I often hear different opinions on what coaches should and shouldn’t do.  One example is whether or not coaches should lead.  One common opinion is that coaches are not leaders.

My opinion may be a bit controversial.

I believe that a coach is whatever she/he needs to be to help their teams get to the next level.  I believe that great coaches are also great leaders, though they are not formally in leadership roles with those they are coaching.

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Thanks to everyone who came to see my presentation at the Agile 2009 Conference. Here is a link to the slides for anyone wishing to get a copy: http://www.bigvisible.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Loss-Aversion-Slides.pdf.

This was my first time attending one of the annual Agile conferences. while I didn’t have a clear expectation of what it would be like, I have come out a bit exhausted and quite impressed overall. The size and number of presentations aside, I was most struck by a feeling that I think Alistair Cockburn best encapsulated in his key note address, “I come to bury Agile, not Praise it“. A reference to Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, he explained it as the recognition of an inflection point. That the values & practices we call “Agile” aren’t really so distinct anymore. more »

George and I presented our Agile Battlemapping presentation at the Agile2009 conference.  I had an absolutely fantastic time and based on the feedback we received from the audience, it appeared that everyone else had a good time too.  This was the first time we had added the practical exercises.  First the audience members individually drew battlemaps of their own projects or programs followed and then they combined into groups to create prioritized response strategies.  I look forward to making further enhancements and to the next time we present it.  Click below do download a PDF of the presentation.

Agile 2009: Mapping the Change Battlefied