The 7 stances of the best Agile Coaches

You can make a real impact as an Agile Coach, but you have to know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you run the risk that the teams you work with will complain about your performance. In this article, we describe the 5 complaints about Agile Coaches that we hear most often. But how do you make sure they don’t complain about you, but rather compliment you on your impact as an Agile Coach? In this article we give you tools with input from the 7 Stances of the best Agile Coaches.

The Stances of an Agile Coach (the coachspider) from the Agile Coach Competency Framework show exactly what skills you need to really help teams and organizations move forward. For each stance we give a short summary of what is expected of you, what skills or experience you need and what, above all, you should not do. Nice and clear.

1. Agile Lean Practitioner: practice as a guide

An Agile Coach should not just talk about Agile, but live it himself. As an Agile Lean Practitioner, you are constantly improving your own practices and those of others. You know the core principles of Agile and Lean, but apply them pragmatically based on context. This means you help teams experiment, use data to learn and always focus on delivering value.

What you especially shouldn’t do? Apply Agile blindly like a checklist. It’s not about following rules, but about achieving better results.

2. Teacher: the bridge between theory and practice Agile Coaches

A good Agile Coach can explain not only what Agile means, but more importantly why it works. You help teams and organizations understand how to apply Agile principles effectively and translate theory into daily practice. This requires didactic skills and a large dose of training skills. You need to be able to make complex material simple, without falling into dry methods or frameworks without context.

Above all, what not to do? Just send. That won’t achieve much. People only really learn when they can make the translation to their own work.

3. Mentor: sharing experience without imposing

As a mentor, you bring in your own practical experience, but without telling a team what to do. You help them grow by recognizing patterns, spotting pitfalls and providing tools to make better decisions themselves. This requires patience, the ability to transfer knowledge appropriately and to match the team’s learning style.

What you especially shouldn’t do? Think that your experience is applicable anytime, anywhere. Every team is different and deserves an approach that suits them.

4. Coach: asking the right questions, not giving the answers

A coach asks questions that help a team or individual reflect and come to their own insights. You actively listen, help teams reflect on their practices and encourage ownership. Coaching is not advising. It is not about you providing the solution, but about the team finding it itself. This requires knowledge of coaching techniques and the courage to let silences fall.

What you especially shouldn’t do? Judging choices a team makes. Coaching is not judging; it is guiding.

5. Facilitator: the power of effective collaboration

As a facilitator, you ensure that teams work well together and reach valuable insights and decisions. This does not mean that you lead the discussion, but that you guide the process. You use effective forms of work, understand group dynamics and remain neutral. A good facilitator asks the right questions and creates a setting in which everyone contributes.

What you especially shouldn’t do? Think that facilitation is only about filling a Miro board. Without interaction, an atmosphere where critical thinking is allowed and a good process, it’s just a collection of post-its.

6. Business Advisor: strategic and practical advice without dogma

Organizations looking to embrace Agile need clear advice on how to shape this transition. As a Business Advisor, you bring experience in Agile transformations and change management. You help companies make the right choices, without presenting your advice as absolute truth.

Above all, what not to do? Get stuck in theoretical models without an eye for reality. Every business is different and a one-size-fits-all solution does not exist.

7. Change Agent: change that really sticks

An Agile transition is not only about processes, but mainly about a change in mindset and behavior. As a Change Agent, you stimulate and guide this change, both at the team and management level. This requires in-depth knowledge of organizational change and the ability to recognize and deal with resistance. Getting people on board is essential, because without support, change remains superficial.

Above all, what not to do? Force change. Agile is not an end in itself, but a means to make organizations more agile and effective.

Conclusion: the best Agile Coaches are multifaceted

The best Agile Coach effortlessly switches between these stances, depending on the context and the team. You are not only a process facilitator, but also a mentor, coach and change agent. And above all: you have practical experience and know how to really help people grow.

Want to further develop your skills? Check out our training courses and find out how to become a better Agile Coach. Because Agile Coaching is a profession. And a great one at that.