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Scaling up to a Agile Coach

Last post 11:39 pm July 27, 2018 by Gunther Firk
5 replies
Anonymous
11:41 am August 27, 2015

All,

Been into Agile for 5+ years and was a scrum master for 3+years. Currently there is an opportunity in my engagement for a Scrum Coach - thinking of discussing with my manager for that role. Before that am trying to learn more on Scrum coach - any suggestion/inputs on scaling up to a Coach from scrum master would be helpful.

do I need spend more time learning and equip myself before making a move ? learning curve will be steep which I understand - any inputs?

Thanks
Dinesh


12:16 pm August 27, 2015

One of a Scrum Master's responsibilities is to be an agile coach. The coaching role you are interested in appears to lie within your present organization. If so, what demands have *already* been placed upon you as a Scrum Master to coach the people there? Or to put it another way, as a Scrum Master, what coaching opportunities have you already been able to identify and act upon?


Anonymous
02:19 pm August 27, 2015

My role was as a QA and from last 3 years there was an opportunity for Scrum master which I took getting myself accustomed to AGILE and SCRUM. Been able to Coach Testers and Tech team as a part of Scrum Development Team - mostly handled couple of small scrum teams of size 6.

the opportunity which I foresee is more of Agile coach only with no other roles attached to me for program level and engagement level to handle bigger teams and coach AGILE. thinking to take an advanced training before reaching for that role - any suggestions


02:59 pm August 27, 2015

Since a Scrum Master has coaching duties, the position of "agile coach" is one that SM's might be expected to grow into rather than reach for. That growth is driven more by experience than training.

The key characteristic that distinguishes a Scrum Master from a dedicated coach is the ability to demonstrate thought leadership. In other words, while a Scrum Master might frame his or her role in the context of the organization, a career coach will be interested in advancing the state-of-the-art across the entire industry.


04:57 pm September 15, 2015

Great example Ian, I have always though of Agile Coaches as experienced professionals that are trained in multiple schools of agile methodology and may be a specialist in one or more.

Would a scrum master who demonstrates "thought leadership" through blogging or releasing a book or training series be considered a Agile Coach or a Agile Pioneer?

I think the industry is starting to call Agile Coaches "Agile Consultants" to sound more professional in a corporate sense.


11:39 pm July 27, 2018

I agree with you Ryan. Agile (or even Scrum) coaches should be called "Agile consultants". Agile coach is a little bit tricky name of the position. 


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