Agile Coach Burnout
Real? Yes. But, what to do...
Barry Overeem wrote about Agile Coach Burnout on LinkedIn.
Here’s what he posted on LinkedIn—
I recently joined a conversation with Agile Coaches from various organizations. What started with lightweight chitchat ended with a depressing conclusion: many felt close to burning out. 😔
They all joined their organization with the ambition to make an impact. Let’s support teams, management, and the broader organization in improving. This proved to be quite tricky.
Reasons that were shared are:
❌ “We don’t have any mandate to make decisions.”
❌ “We’re not heard, seen, and respected by management AND the teams.”
❌ “We’re mostly seen as facilitators for ‘fun’ workshops.”
❌ “We’re stuck in the organization’s quicksand. Doing nothing seems the
best option; each time we propose a change, we sink deeper into the
quicksand.”
❌ “Some days, I feel more like a politician than an Agile Coach.”
It’s totally recognizable, which is precisely why I stopped being an Agile Coach years ago and moved back to being part of the team as a Scrum Master.
Interestingly, some Agile Coaches considered switching roles:
One also preferred becoming a Scrum Master. Mainly because it gives him the feeling of having ‘skin in the game’ again; Someone else is considering refreshing her developer skills. The third person aims to fulfill a leadership position because it gives her the mandate to make decisions and have a positive impact (as a servant leader).
An interesting pattern was that they all had permanent positions at the organization. Nobody was hired as an external. I applaud this, but it strengthens their feeling of being stuck.
Please note:
👉 I do not intend to bash Agile Coaches. I recognize their struggle and find it sad that many are unhappy in their roles.
👉 The term ‘leadership position’ is debatable. Anyone can show leadership. Her ambition was primarily born from the frustration that Agile Coaches don’t have any decision power (in her organization).
What do you think about this? Do you recognize the burned-out feeling? Do you have any recommendations to prevent this from happening or to resolve it?
My responses below are from the perspective that—
Agile Coaching is not for the faint of heart. In other words, it’s Freekin’ Hard!
It takes resilience, courage, patience, self-awareness, risk-taking, persistence, and a sense of humor.
It takes profound experience across agile, technical, and business domain skills.
In essence, my responses fall into the category of…Buck up Buttercup!
❌ “We don’t have any mandate to make decisions.”
Hogwash. Rarely in organizations is there a silver spoon of decision-making authority. Everyone has a boss they report to, even the CEO. You must create, sell and then deliver on your mandate. It’s never going to be handed to you. Instead, you have to co-create it and earn it.
❌ “We’re not heard, seen, and respected by management AND the teams.”
Ok. What are you going to do about it? Part of this falls to others. But another part falls to you. What are you doing to be heard? To be seen? And to be respected. Complaining about it does nothing. What are YOU doing about it?
❌ “We’re mostly seen as facilitators for ‘fun’ workshops.”
Well then, STOP delivering “fun” workshops! Get involved in the heavy lifting of solving problems, building products, and delivering value. Get in the game!
❌ “We’re stuck in the organization’s quicksand. Doing nothing seems the best option; each time we propose a change, we sink deeper into the quicksand.”
Acquiescing and doing nothing is the fastest way to lose your job. Figure out WHY your change proposals are failing. Don’t just blame it on “them.” You are part of the system, so figure it out, begin to experiment, and propose changes that DO stick.
❌ “Some days, I feel more like a politician than an Agile Coach.”
Good! You ARE a politician. That should be part of your definition of what an Agile Coach is. It’s not some unicorn role to bring in the light of agile on horseback to everyone. It’s a challenging role that must seek to meet others where they are and work within the existing systems. It’s a powerful but incredibly challenging influence role.
The Permanent Employee Conundrum
Another thing I saw in the post was this mindset that—
Since I’m a permanent employee, I’m governed by fear of losing my job. So, the company’s job is to make the role safe and fuzzy so I can easily do whatever “Agile Transformational Stuff” I want or need to do.
Again, hogwash. Buck up, Buttercup!
Every job has risks. By its very nature, Agile Coaching is an incredibly challenging activity. Don’t get into it if you can’t handle the responsibilities and challenges. It will only make you a neutralized and frustrated coach. And it’s your own doing!
Wrapping Up
So, is burnout a real thing in Agile Coaching?
Of course, it is.
But I want to focus on the burnout of those who have operated as Badass Agile Coaches, done everything I’ve said above without any excuses, and need time to recharge themselves.
They’ve been In the Arena and need some rest and recoup.
Without looking for someone else to do those tricky bits or create a yellow brick road for them.
Then, they jump back into the arena once they are recharged and refocused.
Now that’s Badass!
Stay agile, my friends,
Bob.
My initial take on the article title was, “duh. That’s the job.” But I was looking for ways in which Agile Coaches could mitigate burnout by self care or other ideas. Didn’t see that.
This piece really hits on the gritty reality of Agile Coaching. It’s not often we see such an unapologetic take on the job’s challenges, but nail it here. You confront some of the common complaints and excuses head-on, your tone—tough, direct, and seasoned—underscores just how demanding Agile Coaching can be.
The “Buck up, Buttercup” perspective is refreshing because it calls out the fact that Agile Coaches must earn respect, make hard decisions, and tackle real problems—not just deliver “fun” workshops or operate as passive facilitators.You remind us that stepping into this role means getting our hands dirty and making things happen. His advice to stop blaming “them” and start taking responsibility for driving change is a reminder that Agile Coaches are change agents, not spectators.
I also appreciate your take on burnout. Yes, it’s a real thing, and your emphasis that burnout for Agile Coaches often comes after giving it our all. We’re “In the Arena,” fighting to make a difference, and sometimes that means we need a break. Your call for recharging and jumping back into the fray with renewed focus is both honest and encouraging and definitely is not lost on me.
Overall, your message is an empowering challenge to Agile Coaches to take ownership, push boundaries, and rise above the hurdles. It’s a good reminder that the role of an Agile Coach is anything but easy, but it’s precisely the difficulty that makes the work meaningful.