
Coaching Agile Teams gives agile coaches the insights to adopt this new mindset and to guide teams to extraordinary performance and environment.
Summary
Title: Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition
Author: Lyssa Adkins
Themes: Agile, Career, Cases, Technology, Management, Business
Year: 2010
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0321660358, 9780321660350
Pages: 352
As an agile coach, you can help project teams become outstanding at agile, creating products that make them proud and helping organizations reap the powerful benefits of teams that deliver both innovation and excellence.
The subtitle of this book says it is for ‘Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers,’ however, its guidance and advice extend to anyone associated with an agile team.
"... The imperative to “constantly improve” means exposing ourselves to one good agile coaching idea after another and incorporating them into our daily responses as coaches to teams and people. This book serves up a wide variety of those good coaching ideas, some provocative and some practical. Some you will chew on for a long time, maybe even struggle with. Others you will adopt as yours right away. Expect both..."
More and more frequently, Scrum Masters and project managers are being asked to coach agile teams. But it’s a challenging role. It requires new skills—as well as a subtle understanding of when to step in and when to step back.
Migrating from “command and control” to agile coaching requires a whole new mindset.

In Coaching Agile Teams, Lyssa Adkins gives agile coaches the insights they need to adopt this new mindset and guide teams to extraordinary performance in a re-energized work environment.
You’ll gain a deep view into the role of the agile coach, discover what works and what doesn’t, and learn how to adapt powerful skills from many allied disciplines, including the fields of professional coaching and mentoring.
Chapters of the Book:
Chapter 1: Will I Be a Good Coach?
Why Agile Coaching Matters
The Agile Coaching Context
Let’s Get Our Language Straight
Move Toward Agile Coaching
An Agile Coach Emerges
Native Wiring
Make Agile Coaching Your Personal Expression
A Refresher
Additional Resources
Chapter 2: Expect High Performance
Set the Expectation
Introduce a Metaphor for High Performance
The Destination Never Comes
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 3: Master Yourself
Start with Self-Awareness
Recover from Command-and-Control
Prepare for the Day Ahead
Practice in the Moment
Be a Model for Them
Support Yourself
Always Work on Yourself
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 4: Let Your Style Change
Agile Team Stages
Agile Coach Styles
Feel Free to Let Your Style Change
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 5: Coach as Coach-Mentor
What Is Agile Coaching?
What Are We Coaching For?
Coaching at Two Levels
Coaching People One-on-One
Coaching Product Owners
Coaching Agile Coaches
Coaching Agile Managers
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 6: Coach as Facilitator
Wield a Light Touch
Facilitate the Stand-Up
Facilitate Sprint Planning
Facilitate the Sprint Review
Facilitate the Retrospective
Facilitate During Team Conversations
Professional Facilitator and Agile Coach
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 7: Coach as Teacher
Teach During the Team Start-Up
Teach New Team Members
Use Teachable Moments
Teach Agile Roles All the Time
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 8: Coach as Problem Solver
An Agile Problem Solving Rubric
Problems Arise and Are Sought
See Problems Clearly
Resolve Problems
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 9: Coach as Conflict Navigator
The Agile Coach’s Role in Conflict
Five Levels of Conflict
What Level of Conflict Is Present?
What Should You Do About It?
Carrying Complaints
Unsolvable Conflict
A Last Word on Conflict
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 10: Coach as Collaboration Conductor
Collaboration or Cooperation?
From Cooperation to Collaboration
Build Individual Collaborators
Surplus Ideas Required
Build the Team’s Collaboration Muscle
Reveal the Heart of Collaboration
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 11: Agile Coach Failure, Recovery, and Success Modes
Agile Coach Failure Modes
Where Do Failure Modes Come From?
Recover from Failure Modes
Agile Coach Success Modes
Practice, Practice
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 12: When Will I Get There?
Agile Coach Skills
Beyond a List of Skills
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Chapter 13: It’s Your Journey
Agile Coach Journeys
A Refresher
Additional Resources
References
Lyssa Adkins has taught Scrum to hundreds of students, coached many agile teams, and served as master coach to many apprentice coaches since 2004. Coaching coaches one-on-one and in small groups, she enjoys a front-row seat as remarkable agile coaches emerge and go on to entice the very best from the teams they coach. She teaches the “Coaching Agile Teams” training course, which allows agile coaches to learn, practice, and deepen the skills and mindsets offered in the book.
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