#accCGN26
I did a thing.
I went to Cologne, Germany, to attend Agile Coach Camp Cologne 2026.
There were 80+ people there.
It was an Open Space event that ran across three days.
It was hosted by Michael Muench and facilitated by Peter Fischbach.
I wanted to capture some of my reactions during and reflections after the Camp.
First, thank you!
My colleague, partner, and friend Peter Fischbach was the consummate guide for me. He picked me up at the airport, took me to Cologne, drove me to Berlin for a tour, and dropped me back off at the airport. Simply put, he took great care of me during the entire trip, and I’m forever grateful for it. Alisa Stolze, thank you for sharing him with me 😉
Michael Muench and the volunteer team put on a top-tier event. They created a space that was—
Open and respectful
Warm and welcoming
Well run and facilitated
Inclusive
Full of shared learning
Second, I shared three talks during the Camp. You might find this funny, but I don’t exactly remember what we explored. I just remember creating spaces where a group contributed their experiences, ideas, and thoughts in a shared learning experience.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that the collaborative experience is what’s staying with me. And the smiles from my session attendees.
My key takeaways
AI seemed to be on everyone’s minds. Not only learning more about it and how to engage or leverage it on our jobs, but also the impact it might ultimately have on our profession.
My thought: We also need to focus on our HI (human intelligence) and how we meld it with AI.
A prevalent topic was the “Death of Agile” from a wide variety of perspectives. Of course, layoffs, AI, and economic conditions were some of the drivers. But it seemed as if everyone was looking for a view to the future.
My thought: I’m not as pessimistic or fearful as many were. In fact, I’m optimistic for the future of Agile and Agile Coaching skills (not the frameworks or roles, but the skills and experience). In this age of emergent AI and leadership challenges, we need skilled practitioners even more!
Peter and I shared a 1-day workshop after the Camp that was a bit of an experiment on our part. We did a deep dive into a module of our EBAC Masterclass entitled: Your Coaching Value—Reigniting Your Presence. It focused on building skills for more value-based conversations as a Scrum Master, Coach, or other Organizational Change Agent.
My thought: It was surprising to me how under-skilled we are at communicating in business and leadership terms, and at explaining our individual value impact versus team impact. This is something that needs to change…quickly!
Final Thoughts
Because of my personal caregiving and business challenges, I haven’t traveled to an agile-centric client or event for many years. Sure, I’ve participated in a ton of virtual activities, but meeting my tribe face-to-face has been missing.
Attending the Camp reminded me how important it is for me to get out more. So much of my purpose and energy is tied up with my tribe, and I need to continue refining and amplifying those relationships.
If you’re in Cologne around this time next year, I’d highly recommend the Camp.
Peter, I want to thank you for your ongoing friendship and support. You rock!
Stay agile, my friends,
Bob.