Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Traditional PM, which with al due respect is more complex than a 20 pages framework doesn't have a coaching role.
Why Agile adoption needs a Coach and what actually does an Agile Coach? Saving Changes...
A coach is a servant-leader role that assists a team where necessary, and is not a command and control role like a project manager would be. The traditional frameworks don't require a coach because they are constructed around a project manager who controls the project and the project management team. The closest thing to a project manager in Agile is the Product Owner, yet they have no control over how the team works nor what stories they select for each iteration. A coach is necessary in Agile simply for that fact that teams are autonomous, without management, but may need assistance from time to time to remove roadblocks, resolve conflicts, coach on Agile best practices, assist the organization in the Agile transition etc. Their focus is not on the product of the project like the project manager or product owner is, instead their focus is on teams and people creating value. Saving Changes...
Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Coaches weigh more heavily in less mature organizations in support of those within to get them to a higher level of maturity as their role becomes less. A coaches role seems to be to make themselves almost obsolete and then move on to the next gig.
Sante brings up strong points as well. There is less definition, and more in the way of leading autonomous decision making - increasing maturity. It is also not simply about coaching the teams, but [probably] more importantly, executive leadership. Saving Changes...
Coaching is needed to facilitate the mindset & behavior changes for team members, functional managers and senior leaders. Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Sante, there is already a Servant Leader (the Scrum Master). Why do we need 2 servants for a team of 7?
According to the Scrum Guide (Service of the SM to the Organisation) most of the responsibilities that Kiron and Andrew mentioned can be done and should be done by the SM. Saving Changes...
John A. WilliamsOwner| JAW Consultancy | The PragmaticionerNootdorp, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Let me put it this way: Any PM that doesn't practice coaching is doomed to fail! That's why I prefer the term Project Leader. Leaders know they are also coaches, consultants, and advisors, whatever they have to do to nurture their tribe. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Agile is more about product management rather than project management. Coaching is rarely a full time position. Every leader - from product owner to project manager - should occasionally wear their coaching hat to help individuals and teams.
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1 reply by Stelian ROMAN
Oct 14, 2018 7:54 PM
Stelian ROMAN
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Agile Coach is a full time role and I personally disagree that Agile is about product management. There are few Agile PM certifications plus the PMI-ACP that are not specific to product development/management.
I championed Scrum/Agile adoption in software companies as a Development Manager and I've worked with Agile Coaches that were hired to implement Agile at Enterprise level. So far I am not very convinced that the expectations for this role are clear. I met people with good 'soft' skills being hired to lead the transition to Agile. Some of those people can sell fridges in Antarctica but they have no experience with delivery and I wonder how they can drive the transition to an experimental (empirical) approach.
Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
John & Stephane, the question is not about the role of the PM as a Coach. Agile Coach had become a separate role, at least in Australia. Saving Changes...
Stelian ROMANProject Manager| MicroSafetyCarlingford, New South Wales, Australia
Oct 14, 2018 7:38 PM
Replying to Stéphane Parent
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Agile is more about product management rather than project management. Coaching is rarely a full time position. Every leader - from product owner to project manager - should occasionally wear their coaching hat to help individuals and teams.
Agile Coach is a full time role and I personally disagree that Agile is about product management. There are few Agile PM certifications plus the PMI-ACP that are not specific to product development/management.
I championed Scrum/Agile adoption in software companies as a Development Manager and I've worked with Agile Coaches that were hired to implement Agile at Enterprise level. So far I am not very convinced that the expectations for this role are clear. I met people with good 'soft' skills being hired to lead the transition to Agile. Some of those people can sell fridges in Antarctica but they have no experience with delivery and I wonder how they can drive the transition to an experimental (empirical) approach. Saving Changes...
