PMI-ACP® PREP NOTES: Coaching Agile Teams

PMI-ACP® STUDY NOTE SERIES: Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins

What's On the Exam

     Five Levels of Conflict
This is easy to make into one or more test questions--memorize what each level corresponds to, by number. Typical questions will present a team scenario, followed by the question--what level of conflict is present? Or you may be asked about appropriate interventions, also listed below. For more info, refer to the book pages 204-214. 

• 5. world war: destroy the other / little or no language; intervention: break up the contenders
• 4. crusade: protecting one's own group / ideological language; intervention: use intermediary diplomats to transfer ideas from a neutral perspective
• 3. contest: winning trumps resolving / personal attacks; intervention: accommodate, negotiate, or do some fact-finding and sharing
• 2. disagreement: personal protection trumps collaboration / guarded & ambiguous language; intervention: support individual perspectives & provide an environment of safety
• 1. problem to solve: information sharing & collaboration / open & fact-based language; intervention: advocate for collaboration or consensus

May be on the Exam, in a General Sense

     A coach's job is to transfer skills to the team. A coach succeeds when the team no longer needs help on a daily, or even weekly, basis.
     Learn about the individuals, in order to build a team (e.g., Journey Lines, Market of Skills, Constellation, Values; see Games listed in Agile Retrospectives prep notes)
     Create Team Norms:
          Being Bold isn't Bad
          Share the work = share the credit
          Notice when someone needs help and offer it
          Preserve open communication, even when it's not comfortable
          Keep it Simple
          Don't struggle more than 30 minutes without asking for help
          No stinky food!
          Consensus Check (fist of five)--quick way to decide
    Expect High Performance
    Master Yourself: learn to recognize the fears within so they don't cloud your vision.
    Let Your Style Change (adaptive coaching). Just like we wouldn't ask someone's to take their first bike ride to be on a steep mountain trail, we don't want to give new agile teams advanced challenges. Find out what they're good at, and challenge them with the next level.
   A coach plays many roles: Coach/Mentor, Facilitator, Teacher, Problem Solver, Conflict Navigator, Collaboration Conductor

Not on the Exam
These are lines that give you a sense of how a great coach can set the stage for open discussion and safe learning:
     p. 94 "I want to let you know that, in this moment, I see courage in you that is palpable."
     p. 126, sprint planning facilitation: "'Which of these agenda questions do you know the answers to right now?' Asking this question helps them keep track of their progress while clearly reinforcing that the responsibility for sprint planning resides with them"
     p. 245 "I'm observing something about this conversation… let's do a fist of five on this statement: 'I'm excited about this conversation, and I am freely contributing my ideas with ease'".
     p. 249 bring them back together: circle counting or silent mind mapping. see Games
     Refer to the book for Agile Coach Failure/Recovery & Success Modes