[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ min_height=”1116px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” fb_built=”1″ _i=”0″ _address=”0″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.27.3″ custom_padding=”5%||||false|false” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.3″ text_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”Open Sans|800|||||||” header_2_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” _i=”0″ _address=”0.0.0.0″]<\/p>\n
As an Agile Coach<\/a>, part of your purpose is to guide an organization\u2019s transition from the formal training environment, where they\u2019re first being exposed to agile principles, to effective implementation. Without you, the Scrum Master<\/a>\u00a0and\/or the Agile Team Coach, an organization can quickly revert back to the dysfunctional and problematic behaviors and practices that dominated the pre-transformation culture; one of the reasons why the rate of recidivism is so high in the agile transformation space.\u00a0 You\u2019re here to make sure things stick. Read on to discover how you can enhance your effectiveness as an Agile Coach with mindfulness practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m fortunate to be in the role of training and coaching Agile Coaches to perform these critical functions. This is why I spend a fair amount of time focusing on what are commonly referred to as \u201csoft skills,\u201d which are often missed in formal training but are critical to creating an environment where people can interact in concert with others. These so-called \u201csoft skills\u201d are indispensable for creating an environment where team members can work in harmony. Similarly, as a trainer of Agile Coaches, I emphasize individual development and the cultivation of these skills on the part of the Agile Coach. This promotes a culture where coaches can embrace an appreciation for continuous improvement, constantly learning and improving themselves in the context of their role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When I attended my first Agile Coaching class, the instructor was very adamant about our role when we were coaching a team \u2013 we were there to observe what was going on and then document those observations. The analysis portion was to come later, he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed, the leap from observing to understanding and acting is vast, filled with personal biases and a deluge of thoughts that can cloud judgment. This highlights the necessity for a different approach. But in practice, it can be alot easier said than done. I needed to do something different, and I knew exactly where to start. I spent the better part of the last 20 years studying and practicing various forms of mindfulness, so I began to reflect on that training.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.3″ text_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”Open Sans|800|||||||” header_2_font=”Raleway|700|||||||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” _i=”1″ _address=”0.0.0.1″]<\/p>\n Mindfulness practice emerges as a crucial tool for Agile Coaches to manage their thought processes and biases effectively. By understanding the distinct layers of the human mind\u2014from the automatic generation of thoughts to the underlying field of awareness\u2014we can develop a more nuanced approach to observation and reaction in coaching scenarios.<\/p>\n There are two facets of the human mind that we need to look at in this scenario. The first is that the human brain is a thought-generating machine. That\u2019s its job, period\u2014basic survival stuff.<\/p>\n Estimates are that a person receives ten thousand sensory impressions per second. That\u2019s an unimaginable amount of information that the brain must prioritize. What is vital and what is useless seems outside the person’s conscious mind as the brain sorts out what goes into its higher functions.<\/p>\n Being mindful of one\u2019s thoughts can help a coach navigate these choppy waters with an attention span that\u2019s long enough to be effective, and can also help us avoid personal bias.<\/p>\n The second facet of the human mind that\u2019s worth exploring here is that behind that discursive and often chaotic process of processing our thoughts is an omnipresent field of awareness regardless of what else is happening.\u00a0 This is an essential distinction between thinking and awareness, and we know that because we can watch our thoughts come and go and be separate from them, we are not our thoughts themselves.\u00a0 And that is something we can work with.<\/p>\n Something else happens when we move from awareness, or observing, to thinking. We move from the third person-limited perspective to first person perspective. To use a literary metaphor, we shift our focus to ourselves and what we believe is happening right now rather than what is actually going on.<\/p>\n When this happens, a coach can be more vulnerable to being triggered by something that occurs during a coaching session that is beyond their control. Instead of being fully present and understanding what\u2019s needed, they may react based on a predisposition entirely off their radar. \u00a0 I once watched a coach lay into a team screaming, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you get this?!\u201d, after several Sprint Reviews didn\u2019t go according to plan. How effective is that coach who is so out of touch with their own self-awareness that they automatically assume it\u2019s the team\u2019s fault and not theirs?<\/p>\n We coach people to be non-judgmental, non-biased, and impartial in their observations, yet that can be harder to do than we give it credit for, and we often don\u2019t teach skills around how to get there. We, as coaches, need to remain rooted in a concept that\u2019s known as the Witness Perspective.<\/p>\n By understanding the distinct layers of the human mind\u2014from the automatic generation of thoughts to the underlying field of awareness\u2014we can develop a more nuanced approach to observation and reaction in coaching scenarios.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”2″ _address=”0.0.0.2″]<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a little exercise that can help with this, and it only takes 5 minutes per day.\u00a0 Try this daily for a week or two and see if you notice a difference. I prefer to do it in the morning, but it doesn\u2019t matter when you do it.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ min_height=”611.7px” _i=”1″ _address=”0.1″][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.1.0″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/agileeducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AdobeStock_568921313-scaled.jpeg” show_bottom_space=”off” _builder_version=”3.27.3″ border_width_all=”1px” width=”100%” custom_padding=”28%||||false|false” _i=”0″ _address=”0.1.0.0″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”1″ _address=”0.1.1″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.1.1.0″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”2″ _address=”0.2″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.2.0″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.27.3″ _i=”0″ _address=”0.2.0.0″]<\/p>\n The journey towards becoming an effective Agile Coach is ongoing, with mindfulness and soft skills playing critical roles. By dedicating time to personal development and practicing mindfulness, coaches can enhance their ability to guide teams more effectively, ensuring the lasting impact of agile transformation efforts.<\/p>\n Until next time.<\/p>\n John[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_testimonial portrait_url=”https:\/\/agileeducation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/headshot_john-roach.jpg” quote_icon=”off” _builder_version=”3.27.3″ box_shadow_style_image=”preset2″ hover_enabled=”0″ _i=”1″ _address=”0.2.0.1″]<\/p>\n John Roach is a Registered Scrum Master\u2122<\/a> and Registered Scrum Trainer\u2122<\/a>, and\u00a0has a 20 plus year career in Agile and Enterprise Program Management. Prior to joining Scrum Inc as an Agile Consultant, John spent four years on the Agile Transformation Team at TDAmeritrade where he was the HR lead. He has had an extensive career in the automotive industry and has also worked as a consultant in healthcare, fintech, and banking. He lives in the Detroit metro area with his wife, Kristina, and his dog, Ava. When he\u2019s not working, you can probably find him at the beach or on the ski slopes.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Descubre c\u00f3mo los Agile Coaches pueden mejorar su eficacia con pr\u00e1cticas de atenci\u00f3n plena, promoviendo din\u00e1micas de equipo eficaces. Aprende ejercicios pr\u00e1cticos para la superaci\u00f3n personal y una mejor orientaci\u00f3n del equipo.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":30103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n As an Agile Coach, or someone responsible for hiring Agile Coaches, you help ensure that the transition from formal training to effective, transformational practice is sustained throughout an organization's evolution toward agility.\u00a0 Without you -- and this includes the Scrum Master or the Agile Team Coach -- things tend to revert to the skills and behaviors that dominated the pre-transformation culture; one of the reasons why the rate of recidivism is so high in these endeavors.\u00a0 You\u2019re here to make sure things stick.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m fortunate to be in the role of training and coaching Coaches to perform these critical functions. It\u2019s why I like to spend a fair amount of time focusing on things that are not taught in formal academic training. In other words -- what\u2019s known as 'soft skills,' the personal attributes that create the environment where people can interact in concert with others, as well as their individual development where the coach can learn and improve themselves in the context of their role.\u00a0 These don\u2019t always come through during the formal training and need to be part of the continued upskilling and training phase of the transformation for the coaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I attended my first Agile Coaching class, the instructor was very adamant about our role when we were coaching a team \u2013 we were there to observe what was going on and then document those observations. The analysis portion was to come later, he said. The thing was, he never said how to do that - as if it were easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The minute I started observing the events, my brain kicked into gear -- it became a torrent of thoughts consisting of questions, remembrances, correlations, personal opinions, bias, and so on. I spent the better part of the first week trying to piece together what I had missed while trying to solution what I was observing, and it was painfully clear to my instructor when we reviewed my coaching notes. They\u2019re a little thin, he said. After I admitted what was going on, he said congratulations, you learned your first significant lesson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I needed to do something different and knew where to start. I spent the better part of the last 20 years studying and practicing various forms of meditation, so I began to reflect on that training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two facets of the human mind that we need to look at in this scenario \u2013 The first is that the human brain is a thought-generating machine. That\u2019s its job, period\u2014basic survival stuff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Estimates are that a person receives ten thousand sensory impressions per second. That\u2019s an unimaginable amount of information the brain must prioritize. What is vital and what is useless seems outside the person's conscious mind as the brain sorts out what goes into its higher functions. 1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n This may be where bias is born. Being mindful of our thoughts can help a coach navigate these choppy waters with an attention span long enough to be effective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The second is that behind that discursive and often chaotic process is an omnipresent field of awareness regardless of what else is happening. That is an essential distinction between thinking and awareness, and we know that because we can watch our thoughts come and go, ergo we are not our thoughts. And that is something we can work with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Something else happens when we move from Awareness (Observing) to thinking \u2013 we move from the 3rd<\/sup> person-limited perspective to 1st<\/sup> person perspective \u2013 to use a literary metaphor, we shift our focus to ourselves and what We believe is happening right now rather than what is going on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When this happens, a coach can be vulnerable to being triggered by something that occurs during a coaching session that may be beyond their control. Instead of being there now, fully understanding what\u2019s needed, they may react based on a predisposition entirely off their radar. I once watched a coach lay into a team screaming, why don\u2019t you get this, after several Sprint Reviews didn\u2019t go according to plan. How effective is that coach who is so non-self-aware that they assume it\u2019s the team\u2019s fault and not theirs? <\/p>\n\n\n\n We coach people to be non-judgmental, non-biased, and impartial in their observations, yet that\u2019s hard to do when we\u2019ve made that shift. We, as coaches, need to remain in what\u2019s known as the Witness Perspective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a little exercise that can help with this, and it only takes 5 minutes per day. Try this daily for a week or two and see if you notice a difference. I like the morning, but it doesn\u2019t matter when you do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by finding a comfortable place to sit, and don\u2019t lie down as it\u2019s conducive to falling asleep, particularly in the morning. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your sense of awareness. It might take a few minutes to get the hang of it the first couple of times, but everyone eventually does if they stick to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be completely non-judgmental of yourself. Thoughts like, I can\u2019t do this, this will never work are common and only become problems when we identify with them. Removing this identification is the key to developing this skill. And that\u2019s what this is \u2013 skill development. When we don\u2019t identify with our thoughts, they go away and don\u2019t interrupt our observations. You can\u2019t stop the thoughts from happening, but we can change your relationship with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve got that -- watch as thoughts come into your field, and don\u2019t interfere. Observe. When you realize that you\u2019ve drifted off, bring your attention back to your field of awareness. Do this for 5-10 minutes daily and see how this affects your ability to stay focused and observe without thinking. This will positively impact other areas of your life that require you to be present, in the moment, and ready to see what\u2019s going on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Until next time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n John<\/p>\n\n\n\n #coaching #observing #softskills #personaldevelopment<\/p>\n","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,55],"tags":[75,76,72,73,77],"class_list":["post-30110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-english","tag-agile","tag-agile-coach","tag-blog-2","tag-leadership-challenge-2","tag-mindfullness"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
The Unspoken Challenge of Agile Coaching & the Importance of Soft Skills<\/b><\/h4>\n
<\/span>
The minute I started observing the events with my first team, my brain kicked into gear. I had a torrent of thoughts and observations, consisting of my own questions, correlations I was seeing, and the bevy of personal opinions and bias that I was seeing amongst the team. I spent the better part of the first week trying to piece together what I had missed in my training while trying to find a solution for the issues that I was observing. The problem was painfully clear to my instructor when we reviewed my coaching notes. \u201cThey\u2019re a little thin,\u201d he said, referring to my notes. After I admitted what was going on, he said, \u201cCongratulations, you learned your first significant lesson.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Power of Mindfulness in Navigating Complexity<\/b><\/h4>\n
Practical Mindfulness Exercise for Agile Coaches<\/b><\/h4>\n
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Embracing Continuous Improvement<\/b><\/h4>\n
About John Roach<\/b><\/h4>\n