Defining Success

Getting paid for being an agile coach is a rewarding goal, but that's not the end of it. If you don't watch out, you might get into troubles -- I did.

I had spent so much time looking for an agile coach job opportunity (and making it happen) that I hadn't thought about what I would do once I'd get it. How I would define what it is that I do. What value I'd strive to deliver to my clients. After a year and a half of official coaching, some more stress (right -- you'd thought stress would go away as soon as you'd be official -- well), some prides and some disillusions, I might have a clearer idea.

I believe coaching is about expanding the number of options a client has to make a decision. When the client thinks "it's the only way", when they're stuck in a two-choice dilemma, the coach may help by making them realize there might be alternatives. Options that were discarded even before being sensibly considered.

This is where I stand now. We're not here to help clients to make the "right" choice -- going agile or whatnot. This would mean we don't trust our clients to be sensible enough to make right choices by themselves. Why would we even bother working for them? Instead of spending energy convincing them what to do and what to change, I believe it's fairer to trust they always make the best decision, given the level of information they have. Our job, then, is increasing that level of information, presenting new options and making sure the client has a chance to think these options are realistic.

There's no reason to feel bad when the client doesn't go in the direction we'd rather go ourselves. Let's do our best to present alternatives, and value the client's judgement. Whatever the decision eventually is, we'll learn something.