What is Coaching?
In an agile context, the word “coaching” is used in several ways:
- Agile Coach - Among agilists, the word “coach” is frequently used to describe the role of an “Agile Coach.” This is someone who uses agile approaches to help people and teams reach their objectives or overcome challenges. An Agile Coach doesn’t just coach per se; they also advise, lead, facilitate and teach the teams they are helping.
Learn more about Agile Coaching in Professional Scrum
- To describe the discipline of “coaching.” Informally speaking, someone who coaches provides guidance to help others achieve their professional or personal goals. There are also professional organizations that provide prescribed courses of study to become a certified coach. These organizations have formal definitions of what coaching entails.
When we refer to coaching as a Professional Scrum competency, we’re generally discussing the discipline of coaching (not the role of an Agile Coach) and how coaching skills can be used to increase effectiveness and outcomes of a Scrum Team and its members.
The coach’s job is to be a process expert, enabling those they are coaching to achieve their goals using skills such as developmental conversations, active listening and asking thought-provoking questions. Strictly speaking, coaches take a neutral stance with regard to how the person being coached achieves their goals; they do not share their experience, advice and opinions. (This is in contrast to “mentorship,” where the mentor DOES share their experience, advice and opinions).
We’re providing the following information so that you can learn more about the discipline of coaching and determine if further study is interesting to you. However, even if your interest is less formal, the following may provide inspiration for improvement of your coaching skills.