Nagesh Sharma

One of the key stances of the Scrum Master is being a Coach. Often coaching is perceived as the art of asking powerful questions. How many times while taking a coaching stance do you ever feel like you’re chasing the coachee? Have you ever felt that the coaching sessions are going around in circles, and your coachee keeps resisting the main issue? As a part of my journey of Accelerating Coach Excellence, I came across Marcia Reynolds. She is an amazing Coach and has written many books. After reading her books I got so inspired that I committed myself to share my learnings with the larger community. In this blog, you will explore 3 common myths of coaching and how you can switch gears as a Scrum Master to get on track with your coaching conversations. MYTH 1: Coaching is synonymous to asking powerful questions Have you ever observed a coaching session, what do you remember the most? Observers often highlight the best questions asked. They don’t recall the reflective statements that prompted self-reflection. The powerful question gets the glory. Coaching as a series of questions can sometimes feel like an interrogation, damaging trust and rapport. Coaching is a reflective inquiry not a series of questions. In 1910, Dewey defined the practice of reflective inquiry in his classic book, "How We Think". The intent of inquiry is not finding solutions, but to provoke critical thinking about our own thoughts. Inquiry helps coachee evaluate their beliefs and clarify fears and desires affecting their choices. Statements that prompt us to look inside our brains are reflective. Reflection includes:- recapping labeling using metaphors identifying key or conflicting points and recognizing emotional shifts Inquiry combines questions with reflective statements. Questions seek answers; inquiry provokes insight. When you are racking your brain trying to find a good question, you are in your somewhere else but not present. Being present is more important than being able to ask a perfect question. You need to create a safe space where their creative brains are activated, safe enough to explore their own thinking, and take action. People are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole, this concept was first seen in the work of psychologist Alfred Adler. As Daniel Kahneman says in his book " Thinking, Fast and Slow", we resist self-exploration especially when emotions are involved. We don’t change well on our own. To stop adverse thinking patterns, someone outside our head needs to disrupt our thinking by reflecting our thoughts back to us and asking questions that prompt us to wonder why we think the way we do. TIP: In your next coaching conversation, instead of asking questions like "what have you tried so far or what else questions", first reflect words and expressions and then ask a question with curiosity, not memory. You may try mirroring, summarize what you hear, don't hesitate to share inconsistencies or contradictions. Label an experience for clarification like "I noticed..." or "I heard ..." or "I sense ..." "Be the powerful mirror for your coachee". MYTH 2: Coaching is about asking Only Open-ended questions, not Closed. Open questions that start with what, where, when, how, and who will get more than one-word responses. Open, exploratory questions incite a deeper look at what is prompting behavior or inaction. One-word answers to questions shut down instead of open up a conversation. These moments can make the coach uncomfortable, feeling there is nowhere to go in the conversation. The purpose of questions is to disrupt a pattern or flow of thinking and prompt deeper exploration. The focus of a question should be on whether it opens or closes the client’s mind. As long as the question furthers the conversation, it shouldn’t matter how it is structured. Closed questions are effective in at least three situations: To help clarify what coachee want to resolve in the coaching To affirm if a reflective statement is accurate To prompt coachee when it is clear they have had a startling insight but they aren’t speaking Closed questions that follow summaries, such as, “Is this correct?” or “Do you want to change this pattern?” or “Do you know if your expectation is realistic?” can help crystalize thoughts if asked with sincere interest. Closed questions can be used to test the validity of a reflective statement. For example, when you summarize what is heard and expressed, notice shifts in emotions, or identify underlying beliefs or assumptions, you might ask if the coachee agrees with the summary, observation, or inference. TIP: You need to create a bond of trust that deepens over time. This trust-based relation is key for being a coach and an effective thinking partner. When the coachee trusts you are there to help them achieve something important to them, they will accept the discomfort of an edgy closed question. For example, if they realize their actions have been sabotaging their desires, you might ask, “Will you ever be content with the situation as it is?” or “Will you regret not taking action a year from now?” You might follow up on these closed questions with an open question about what they want to look at or do next. Give up knowing, Be Curious. Mastery is the deepening of presence not the perfection of skills. MYTH 3: It is easier to give advice than to take the time to coach others to find their own solutions. Are you providing suggestions or advice taking an outside-in approach or invoking your coachee's potential by taking an inside out approach? Is your coaching transactional or transformative? When you tell people what to do, you tap into their cognitive brain, If what you suggest relates to or affirms their current knowledge, they are likely to agree with you. They might have needed outside confirmation to fortify their confidence before acting. Offering ideas might sound like an efficient way to guide people’s actions. This is true, however, you also run the risk of making them dependent on you for answers or approval before they take action. The results are often counter-productive and lead to lower levels of self-organization. Transformational coaching works from the inside out. Reflective inquiry is a powerful way to create disruptions in thinking that lead to breakthrough transformation and change. When coachee attaches new meaning to themselves and the world around them, their capabilities, their limitations, and what they define as the right and wrong shift. The shifts cause changes in their choices and behavior. Neuroscientist Michael Gazzaniga says we spend our days in automatic thought processing, rarely stopping to question the reasoning for our choices. Someone outside our brains is needed to break through these protective devices with a transformational approach. TIP: Practice the art of non-interference by refraining from giving advice or suggestions. Don't try to be a healer, fixer, or expert in order to be the coach. Consider asking yourself what triggers a breakthrough or self-awareness? Summary: Here is a small self-assessment for you to know if you are ready to Coach people. Do not coach if you can’t do the following: Let go of how you want the conversation to go. You want coachee to resolve their problems, but you can’t be attached to how the conversation will progress or what the outcome will be. If you can’t detach, you will end up forcing the conversation in the direction you want it to go. Believe in the Coachees’ ability to figure out what to do. Do you have any judgments about your coachee that could get in the way? If you doubt their ability to find a way forward, then choose to mentor instead. Feel hopeful, curious, and care. If you are angry or disappointed with the coachee, they will react to your emotions more than your words. If you are afraid the conversations won’t go well, do what you can to let go your fear so you model what courage and optimism feel like. Not all conversations can or should be coaching sessions. Figure out what people & teams need and then choose to coach or take appropriate stances like teaching or mentoring.

This blog is inspired by two books I read recently "The Power of Full Engagement" & "A-Team of Leaders".

As promised, here is the part two of the two part series "how to lead live virtual class like a pro" where I'd be emphasising on the execution part- facilitating the class effectively.

Are you working remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak? Are you looking for some tips/tactics to lead virtual training for your teams? 

As promised, here is part two of the three-part blog series, inspired by the writings of John C. Maxwell, “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential.”

It's been a while since I wrote a blog, here is some good news, this is part 1 of a 3 part blog series, inspired by the writings of John C. Maxwell, “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential.”

Who wouldn't want to achieve awesomeness at work? Great Scrum Masters help make this a reality. The world is changing more rapidly than ever, bringing with it more unknowns than known. And without strong leaders to guide our teams through this time of complexity and uncertainty, we won't fare very well at all. But I can let you all in on a little secret: The key to enduring success in leadership is the ability to stay nimble and to "Leadershift," as John C. Maxwell explains in his book by the same name. You may also like a blog from my friend and fellow PST Christiaan Verwijs: What Makes a Scrum Master Successful? Insights From 30 of the Best . This article will take you through this concept as well as Liz Wiseman's "Multipliers," an equally essential leadership skillset. As we know, a Scrum Master is a Servant Leader who serves not only the development team and product owner but the organization as a whole as well. We will explore how a Scrum Master can embrace this concept of Leadershift and help the Scrum team both create more synergy and become self-organizing. What is synergy? Synergy means a situation where the contributions of many add up to a total that exceeds the combined contribution of the individuals. Each one of us sees the world differently. One can leverage the power of synergy by practicing the Scrum Values of openness and respect. When a Development Team synergizes, they genuinely listen to each other with empathy, put themselves in each other's shoes, and try to tackle a shared challenge. Let's take a closer look at a few of the personas of Scrum Master as Leader and how a Scrum Master can use Multipliers to Leadershift in order to help people and teams to achieve greatness. Diminisher vs. Multiplier A Diminisher is generally a smart person, typically focused on their own intelligence, and who often stifles ideas from their team, which leads to lowering the team morale and motivation. A Diminisher also micromanages the team to the point that they become wholly dependent on him/her. Multipliers, on the other hand, do the opposite: They embrace the team's collective wisdom and increase the morale on the team. A Scrum Master can start being a Multiplier by following three key practices: First, create an environment of openness within which diverse perspectives are welcome and ensure team members respect each other for their different abilities and are able to celebrate differences Second, encourage bottom-up knowledge creation to embrace collective intelligence and ensure there is top-down support from the management Third, hold the team accountable for their actions and ensure they have access to the required resources to become successful Great Scrum Masters bring out the best in their team, rather than seeking to shine themselves. Tyrant vs. Liberator Tyrants create a tense atmosphere by throwing their weight around, fingerpointing, finding mistakes, and blaming people. However, there is a counterbalance to the Tyrant personality: the Liberator. A Scrum Master as a Liberator help to create built-in instability, a positive tension in which people want to rise up and give their best in an effort to make something great and achieve awesomeness. You can start being a Liberator by following these three practices: First, take a step back and let the team self-organize rather than frequently offering help or interfering with the team's self-organization. Second, encourage the team to give their best by challenging their skills and give their best. Third, ensure there is psychological safety; work with leadership and management to create a safe environment within which people feel it is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. In order to make this shift from soloist to a conductor, the Scrum Master needs to understand the people around him/her. Just like a conductor, the Scrum Master should be focussed on helping others shine. The key to embracing a growth mindset is to have a teachable spirit. Each day provides opportunities to learn and grow. To be a great Scrum Master, one needs to make the mindset shift from Soloist to Conductor. Authoritarian vs. Influencer John C Maxwell defines leadership as an influence in his various books; a Scrum Master's key tool is also leading by influence. So, where does this influence come from? Well, influence doesn't come from the position you hold in the company or the team as a Scrum Master. It comes with the Moral Authority that a Scrum Master lives by daily. So, what are the qualities inherent to this moral authority? Integrity: The ability to align your actions with your words and live your values consistently. This makes you dependable and trustworthy in the eyes of your team. Courage: Acting with courage allows not just the Scrum Master but also the people around you to reach their fullest potential. Combining Courage with Integrity, you'll be a Scrum Master team with great influence. Great leaders make the shift from climbing up the ladder, through teaching, mentoring and coaching, to building ladders for others to climb. Summary The best Leaders inspect and adapt through transparency and embrace empiricism; they Leadershift. That is, they make leadership changes that boost their own and the organization's growth. Further reading https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/hey-scrum-master-are-you-serving-leader https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/exploring-scrum-teams-journey-5-stages-being-awesome

This is a blog about leadership: leadership in Scrum Teams, communities, and businesses. It is also a blog about personal growth and offers a complimentary “action approach” to Scrum Masters, inspired by the book The Serving Leader.

If you can create a vision for your Scrum Team, and you find them all aligned in the right direction, your work has a reasonably good chance at success.

People don't always think of dev teams handling customer needs. But, for a Scrum team to have success understanding the customer is key. What is a company without customers? The answer is one word: "Nothing." Most companies and Scrum teams fail to understand what it takes to connect with their customers, what they need, and what matters most to them. Companies and Scrum teams who develop this understanding are innovative and are able to maximize their customer satisfaction and create a meaningful relationship for both company and the customers. In this article, we'll explore how Scrum teams can tap into the understanding of what matters to their customers most and create awesome products which customers love. Author Marty Cagan shares some great ways of creating successful products and connecting with customers in the book Inspired. One such technique that caught my attention is "Product Discovery." 1. Product Discovery: This technique helps Scrum teams validate whether the product is feasible, usable, and valuable by defining and testing using an MVP. Feasible: Development team must be capable of building it. Usable: customers must be able to use it. Valuable: the product itself must deliver value to customers, so they want to buy it. Performing an MVP exercise is key to delivering successful products. This allows Scrum teams to explore the product feasibility and help them to decide which features to cut and which to leave in. Once a minimal product is chalked out, a prototype can be built and tested with actual users to validate if it is usable and valuable. Practical Tip: I've found this story mapping exercise by Jeff Patton a great way to create MVP along with my Scrum team. This exercise requires great collaboration between all the roles in Scrum and it is fun too. Author Bernadette Jiwa describes how to connect with customers by embracing empathy, relevance, and affinity. Below are two tactics that are inspired by her work mentioned in the book Meaningful. 2. Staying Relevant to Customers by Understanding What They Really Want Does a great product guarantee great customer satisfaction? Today's customers really want products or services that take care of their needs. So, it is key to understand customer behavior and gear the product or services towards this behavior. In 2000, Google search results were limited to simple pages of text with links, but soon the developers realized that an image search was required to answer "the most popular search query" they had seen to date. As a result, Google image search came into existence on July 12, 2001. The success of "Google Images" reveals that it's about observing and understanding the customer's behavior and applying this knowledge to give a meaningful outcome that solves customer needs. So, how can you deliver what customers want? Putting yourself in the customer shoes and empathizing! With this information age and digital revolution, every company and Scrum team has a dozen opportunities to innovate and connect with their customers. However, innovation is often misunderstood as creating new, breakthrough products. It's really about designing stuff that matters to the people who use them. Apple may seem like a company driven by design, but their true strength lies in its customer-driven business model. Most companies and Scrum teams assume that if they think their ideas sound great, their customer will, too. Apple provides a great example here. When the iPhone6 was launched, a release that prompted the automatic transfer of U2's album onto the iPhone and every iTunes user for free and there wasn't any option to delete it. Apple assumed that they were giving a generous gift to the users, but failed to empathize with the customers who mostly saw it as an intrusion. All great teams and companies have one common characteristic - they connect emotionally with their customers. Today's customers are no more passive; they want to engage with the Scrum teams as co-creators, partners, and community members. Practical Tip: There are many tools that can be leveraged to explore what customers really want. One such tool that I used recently is "Value Proposition Canvas." 3. Understanding Customers' Perspectives and Creating a Story That Customers Can Connect WIth Author Bernadette Jiwa describes in his book the "difference model" that focuses on six P's (Purpose, Principles, People, Personal, Perceptions, and Product) to create a story your customers can connect with. Understanding how customers actually use your products and services are key to tapping into their satisfaction. This means developing their perspective and how they see things based on their experiences, belief, and culture, by going beyond basic demographics, like gender, age, and income. You'll need to learn how they spend their time and what invisible problems they encounter day-in-and-day-out. But, thanks to the internet, and a few other technologies, it's a cinch to gather the data. One great way to do this is the creation of Personas. Roman Pichler says Personas are fictional characters that have a name and picture; relevant characteristics such as a role, activities, behaviors, and attitudes; and a goal, which is the problem that has to be addressed or the benefit that should be provided. Personas offer a great learning opportunity to capture the needs and wants of the users and customers. Practical Tip: Create user personas to explore customers perspectives. An example persona template can be found here. Summary: I really like what Dave West said in his Keynote at Scrum Day Europe - Organizations need to move from where the customer was ancillary to the job that we do to where "the customer is central to the job that we do." We need to make a shift towards building teams that are more aligned with customers. Building great products is all about understanding the customers well - their perspectives and what they expect from the product by continuously engaging with them. Many companies put a lot of emphasis on collecting hard data and delivering features that customers want. However, what is also key is to collect soft data like feedback, stories, and even customer behavior. What other ways have you explored to connect with your customers? I am sure you'll have many to share. I'd love to hear from you in comments.