Articles

What are the core competencies and skills required for effective Agile coaching, and how do they impact a team's adoption and success with Agile practices?

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on August 01, 2024

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Agile coaching plays a pivotal role in guiding teams and organizations through their agile transformation journey. Agile coaches support individuals and teams in understanding and implementing agile principles, practices, and frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban. They facilitate learning through workshops, training sessions, and one-on-one mentoring, helping teams adapt to agile methodologies effectively.

Leadership coaching in the context of ScrumStudy is a transformative process aimed at nurturing and enhancing the leadership capabilities within a Scrum team. It involves providing guidance, support, and feedback to individuals in leadership roles, such as Scrum Masters and Product Owners, to help them unlock their full potential. Through coaching, leaders learn to cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement within their teams. They develop skills in facilitation, conflict resolution, and servant leadership, enabling them to effectively navigate the complexities of agile environments. Ultimately, leadership coaching empowers individuals to inspire, motivate, and guide their teams towards achieving their goals with excellence and agility.

SCRUMstudy Facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

What are the key outcomes that an Agile Master should aim for in a successful Agile coaching session?

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on July 30, 2024

Categories: Scrum

An Agile Master Session is a dynamic and interactive meeting facilitated by an experienced Agile Master to support and guide Agile teams in their project endeavors. These sessions typically involve various activities such as sprint planning, backlog refinement, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives, aimed at fostering collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement within the team.

The Scrum Master Certified (SMC™) session by SCRUMstudy is a comprehensive training program designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the role of a Scrum Master. Participants learn about the core principles of Scrum, including empirical process control, self-organization, and continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions, case studies, and real-world examples, attendees gain practical insights into facilitating Scrum ceremonies, removing impediments, and fostering a collaborative team environment. The SMC™ session also covers essential topics such as servant leadership, stakeholder engagement, and Agile adoption strategies. By completing this training, participants not only enhance their understanding of Scrum principles but also gain the confidence to guide their teams towards delivering high-quality products efficiently and effectively.

A Scrum Certification Mock Test, as highlighted in the Scrum Body of Knowledge (SBOK Guide), serves as an invaluable tool for individuals preparing for their Scrum certification exams. These mock tests simulate the actual certification examination environment, allowing candidates to familiarize themselves with the format, types of questions, and time constraints they will face. By taking these practice tests, aspirants can assess their understanding of Scrum principles, practices, and terminology, identify areas where they need further study, and improve their test-taking strategies. The feedback from mock tests helps in pinpointing specific knowledge gaps and reinforcing the concepts learned from the SBOK Guide. Ultimately, engaging in these mock tests boosts confidence and readiness, significantly increasing the likelihood of passing the certification exam and becoming a certified Scrum professional.

Coding and testing stages are not isolated ones but well integrated ones in Agile development. The development toward every user story commences through written business-interfacing experiments that enables the team the ‘what part’ regarding coding and also the juncture when the tasks are being completed with.

Professionals in the field of testing, analysis and development interface with stakeholders from the business side for extracting instances of preferred and unwanted manners for every single user story and aspect, and then transforming them into tests which are executable. This is known as Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) or Specification by Example. The team which is responsible for development will then work in partnership with their customers to choose the specific user story aligning customer expectations apropos the delivery part. User stories will be corroborated upon cracking the different functional, automated functional and manual probing tests.

Time is an important element which should be made inclusive for the whole activities related with testing toward user story estimates. This can include automated testing and manual probing testing. Inexperienced Scrum teams frequently and habitually over promise or goes overboard with their commitment part in terms of extra work planning compared to what they could feasibly do. Testing then gets hard-pressed in the end in the absence of features, due to this undesirable characteristic of the team simply because of the arrival of sprint on the last day. The result – mass demise of user stories hauled from one iteration to the subsequent one without the testing professionals being able to conduct their tests.

Focusing on completing each story at a specified time is a good way to handle this problem.

Necessary role inclusion for comprehending the various customer requirements and delivering good quality oriented software is a benefit that Agile teams possess inherently. Agile teams find the much needed opportunity through their varied experiences and assortment of abilities which help them in traversing different approaches toward supporting business participants in outlining their requirements. They are able to do it through tangible examples provided to the business stakeholders and then interpreting the same into experiments certifying the ‘done part’ aimed at every user story along with their features.

Customers are pleased with the outcome pertaining to as an effort of the team – interacting and coordinating with the business teams, taking out the much needed time to plan for evidencing the aspects are done with as per requirements outlined. Newer Agile teams must pool in time to search for different means to comprehend the requisites of customers so that they can interpret those requisites into well conducted experiments which will outline software development. That will bring in maturity in terms of experience and doing things in a speedy manner efficiently and effectively.

Scrum Agile coaching and mentoring

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on July 17, 2024

Categories: Agile Certification Scrum Scrum Guide Scrum Principles Training

Scrum Agile coaching and mentoring

Scrum Agile coaching and mentoring involve guiding teams and organizations in adopting and implementing Agile principles and practices effectively. Coaches provide expertise and support, helping teams understand Scrum frameworks, improve collaboration, and overcome challenges in their Agile journey.

Scrum certification mentoring provides aspiring Scrum practitioners with invaluable guidance and support throughout their certification journey. Mentoring sessions are designed to align closely with the principles and practices outlined in the SBOK, ensuring a deep understanding of Scrum framework essentials. Mentors offer personalized insights, clarify concepts, and provide practical tips for navigating certification exams. By leveraging the SBOK guide as a foundational resource, mentors empower candidates to grasp theoretical knowledge and apply it effectively in real-world scenarios. This mentoring approach not only enhances proficiency in Scrum methodologies but also cultivates confidence and readiness for professional certification assessments.

SCRUM training for several certification exams (including SMC®, SPOC®, SAMC™, and ESMC™) should preferably be conducted in classrooms or through virtual instructor-led sessions. It is important for every SCRUMstudy™ faculty to be an expert in the particular SCRUMstudy™ certification he or she is teaching, and be very familiar with the concepts in the SBOK® Guide. It is also important for the faculty to be a good teacher have adequate soft skills to handle different situations in a class, and consistently deliver very high-quality training.

Process for becoming an accredited SCRUMstudy™ Certified Trainer (SCT®):

  1. Trainers need to have at least 2 years of relevant work experience and should be willing to share their experiences in the classes they teach.

  2. They need to successfully pass any three SCRUMstudy™ certification exams (out of SDC®, SMC®, SAMC™, and SPOC®), including the certification course that they wish to teach.

  3. They need to be aware of the training resources available on the SCRUMstudy™ A.T.P. site (including videos, handbooks, recordings of past training sessions, etc). SCRUMstudy™ will provide substantial training resources that A.T.P.s and Trainers can customize and use for their classes - the training resources will focus more on SCRUM concepts rather than on how to pass SCRUMstudy™ certification exams. Other than the training resources available in SCRUMstudy™, additional custom content may need to be developed by individual A.T.P.s or Trainers.

  4. All Trainers should be associated with a SCRUMstudy™ A.T.P.

Once trainers complete the above requirements, they need to apply to SCRUMstudy™ to become an accredited trainer (mentioning the details of the A.T.P. with whom they are associated). Accredited Trainers will be certified as "SCRUMstudy™ Certified Trainers (SCT®s)" - and they will be awarded an accreditation certificate making them eligible to train students for SCRUMstudy™ certifications. They should train only for the A.T.P.s with whom they have got associated.

To ensure a high-quality learning experience for all our students, trainers need to consistently get high rankings in student feedback forms. SCRUMstudy™ will regularly ask for feedback from students who attend classes conducted by SCRUMstudy™ A.T.P.s Faculty who receive unfavorable feedback must work on improving their course delivery, or their accreditation as SCT®s may be terminated. SCRUMstudy™ reserves its right to terminate any SCT® from continuing training for SCRUMstudy™ classes because of poor feedback or for other reasons.

Agile coaching

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on July 02, 2024

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Agile coaching

Agile coaching plays a pivotal role in guiding teams and organizations through their agile transformation journey. Agile coaches support individuals and teams in understanding and implementing agile principles, practices, and frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban. They facilitate learning through workshops, training sessions, and one-on-one mentoring, helping teams adapt to agile methodologies effectively.

Leadership coaching in the context of ScrumStudy is a transformative process aimed at nurturing and enhancing the leadership capabilities within a Scrum team. It involves providing guidance, support, and feedback to individuals in leadership roles, such as Scrum Masters and Product Owners, to help them unlock their full potential. Through coaching, leaders learn to cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement within their teams. They develop skills in facilitation, conflict resolution, and servant leadership, enabling them to effectively navigate the complexities of agile environments. Ultimately, leadership coaching empowers individuals to inspire, motivate, and guide their teams towards achieving their goals with excellence and agility.

SCRUMstudy Facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

Agile coaching

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on July 02, 2024

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Agile coaching

Agile coaching plays a pivotal role in guiding teams and organizations through their agile transformation journey. Agile coaches support individuals and teams in understanding and implementing agile principles, practices, and frameworks such as Scrum or Kanban. They facilitate learning through workshops, training sessions, and one-on-one mentoring, helping teams adapt to agile methodologies effectively.

Leadership coaching in the context of ScrumStudy is a transformative process aimed at nurturing and enhancing the leadership capabilities within a Scrum team. It involves providing guidance, support, and feedback to individuals in leadership roles, such as Scrum Masters and Product Owners, to help them unlock their full potential. Through coaching, leaders learn to cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement within their teams. They develop skills in facilitation, conflict resolution, and servant leadership, enabling them to effectively navigate the complexities of agile environments. Ultimately, leadership coaching empowers individuals to inspire, motivate, and guide their teams towards achieving their goals with excellence and agility.

SCRUMstudy Facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

Scrum Agile Coaching

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on April 16, 2024

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Scrum Agile Coaching

Scrum Agile coaching plays a pivotal role in enabling teams to maximize their potential within the Scrum framework. These coaches serve as mentors, guiding teams and organizations through the complexities of Agile adoption. By fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and self-organization, Scrum Agile coaches empower teams to deliver value iteratively and adapt to change effectively. They facilitate workshops, offer constructive feedback, and help resolve impediments, ensuring teams understand and embrace Scrum principles. Ultimately, Scrum Agile coaching catalyzes organizational agility, promoting innovation and delivering customer-centric solutions with heightened efficiency and quality.

SCRUMstudy facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

What are effective techniques for agile coaching in practice?

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on May 13, 2022

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Agile coaching techniques play a pivotal role in nurturing high-performing Agile teams. Coaches adeptly guide teams through the Agile journey, fostering collaboration, and maximizing productivity. They employ various strategies such as active listening, powerful questioning, and empathetic communication to understand team dynamics and address challenges effectively. Through mentorship and feedback, coaches empower individuals to embrace Agile principles and methodologies, driving continuous improvement and innovation. By facilitating workshops, retrospectives, and Agile ceremonies, they cultivate a culture of transparency and adaptability within organizations. Agile coaches serve as catalysts for change, inspiring teams to embrace agility and deliver value to stakeholders consistently.

SCRUMstudy facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

Agile coaching techniques

Posted by SCRUMstudy® on June 16, 2021

Categories: Agile Product Backlog SBOK® Guide Scaling Scrum Sprint Backlog

Agile coaching techniques

Agile coaching techniques play a pivotal role in nurturing high-performing Agile teams. Coaches adeptly guide teams through the Agile journey, fostering collaboration, and maximizing productivity. They employ various strategies such as active listening, powerful questioning, and empathetic communication to understand team dynamics and address challenges effectively. Through mentorship and feedback, coaches empower individuals to embrace Agile principles and methodologies, driving continuous improvement and innovation. By facilitating workshops, retrospectives, and Agile ceremonies, they cultivate a culture of transparency and adaptability within organizations. Agile coaches serve as catalysts for change, inspiring teams to embrace agility and deliver value to stakeholders consistently.

SCRUMstudy facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding Agile teams to effectively implement Scrum practices. They ensure that the team adheres to Scrum principles, fostering an environment of collaboration and continuous improvement. By facilitating meetings such as daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives, they help maintain focus on project goals and remove impediments that may hinder progress. Their expertise in Scrum methodology aids in optimizing productivity and delivering high-quality products. Through their leadership, SCRUMstudy Facilitators empower teams to achieve successful project outcomes while embracing the values and principles of Agile.

The SCRUMstudy Scrum Webinar offers a comprehensive exploration of agile methodologies, designed specifically for leaders aiming to drive their organizations toward greater efficiency and innovation. Participants will gain in-depth insights into the principles and practices of agile frameworks, including Scrum, and learn how to effectively lead agile teams. The webinar covers crucial aspects such as fostering a collaborative culture, enhancing communication, and enabling continuous improvement. Through interactive sessions and real-world case studies, leaders will be equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the complexities of modern project management, ensuring successful agile transformations.

Management guru Peter Drucker once said, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Great leaders have an uncanny ability to motivate people to go that extra mile. Leadership differs from management as it pictures, that management focuses on controlling and getting things done while leadership focuses on empowering people so that they do can the right thing. This does not mean management should be done away with. Management can be the frame on which we can build leadership to obtain the best results.

Supporting leadership
Agile takes a humanistic approach while executing projects, as evidenced by one of the values listed in the manifesto: individuals and interactions over processes and tools. The best leadership model suited for Agile is the supporting leadership model. Since it is the knowledge worker who adds value to a project, the needs of the worker become the needs of the company. The leader serves to meet those needs. In this way the focus remains on the worker rather than the leader, and the company profits.

In the supporting leader approach, the leader supports those doing the work, playing a facilitating role, and focuses on removing obstacles and making sure the team has everything that would help them to perform. Business representatives will sometimes make requests that threaten to slowdown the project. Team members may be required to devote some of their time to another project. These actions threaten to hinder the project and put it off track. It is the leader’s responsibility to shield the team from such diversions. The supporting leader keeps the team focused on the project vision by communicating it at regular and relevant stages of the development process. Another duty of the leader is to facilitate any training that might be necessary for the team members to work on a project. To sustain the motivation of a team, the leader should also reward the team at regular intervals.

Leadership attributes
So far we have discussed what a leader should do, but what attributes must a leader possess to earn the respect of his or her team members? After all, the leader that is not respected will be ineffective. When leaders possess the traits team members appreciate, the latter are bound to emulate them.

Honesty is probably the highest ranking attribute that team members expect from their leaders. Kouzes and Posner in The Leadership Challenge found that honesty was the characteristic most selected in surveys asking what employees consider the most important character trait a leader should have (p. 32).  Leaders who are transparent and accept their shortcomings may be perceived as being more credible, thus leading to an increased dependance between the leader and the team members. Leaders who are willing to stand up to managers and customers to protect their teams are more trusted by team members than those leaders who “toe the company line.” Team members have a deeper respect for leaders who have a definite vision of where they are heading and inspire them to walk that path. Leaders also should possess some technical knowledge to be able to get better in their job.

Effective leaders not only act but also enable others to act by sharing the knowledge they possess such as information about the schedule and progress of the project. While enabling others to act, leaders also look towards breaking new frontiers by experimenting and innovating. Leaders are willing to use ideas suggested by team members. On Agile projects, new ideas can be tried out during iterations. If they are successful, they can be adopted, if not, they can be treated as part of the learning experience.

Successful leaders serve their team members by sharing ennobling visions of what they can produce together, providing resources, removing impediments, protecting the team, and being generous with rewards.

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