Guiding Agility

I’m an Agile Coach, but I’m branding myself as an Agile Guide. So, what exactly does that mean? And what about my Transforming work. Transforming life. tagline?

Let’s say I’m working with your team or organization. As an Agile Guide, it's up to me to lead you through territory that is unfamiliar to you. If you are in a startup mode, for example, I'm likely to advise the use of Lean Startup principles because they are designed to reveal the correct path forward, informing you about what product or service customers value and how to build a sustainable business.

For established companies transitioning to agile, the dynamic is different. I’m not taking you through completely unfamiliar territory; you know much more about your customer base and your work than I do. The first step in these engagements is all about me acquiring a solid understanding and appreciation of your current state. Generally, I find people to be very helpful and enthusiastic about getting me up to speed on both business and technical fronts. The tricky part usually comes after we’re aligned on what the existing terrain looks like.

It comes when I ask you, metaphorically speaking, to use a different path. Suddenly, things start to look different, less familiar. Your old map doesn’t have the same value it once did, and feelings of uncertainty and apprehension begin to creep in. You might assert that, “We’re unique…” or that, “We need to stay on our old path for a while, then we can cut over and be agile…” – you’re seeking permission from me to stay on that old, familiar path.

I get it. There aren’t any big surprises on that old path. You know what is coming because you’ve walked it many times before. However, you prepared me by educating me about your terrain, now let me return the favor by preparing you with new information and insights. And we’ll walk down that new path together.

That’s why I’m there! Maximize what you can get from me. The objective is for you to have a new experience, covering your terrain from a new angle, working together to address any unforeseen issues as we encounter them. The payoff from all of this is captured in my tagline: Transforming work. Transforming life.

This tagline is the result of my reflecting on my first agile experience. I was a manager in an organization that worked very hard at developing into an authentic, agile organization. Once we got it right – and that took a while – it became abundantly clear just how transformational agile can be.

We created raving fans. We introduced a new, successful product. It became obvious that having a fun, collaborative, supportive, productive and sustainable work environment enabled people to not only come to work feeling energized, they left the feeling the same way. As you can imagine, this in turn had a positive effect on their personal lives as well.

That is why I became an agile coach. To help you create the same impact. I can’t do it for you. But if you are willing, I can help you get there!