Keynote session by Madhur Kathuria at DiscussAgile Bangalore conference 2016.

1. [ Your Coach
is killing your
Agility ]
Madhur Kathuria,
CST,CEC,CSP,CSM, CSPO
CEO, AgiVetta Consulting
Chair Emeritus, India Scrum Enthusiasts Community
(ISEC)

2. [Introduction ]

3. [Accidental Agile Coach,
Status-quo Disruptor,
Transformation freak,
Behavioral mystic, nomad,
INDIAN]
13
years

4. Let’s start with a story….

5. Once upon a time…
In a land of yore and happiness, there lived three project managers…
Day after day, They used to marshal their troops, delivered projects, earned
client appreciations and used to go home happily with their hard earned money
Everything was fine, happy and full of fun…
Until one day……
TRAGEDY STRUCK !!!!!!

6. Their world started changing….
The Projects Started
failing…
Customers were no longer
happy..
Their troops revolted
against their way of
working….

7. And to make matters worse…
A new , dangerous, ugly monster was seen
in the town….

9. The Project Managers had to
decide...

10. The first Manager…
Found that Agile monster sopped up
all the work he used to do and gave
this work to the teams do it. The PM
was barred from commanding his
men (and women) . he was told to sit
out of ceremonies and trust the team
to make all the decisions…The PM
slowly fell ill and miserable
and eventually left the once happy
land to look for greener pastures in a
far-away land

11. The second one…
Found that Agile monster sopped up all the work the PM used
to do and let the teams do it. The PM was barred from
commanding his men (and women) . he was told to sit out of
ceremonies and trust the team to make all the decisions.
The PM started finding ways how to kill the Agile monster. He
started diverging the team’s mind-set and views about how
the monster would kill their productivity and make them
mediocre. He did participate in the meetings and still
controlled the meetings and team outcomes. The team slowly
started moving away from being close to agility and one fine
day the Agile Monster was slow poisoned to death and the
team went back to the old ways…

12. And the third…
Discovered that he had actually found a very
good knowledge companion called “Agile” . He
learned the virtues of delegation and hands-off
manager from agile.
He passed on the decision making to the team
while himself taking on the role of mentor,
guide and buddy for the teams.
He started to guide them to right path and
gave them insights about what is wrong and
what is right, rather than telling and forcing
them to go down a particular path.
Eventually, the team started respected him
even more and they used his experience and
wisdom to gain productivity and benefits and
all of them lived happily ever after…
And then he became a Coach !

13. What “Hat” Am I Wearing?
Partner
“We will do it
together and learn
from each other”
Technical Advisor
“I will assist with
technical questions
during the project”
Hands-On Expert
“I will perform
complicated tasks”
Mentor
“I will support you in acquiring
knowledge and new skills”
Role Model
”Watch me and adopt my attitude”
Facilitator
“I will help you make
a decision without
taking sides”
Coach
“I will assist you in performing
the best you can and extracting
your maximum potential”
Reflective Observer
“You will manage and I will
mirror (light up) issues for
your functioning”
ProcessAspects
Project Deliveries

14. But isn’t the coach role
different?

15. What do we expect and
demand of ourselves?
What outcomes do we
expect from ourselves?
What do we expect to
improve in our
functioning as
Coaches?
What do we want to do
less, or refrain from
doing as Coaches?
What do we want to
preserve (to keep doing
in the same way) as
Coaches?
The Coach's
perspective.

16. The Transformation Dilemma

17. The Mirror Exercise

18. What Leaders Expected What Coaching Delivered
• Retention of Talent
• Accelerating Promotions
• Improved teamwork
• Increased Diversity
HIGH • Increased productivity
• Increased quality of services
• Improved teamwork
• Increased team member satisfaction
• Increased client satisfaction
• Increased quality of services
• Increased productivity
MEDIUM • Increased team member
satisfaction
• Increased client satisfaction
•Reduced cost
• Increased business development
• Reduced cost
LOW • Increased business
development
• Retention of Talent
• Accelerating Promotions
• Increased Diversity
Coaching Expectation vs. Deliverables

20. Guru Mantra #1
Know what your buyer needs
[What is their work culture]
[Who are the ones needing coaching]
[Why do they need it]
[ How much coaching they need ]

21. Guru Mantra #2
Look beyond the obvious

22. Guru Mantra #3
Ride the same boat as your customer

23. Guru Mantra #4
Be Transparent to your customer
2/21/2008
2/28/2008
3/6/2008
3/13/2008
3/20/2008
3/27/2008
4/3/2008
4/10/2008
4/17/2008
4/24/2008
5/1/2008
5/8/2008
5/15/2008
5/22/2008
5/29/2008
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Deployed
Testing
Construction
Architecture / Design
Requirements
Total Scope (Features)
Date
TotalFeatures

24. The role of A coach
Guru Life Coach
Change Facilitator
Disruptor

25. Coaching the teams or Coaching the roles ?

26. The team profile
Understanding team mind-set?
Understanding the processes? Stakeholders and environment
Challenges?

27. The intensity of Coaching

28. Coaching Styles?

29. The coaching Pyramid

30. This looks tough??
How do I move it ?

31. Ask: Why ?
Bake: Your
own Dog Food
Create: Value
for Everyone
Devolve :
Provide the
power of Opt-in
Engage: All
Functions
Fly:
Collaborate
near, far and
across

32. DATA PROCESS
TECHNOLOGY MINDSET
Value Driven Behaviour Management

34. Introducing – The 10 PEAS®
People Power
Purpose
Persistence
Passion
Promis
e
Productivity
Plan
Positivity
Profits
Predictability

35. The Fish! Philosophy
•Play!
•Be There
• Make Their
Day
•Choose
Your Attitude

37. Questions??

38. If I can be of any help
My Spaces
• www.madhurkathuria.com
• www.agiledevilsworkshop.com
• www.agivetta.com
I am available on
• Twitter: madhurkathuria
• Skype: madhur.kathuria
• Madhur.Kathuria@agivetta.com
Join your Friends
• Linkedin group: My Fellow Agile learners
• Linkedin group: India Scrum Enthusiasts
Community, Asia Agile Forum, AgiVetta
• Facebook Page: India Scrum Enthusiasts
Community, Asia Agile Forum, AgiVetta

39. Be Agile. Be Enlightened!
www.agivetta.com