Agile Coaches Need to Time Travel

Many factors are in the back of the Agile Coaches' minds when they establish coaching goals with their clients and subsequently coach.

One factor that doesn’t get a lot of attention is time. As an often-hired gun external Agile Coach, it’s one of my primary considerations: How long do I have to make an impact in the organization before I’m gone?

Time horizons matter—

• Time Spent / Tactical Coach vs. Strategic

• Today

• Tomorrow

• Weekly

• Monthly

• Quarterly

• Annually

• 2–3-year horizon

In other words, we need a constant sense of time awareness and urgency woven into our coaching presence, stance selection, and conversations. Because of time awareness, no two conversations are the same.

Far too many of us ignore this component, arguing that we need to meet the client where they are and follow their agendas. And that’s all true. But our stakeholders and clients live in time, and we need to do so as well.

Stay agile, my friends,

Bob.