This week, Dan Neumann and his co-host Justin Thatil are joined by Hal Hogue, who has transitioned from an Agile Coach position to a Managing role and today shares the features of such a shift.

In this episode, Hal discusses his journey from working with managing engineers to becoming one of them. He mentions the particularities of both of these roles, the overlaps between them, and how these positions can work together to advocate for Agility and fast flow.

Key Takeaways

• What are Agile Coaches?

  • The Agile Coach is a leader (just like the Manager).

  • Agile Coaches are focused on letting others grow (individuals or Teams).

  • Agile Coaches also serve as teachers. Coaches teach the true meaning of being Agile by living the values and principles specified in the Manifesto.

  • Agile Coaches are change agents, helping organizations avoid becoming stagnant.

• The manager role is not defined in the Scrum Guide, but that does not mean it cannot exit.

• Manager accountabilities:

  • A Manager’s first responsibility is to know about the people part of the Team.

  • A Manager needs to know what motivates the Team and their aspirations. It requires a lot of active listening and asking questions. A Manager should set clear expectations and roles for the Team.

  • The Team should clearly know the reasons why they do their jobs.

  • There is a critical relationship between the Engineering Manager and the Product Owner. These two roles need constant communication, aligning goals not only for the product but also around quality.

  • A Manager should not decide things for the Team but should take essential matters to the Team and let them be part of designing the solution by giving them options and tools; this requires a lot of trust in both directions.

  • Managers can help with impediment escalation or performance issues.

• The Engineering Manager and Product Owner is a critical relationship, as well as the Manager and Agile Coach or Scrum Master.

  • A leader must be a coach and a servant leader for the Team but also for the Product Owner.

  • A Coach can help a Manager understand what Agility is, its principles, and its values.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Team Topologies: Organizing Business and Technology Teams for Fast Flow, by Matthew Skelton and Manuel Pais

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