Comments on: Agile Coach – Give me answers! http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/ Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:28:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Marjie http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/comment-page-1/#comment-13316 Marjie Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:07:10 +0000 http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/#comment-13316 Completely agree. I think I'd go crazy if someone was constantly asking me questions and providing no direction. What about the dilemma when an organization is determined to have self-managed teams however does not provide and guidance, direction or instruction for those teams. I've found they spend much time in chaos and thrash which leads to loss of morale among other things. I'm all for cross-functional/multi-disciplinary teams but there has got to be some guidance, direction by experienced people who've done it over and over and over again... Completely agree. I think I’d go crazy if someone was constantly asking me questions and providing no direction.
What about the dilemma when an organization is determined to have self-managed teams however does not provide and guidance, direction or instruction for those teams.
I’ve found they spend much time in chaos and thrash which leads to loss of morale among other things.
I’m all for cross-functional/multi-disciplinary teams but there has got to be some guidance, direction by experienced people who’ve done it over and over and over again…

]]> By: Giora Morein http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/comment-page-1/#comment-13315 Giora Morein Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:31:40 +0000 http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/#comment-13315 I'm all for coaches asking the right questions. Without the right questions a knowledgeable assessment of a problem or situation could not be well-assessed. However all too often I see coaches asking questions for the sake of asking questions - like a psychologist perpetually asking "how does that make you feel?". In my opinion being a good guide means showing the team where the loose rocks are and how to best get across the ravine (or some other climbing metaphor). As a coach it is not enough to just provide general guidance or chest-pounding -- that's just not what customers are paying for. Customers are paying top prices for expediters, risk-reducers and leaders to help get them from where they are, to where they're going. I’m all for coaches asking the right questions. Without the right questions a knowledgeable assessment of a problem or situation could not be well-assessed. However all too often I see coaches asking questions for the sake of asking questions – like a psychologist perpetually asking “how does that make you feel?”. In my opinion being a good guide means showing the team where the loose rocks are and how to best get across the ravine (or some other climbing metaphor). As a coach it is not enough to just provide general guidance or chest-pounding — that’s just not what customers are paying for. Customers are paying top prices for expediters, risk-reducers and leaders to help get them from where they are, to where they’re going.

]]> By: Marjie http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/comment-page-1/#comment-13296 Marjie Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:37:15 +0000 http://www.bigvisible.com/gmorein/agile-coach-give-me-answers/#comment-13296 I agree. I do think it's of value also for the coach to be able to teach the team how to identify exactly what the "problem" is and to learn new ways to solve problems. I guess it's facilitation and teaching advanced problem solving.. and being available to given them multiple answers. Jerry Weinberg always advises the following, come up with 3 possible answers to everything, or solutions. It's easy to come up with 2, but that third one usually takes some time. I'd pay for a coach to ask the RIGHT leading questions because they know the answers, so does the team. They just don't know how to get it out on the table assemble it correctly and make a plan. Possibly. Or possibly, they have absolutely no clue at all. Maybe there is some form of team dysfunction going on or management stuff.. Who knows until you're in there. Ask the right questions Get enough information Lead the team through problem solving simulations where they actually identify what THEY think the problem is and adjust where needed if they are way off Help them solve it... Just some thoughts.... -Marjie I agree. I do think it’s of value also for the coach to be able to teach the team how to identify exactly what the “problem” is and to learn new ways to solve problems.
I guess it’s facilitation and teaching advanced problem solving.. and being available to given them multiple answers. Jerry Weinberg always advises the following, come up with 3 possible answers to everything, or solutions. It’s easy to come up with 2, but that third one usually takes some time.

I’d pay for a coach to ask the RIGHT leading questions because they know the answers, so does the team. They just don’t know how to get it out on the table assemble it correctly and make a plan. Possibly. Or possibly, they have absolutely no clue at all. Maybe there is some form of team dysfunction going on or management stuff.. Who knows until you’re in there.
Ask the right questions
Get enough information
Lead the team through problem solving simulations where they actually identify what THEY think the problem is and adjust where needed if they are way off
Help them solve it…

Just some thoughts….

-Marjie

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