop building their own problem-solving muscles, and before you know it, you become the single point of failure. Trust me, no one wants that.
You don't want that. Neither do the team and definitely not the organization. Please stop micromanaging. Stop. Please stop.
Stop, stop, stop, stop trying to control everything. Start coaching your team and watch them rise to the occasion. Let them hone their successes and grow stronger with every iteration. And Agile coaches, we must learn to move away from the directive. and allow the team to be able to find their own solution.
So let's embrace coaching mindset, ask powerful questions, and enable your team to grow their own decision-making abilities rather than providing them with the answers. Now, think about it. How would they grow if you're always doing the heavy lifting? Adopt this principle. Do not speak first.
Ask questions. Let them figure it out. And yes, it may feel slow at first but trust the process. Takeaway number three.
High-performing teams don't happen by accident. I learned about creating high-performing teams. Last time I checked, high-performing teams aren't born, they are built intentionally.
Everybody wants a high-performing team, including you. Yes, I mean you. You want a high-performing team. Guess what?
You've got to go through the messy bits. I'm very sorry to bust your bubble, but... There's no magic wand to make you get a high-performing team. Those dream teams that you've heard of, the high-performing ones, they are built intentionally, step by step, with lots of patience.
And as Lisa Hattins explains, every team evolves through Bruce Tuckman stages. Performing, storming, numbing, and performing. And guess what?
The storming phase can be... messy. That's when personality clashes, conflict arises, and you start questioning your life choices. Why did I choose this particular rule for myself?
But here is the thing, conflict is healthy on a team. Conflict isn't the enemy. Avoiding conflict is the problem. Your job is to create a safe space where the team can talk it out and come out stronger. As a coach, Your job is to help the team walk through this conflict constructively so they can come out stronger on the other side.
You also need to make sure they are clear on their shared purpose. Team that don't know what they are doing sometimes struggle because they cannot perform because they don't understand why they are together. Now let's talk about psychological safety for a second.
She tells us that it's the glue that holds high-performing team together. So if your team doesn't feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, or challenges, or challenge ideas, you are not getting their best work, period. Another thing Lisa emphasizes on is feedback. High-performing teams thrive on continuous feedback.
It's how they grow and adapt. So make your retrospective sessions your best friend and big feedback loop into every team interaction. There are three questions I often ask myself and after reading this book I started asking myself this question. Do those I serve grow as agilists? Do they, whilst they've been served, become free to air their opinion?
And three, do people leave my team better than they came? I like the question. The way the concept of seventh leadership is well explained in the book.
We rise by lifting others. So the bottom line, high performing teams aren't built overnight and they don't just happen. It takes effort, intentionality and a lot of support from you as a coach.
And guess what? They need a great coach like you. So stay intentional and trust the plan. process. Takeaway number four, get comfortable with chaos.
It's about navigating complexity and change. Like we can all relate with this. Why do we keep changing the screen's goal? Somebody tell me why.
But that's the beauty of it. Your role as a coach is to help team navigate the uncertainty without losing their mind or the velocity. Agile team works in an environment that is messy, unpredictable and constantly changing. It's like trying to bake a cake while the recipe keeps updating in real time. What you get will be messy and chaotic.
Well, as an Agile coach, your job isn't to eliminate the chaos, it's to help your team navigate through it. Now Lisa Adkin puts it perfectly. Chaos isn't a problem.
It's where creativity lies. And here is what that means. First, you need to let go of control.
I know it's hard, but instead of trying to fix everything, trust your team to adapt, self-organize, and find their own path forward. You are not there to be the hero. You are there to empower them.
So when chaos eats, and it always does, your job is to guide the team, help them stay focused on their goals, even when things, when situations feel not so good. Break the problem into smaller pieces, smaller chunks, and nitrates, and keep experimenting. Chaos isn't your enemy. It's your tickets to innovation.
When the team feels overwhelmed, you are their anchor. And by staying calm and showing adaptability, you will teach them to do the same. Because honestly, Agile isn't about eliminating the chaos.
It's about thriving in it. Know that. and no peace.
So agile coaching is about guiding teams through uncertainty and complexity. This requires resilience, adaptability and system thinking to understand how team dynamics and organizational structure influences outcomes and remind everyone that agile isn't about being perfect, it's about making progress. Here comes the part I love the most, the last takeaway, and it's a big one, work on you.
This is about your personal growth and self-mastery. If you are not taking care of yourself, how can you possibly show up as the best coach for your team? Lisa Harkin says, you can't help others grow if you aren't growing yourself. And that means you start with you. Self-awareness is key.
know your triggers, manage your emotions, deal with yourself, get a coach. Being an agile coach isn't just about knowing the frameworks and tools. It's about who you are as a person, using yourself as the tool in the transformation process.
When you are grounded, focused, and self-aware, you can lead your team with clarity and confidence. But when you're burnt out or frustrated you're going to reflect that onto your team and that is not the kind of energy you want to build into the room. Lisa really drives this home.
If you want your team to evolve you must first evolve yourself. It's like putting your own oxygen mask on first. Yes you can't perform an empty cup. You've got to be in a good place mentally, emotionally and physically before you can help your team try.
This is where self-awareness comes in. When you understand your own triggers, your strengths, your weaknesses, your blind spots, you are better equipped to coach without your own packages intruding on the team or getting in the way. And as Lisa puts it, self-awareness allows you to be present for your team without letting your own baggage hijack the coaching process. So to be an effective agile coach, self-awareness, continuous personal development are very essential.
Reflect on your own behaviors, your biases, your triggers, and practice mindfulness and emotional intelligence to remain centered and open during challenging situations. I tell you something, this book will smack you in the face with big truths. If you're not growing, your team isn't either. It is not just about working on your coaching skills.
It's about working on your mindset. The more you develop yourself, the better you are. You can help other people. You can help other people grow.
Lisa calls it modeling the behavior you want to see in your team. If you want them to show up with curiosity, accountability, and growth mindset, you... better be modeling that for them too. It's not something that can easily be achieved. Whatever it takes for you to level up, just do it.
Period. Just do it. Make it happen. This is where I recommend getting aligned with ICF International Coaching Federation competencies.
Watch my video on Agile versus Professional Coaching for more insights. I will leave the link in the description. got from the book as well is that you're not just coaching the team, you're coaching yourself along the way.
Every coaching session, every team interaction is a chance to grow and evolve. And as Lisa says, coaching is an ongoing process of self-discovery and learning. So keep doing the work you're doing on yourself. It will only make you a better coach for your team. So work on yourself first.
When you are your best self, that's when you can fully and truly empower your team to reach their highest potentials. Seems like a whole lot for you to add to your backlog. But if you would like a coach to partner with you to get clarity, identify your gaps, and gain direction on how to navigate this and many more, shoot me an email or send me a DM on LinkedIn.
I have my links in the description. So there you have it. Those are my five game-changing takeaways from the book Coaching Agile Teams.
I highly recommend you pick up the book. Coaching Agile Teams by Lisa Hadkins. This book isn't just a must read for agile coaches, it's a goldmine for anyone. Anyone that is wanting to improve how they support their teams, whether they're an agile coach or a scrum master or product owner, or even looking to just boost your leadership skills, especially if you are agile manager or leaders. Honestly, I've barely scratched the surface of what this book has to offer.
Even after reading it three times, I read it every year and it's packed with so much insight and strategies and real world examples and advice that it's going to take me years to cover it, to be able to get the juice out of it. So if you want to move from just being a team manager to being a true agile coach who knows how to navigate chaos and be high performing teams, this book is your roadmap. it will make your adult journey with your teams so much more meaningful and you know what you deserve it yes you do check it out and let me know what you think you might just find that this is the book that you need you don't know what you are missing until you get this book so happy reading and remember agile is all about continuous improvement so why not just start with yourself Don't forget to grab your copy. You can find it right here in the description.
Now go out there and coach like a champion. And remember, we don't just coach frameworks. We coach humans. Hit that like button if you found this helpful and subscribe. Also hit that notification bell for more content that helps you empower your team.
Now drop a comment also about a tip that resonates with you from the ones I've shared or from your own experience. See you next time. Keep growing and keep challenging yourself.