When organizations want or need to change, the focus is often on efficiency, competitiveness and innovation. However, the potential that arises from the players themselves, when corporate change is accompanied across all levels and targeted development spaces are created, is often still neglected. One role that can create these spaces is the Agile Coach. We spoke to Christian Konz, who plays this role u.a. in an internationally active family business in the industrial sector.
Encouraging self-organized, responsible and meaningful thinking and action
ibo-Blog: Mr. Konz, how did you actually become an Agile Coach?
Christian Konz: That's a good question, because I have several answers to it at once. At my last employer, after a short probationary period, I was simply assigned this role within the company. Whether it's because of my skills or whether it's simply easier to pronounce than my official job title of "In-house Agile Consultant", that's for others to judge. In the meantime, I was also active as a Scrum Master. And I was also an Agile Transformation Coach. The role of Agile Coach is difficult to define or delimit in practice, it is neither an official job title nor is there an institutionalized job description behind it – ultimately, anyone can call themselves this or something else.
ibo blog: … and what's your next answer to that??
Christian Konz: The answer I like much better (laughs) is that behind my role as an Agile Coach is a personal development story that began about 10 years ago with a passion for corporate management, structural organization and innovative business models. The fact that I now advocate self-organized, autonomous and meaningful thinking and action in organizations has only limited to do with the hubbub of agile approaches, methods and tools that are currently sweeping through the corporate landscape. Ultimately, it is in my own selfish interest to help companies and organizations develop and improve by helping the people who work in them to develop their potential in a way that creates value and meaning.
Lightning rod and fire extinguisher in one
ibo blog: What is special about this role?
Christian Konz: Personally, I don't know of any role that is more varied and exciting than that of Agile Coach. There is no such thing as a regular daily routine – even if I do yearn for it from time to time (grins). For me, it is the perfect role to be a facilitator and coordinator
Initiate, promote and witness the business change between strategic management level and operational teams across divisional and departmental boundaries.
ibo blog: In this role, however, you don't just make friends, or?
Christian Konz: I can't disagree with that. However, if as an Agile Coach I let myself be impressed by an existing hierarchy, then I do not deserve this role. Because artificially pulled in management levels, head monopolies and department borders are to be changed straight. You can sometimes get a bloody nose there. Sometimes you are a lightning rod and fire extinguisher in one! But this is part of the process. Informal power relationships interest me much more than formal hierarchical ones anyway. Because these networks often reflect the true competencies in the company and what is possible.
Leaders in networks develop from the bottom up
ibo blog: What do you mean by this? Can you explain this?
Christian Konz: In contrast to the classic hierarchy, leaders in such networks are formed bottom up, they are democratically legitimized. It is not about titles or status, but about recognition. This can be seen e.B. in how often someone is involved in decisions or how often I am involved in decisions. and to the extent that its recommendations and interventions are recognized, accepted and implemented. Agile coaches should encourage this development and do the convincing, not only by asking smart questions, but also by advising and empowering colleagues.
ibo blog: And how do you do that concretely?
Christian Konz: I open manageable development spaces for the development of potentials. For complex issues or. After all, the solution to a problem is not obvious. In such situations, there is often a danger that employees become passive, withdraw and often take on the role of victims. The question of the big shot, the comprehensive solution, is often a hindrance and leads nowhere! In such situations, I often ask activating questions such as: "What could you do to make your problem even worse?? What would have to happen to prevent this from happening??"When e.g. an important project stalls, then things get worse by starting more and more projects. Then we have a prioritization problem, the focus is lost. It is then often easier for employees to name what they do not want, i.e. no prioritization conflicts and instead more focus.
The first steps out of passivity are usually taken by means of smaller interventions agreed upon over a manageable period of time, e.g., by means of a "change" program. Micro Changes. Such an intervention could be, for example, that in the next week all tasks and requests are consistently rejected that have nothing to do with the main project. Call forwarding is activated, the calendar is blocked or the room is changed. If this succeeds, the self-efficacy of the person concerned is strengthened. A constructive discussion of the problem takes place, in which the people concerned often gain increasing competence in answering problem-relevant questions.
Agile coaches should work every day to make themselves redundant
ibo blog: Does it take a certain attitude to be good in this role?
Christian Konz: I don't know. What I can say from my own experience, however, is that Agile Coaches are often hypothesis-driven and experience-based learners. And they shouldn't be afraid to act beyond their 'comfort zone' and put their finger in the wound, even if it hurts sometimes. It also often helps if people don't take themselves too seriously and the certainty that they don't know everything.
ibo Blog: But Agile transformation is serious business, isn't it??
Christian Konz: In any case. But an Agile coach should work every day to make themselves redundant. Because if my work resonates with people and is embraced, then hopefully the role of Agile coach will soon no longer be needed.
ibo blog: And then what do you do?
Christian Konz: Then the next transformation is already around the corner! (laughs)
ibo blog: What do you recommend to someone aspiring to the role of Agile coach?
Christian Konz: In my opinion, prospective Agile coaches should have a sufficient level of basic business knowledge and be able to understand organizational and process structures. For the Agile part of the role, there have long been very good and tailored
Further training opportunities that quickly provide the necessary tools for the known approaches, methods and tools. And, of course, something similar applies to aspiring coaches – even if the day-to-day life of an Agile coach doesn't always consist of coaching. And everyone should bring along a little empathy. After all, this can also be learned to a certain degree. Walking in the shadow of an experienced coach for a while can't hurt. I have benefited a lot from getting regular feedback from my colleagues and exchanging ideas with other Agile coaches.
ibo blog: Thank you very much for the interview!