Product Goal
Our Product is a story that challenges the way that we approach and think about Agile Coaching so that we have a real impact on our clients
The Team
Mark Summers (Product Owner), Yomna Zidan, Sankaranarayanan Melveettil Karuthedath, Phil Cain (ScrumMaster), Abdulla Uthan Koya, Asmaa Anwar, Mai Emad, Meera AlShehhi, Bogy, Margarita Gevorgyan
The Story
The story we created illustrates the shifts we need to make as agile coaching professionals to have a tangible impact on the world. We view these as shifts, not from good to bad or bad to good, but more so as requisite shifts in thinking, approach, and mindset that have emerged naturally. We view these not as choices but as an imperative for everyone operating in the agile coaching space. The shifts the team talked about included:
| From | To |
| Agile coach as a role | Agile coaching as skills |
| Focus on frameworks and tools | Focus on real problems and experiments |
| Professional coaching | Agile coaching |
| Focused on the team | Focus on the whole system |
| Agile as the goal | Value and impact as the goal |
| Change to people | Change with people |
| Episodic change | Embedding Continuous change |
| I have arrived | Never stop growing |
The story we created covers some of these shifts. It was created in a day, so is still quite raw, but it is shared under Creative Commons to be developed further, with the intent of challenging us to look at the way we are engaging with our clients.
Scene 1: The CEO’s Call for a Hero
In the bustling city of Dubai, a corporate skyscraper stands tall, housing the offices of a company struggling to keep pace with the rapidly evolving market. The CEO, under immense pressure from shareholders, has set ambitious objectives: improve quality, reduce costs, and speed up time to market. In search of a solution, he delegates these responsibilities to the newly appointed Agile Transformation Manager, a development manager who juggles this transformation role alongside his regular duties. Desperate to meet the CEO’s goals, they hire a seasoned Agile Coach, known for their impressive credentials and reputation.
Agile Transformation Manager: “Welcome aboard! You’re exactly what we need. Our shareholders have the CEO on edge, and we’ve been tasked with… well, transforming the company. It’s a lot, but with your expertise, I think we’ll finally see some real progress.”
Agile Coach: (smiling) “Thank you. I’m excited to get started. There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a team embrace agile practices. What’s the team’s experience with agile so far?”
Agile Transformation Manager: “Well… I wouldn’t say it’s much. Most of them have heard of agile, but it’s more ‘buzzword’ than practice here. There’s a lot of expectation, though! We’ve got 30 people waiting to become agile superstars. And I’ve got my own regular responsibilities to juggle, but just send me a report every month to show how we’re tracking against the CEO’s targets. That should do.”
Agile Coach: (nodding thoughtfully) “Got it. I’ll work on building the foundation. If we focus on team autonomy and transparency, the rest should fall into place. But I may need your support to clear any obstacles along the way.”
Agile Transformation Manager: “Of course! I’ll make sure the team has what they need—well, as much as I can. Just give me a shout if anything critical comes up. I’m eager to see agile in action.”
The Agile Coach nods, already strategizing how to turn these objectives into a reality for the team and company.
Scene 2: The Agile Coach’s First Encounter with the Team
In a large conference room, the Agile Coach meets with a team of 30 eager but slightly sceptical employees.
Agile Coach: “Alright, team! Today, we’re diving into sprint planning, and it all starts with understanding the role of the Product Owner. The Product Owner’s job is crucial – they guide the priorities, ensuring we’re all aligned with the business goals and delivering maximum value.”
The Agile Coach looks around the room expectantly.
Agile Coach: “So, who here would like to take on the role of Product Owner?”
Two hands go up hesitantly. The Agile Coach blinks, slightly taken aback, then nods encouragingly at both of them.
Agile Coach: “Fantastic, we have two volunteers! Well, it looks like we’ll be working with two Product Owners for now. Let’s make it work together. Are you both comfortable with this role?”
First Product Owner: (nervous laugh) “I think so? I mean, I’m willing to try, but I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to do.”
Second Product Owner: (nodding) “Same here. I know a bit about agile, but I’ve never actually been in this role before.”
Agile Coach: “No problem! The first step is learning by doing. I’ll be here to support both of you. Let’s start by creating and prioritising tasks together in Jira.”
The Agile Coach opens up Jira on the screen, showing the team how to organise work and explaining the basics of story points for estimation.
Agile Coach: “Story points will help us estimate the complexity and effort of each task. Don’t worry if it feels a bit abstract at first – it’ll start to make sense as we go.”
Team Member: (leaning in, frowning) “So, do we just assign ourselves tasks once the Product Owners create them?”
Agile Coach: “Actually, we’ll plan and commit as a team. The Product Owners set the priorities, and together we’ll discuss what we can realistically achieve within the sprint.”
The team members exchange looks, some nodding while others seem uncertain. The Agile Coach senses a bit of hesitation but pushes forward, hoping the hands-on experience will help them grasp the agile approach.
Scene 3: Review and Retrospective – The CEO Steps In
The CEO joins the team for their first sprint review and retrospective, eager to see the transformation in action. However, the room is filled with frustration.
The conference room is filled with team members gathered for their first sprint review and retrospective. The CEO joins, eager to see the transformation he’s expecting. The Agile Coach stands at the front, opening the session, but the atmosphere is tense. Team members look tired and frustrated.
Agile Coach: “Alright, team! Today’s the day to review what we achieved in this sprint and discuss areas for improvement. Who’d like to start with some feedback?”
Team Member 1: (sighing) “Honestly, this sprint was exhausting. We spent so much time in meetings, and most of us felt like we weren’t getting anything done.”
Second Product Owner: “Yeah, I kept assigning tasks, but I wasn’t sure if they were the right ones. I didn’t even know what to prioritise half the time.”
CEO: (looking visibly frustrated) “Wait – after all this time, we’re still unclear about priorities? I expected more progress here. I need to see the results. This agile thing is supposed to make us faster, not bog us down with meetings!”
The room goes silent, and the Agile Coach senses the team’s collective anxiety.
Agile Coach: (gently) “Thank you all for sharing openly. It’s clear that something isn’t clicking yet. Agile is about creating more space for collaboration and empowering each of you, but it sounds like we’re stuck in old habits. I think it might be time for a little extra help.”
CEO: (frowning impatiently) “I need solutions, not more excuses. Whatever needs to be fixed – fix it. We need results.”
The Agile Coach nods thoughtfully, realising it’s time to reach out to someone who can provide guidance.
Scene 4: Seeking Help from a Mentor
Determined to correct course, the Agile Coach reaches out to a mentor for advice.
The Agile Coach sits across from a mentor in a cosy coffee shop, looking determined but a little weary. They’re ready to listen deeply and reflect on their approach so far.
Agile Coach: (sighing) “I thought we were on the right track, but it’s just not coming together. The team feels overwhelmed, and the CEO is frustrated. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve missed something important.”
Mentor: (nodding thoughtfully) “It sounds like you’ve focused a lot on getting the team to ‘do agile,’ but what about the organisation as a whole? Have you engaged senior leadership in a meaningful way?”
Agile Coach: “Honestly… no. I think I assumed that if the team just embraced agile practices, the rest would fall into place.”
Mentor: “That’s a common pitfall. Agile isn’t about just adopting tools or checking boxes on a sprint plan. It’s about solving real business challenges with a system-wide approach. Senior leadership plays a critical role in this. Are they connected to what the team is doing?”
Agile Coach: (shaking head) “Not really. The focus has been on the team level. I realise now we didn’t spend enough time building engagement from the top.”
Mentor: “Exactly. You also need to think beyond tools and practices. Agile is about developing knowledge and skills within the organisation, not just following a process. Have you considered what skills your team – or even you – might need to build for this journey?”
Agile Coach: (pausing thoughtfully) “You’re right. I’ve been so focused on ‘implementing agile’ that I haven’t stopped to think about the capabilities we actually need to succeed. I may have been trying to force change onto the team rather than partnering with them to build something sustainable.”
Mentor: “And that’s the heart of it – agile transformation isn’t something you ‘do to’ people. It’s something you do with them. Take a step back, look at the whole organisational system, and consider what it really needs. Partner with the team and leaders to design this change together.”
Agile Coach: (reflecting, nodding slowly) “I see it now. I’ve been acting like I know it all, pushing for agile without really listening or adapting. I think it’s time to shift – not to know it all, but to learn it all. I need to stay curious and open.”
Mentor: (smiling encouragingly) “That’s a powerful shift. With that mindset, you’ll be able to guide the organisation toward real transformation. Engage leadership, build relevant skills, and look at the big picture – that’s where agile truly comes to life.”
The Agile Coach sits back, taking in the mentor’s words, ready to approach the transformation with a fresh perspective and renewed humility.
Scene 5: Recontracting with the CEO
Armed with fresh insights and a renewed strategy, the Agile Coach approaches the CEO to reestablish expectations.
In the CEO’s glass-walled office, the Agile Coach meets with the CEO, ready to reset expectations and share new insights.
Agile Coach: (calmly, with renewed determination) “Thank you for meeting with me. I wanted to revisit how we approach this transformation. Agile is about more than just processes—it’s about engaging people, building skills, and aligning the entire organisation around shared goals.”
CEO: (thoughtful) “I appreciate your perspective. But we still need to see real progress. How will this shift make us more agile and effective?”
Agile Coach: “By focusing on the business challenges we’re facing and involving leaders like yourself more actively, we can build a culture of collaboration. It’s a shift from just ‘doing agile’ to understanding how it impacts our entire organisation. When our leaders support and model agile principles, the transformation becomes real.”
CEO: (nodding slowly) “So, you’re suggesting I take a more active role?”
Agile Coach: “Yes. Your engagement can help the team feel empowered and focused on delivering real value, not just completing tasks. We also need to invest in developing skills within the team so that everyone can contribute meaningfully. If we approach this as a learning journey, we’ll create a foundation for sustainable change.”
CEO: (smiling, looking encouraged) “Alright. I’m willing to support this—let’s focus on building capabilities, engaging leadership, and making agile work for our entire organisation. But I’ll expect regular updates.”
Agile Coach: (smiling) “Absolutely. With this new approach, I believe we’ll start to see lasting changes that align with your vision and the team’s capabilities.”
They shake hands, signalling a fresh start with a more collaborative and holistic approach to agile transformation.
The Sprint Review
We only had time for one run through, so don’t expect the greatest acting
Our Brainstorming As We Built the Story
The context of why agile coaching is less impactful, what we are seeing and experiencing
- No real teams
- Waterfall and Jira
- Stories are tasks
- The agile coach role is massively understood
- Environment for Scrum not supported
- No real Scrum Implementation
- Organisations are risk-averse
- Return to waterfall
- Lack of leadership / sustained sponsorship
- Coaches conforming to the status quo
- The learning curve of the team is OK for the organisation
- Companies are satisfied by having a rotational ScrumMaster
- The value of coaching is not visible or tangible
- High Cost of Change
- Management measuring the wrong thing
- Expectations is high from management
- Fears of job safety
- Budget challenges
- Mixed roles ScrumMaster and Agile Coach
- Teams don’t like to be directed or monitored
- Not value driven
- Leaders and middle management resisting change
- Demand is very low
- Agile coaches abandoning Scrum Alliance
- Agile coaches rebranding to something else
- Dropping the word Agile
- Lots of inexperienced agile coaches
- Inadequate promotions
- Lots of focus on tools
- Agile Coaches are Jira admins
- Bad implementations of Scrum
- Agile community not aligned
What is the research telling us about about current trends in agile coaching
- Resistance to change
- Not enough participatory leadership
- Inadequate management support
- Limited understanding of what Agile can do
- Insufficient training
- Transformations led by tech
- Project failure %
- Human skills are just as important, if not more important, than functional skills in the new world of work
- Organisations expect individuals to have multiple deep skill capabilities, not just one.
- Agile acumen (practical knowledge and experience) is seen as a crucial skill
- The need for agile coaching (as both a role and skill) is evolving. As a dedicated role, demand for agile coaches is low
- Education pathways need to move towards skill-based learning over role-based learning.
The Bad Agile Coach
- No stakeholder engagement
- No empathy
- Try to find a solution by himself
- Make the team always depend on them
- Fears to become redundant
- Management style rather than agile coaching style
- Resistance to change
- Focus only on Agile implementations
- Working in a silo – fixed mindset
- Popularity focus
- Prescriptive
- Focus on doing Agile
- Fears to challenge management
- Avoids accountabilities
- Forgot that you are there to influence better business outcomes
The Good Agile Coach
- Ask Powerful Questions
- Challenge the status quo Courage
- Exhibits leadership behaviours
- Facilitation Skills
- Show Empathy
- Have patience
- Deep Agile Knowledge
- Servant Leadership
- Help teams become accountable
- Context awareness
- People over tools
- Empowers the team
- Solution driven
- Growth Mindset
- Adaptability
- Self-aware
- Open to new ideas
- Challenges management
- Works closely with leadership
Other Context
- The Skills that are important for organisations to meet their outcomes
- Changes need to focus on teaching skills, especially supporting managers and leaders in their growth, who need agile coaching skills
- There are some key skills that everybody has, such as the ability to experiment, work incrementally
- Technical skills are key and need to be embedded in every team, those technical leaders also need mentors others to grow skills
Alex Sloley
Elena Aminova
joseysimpson17
mwsummers
Frederik Vannieuwenhuyse
Agile Coaching Retreats 