An agile coach is responsible for the agile optimization of internal company processes. They enable teams to react adaptably and intuitively to changes and problems. By applying agile working methods, they help teams to develop solutions to problems independently in the future.
Agile Coach: Key Facts
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Education
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Hard Skills
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Further training
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Soft skills
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Salary
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Related professions
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What is an Agile Coach? Definition
The aim of an agile coach is to make company processes more agile. Depending on the situation, he acts as a trainer, systemic coach or mentor and promotes the development of a self-learning organization. In doing so, they take on the role of a process facilitator who helps the team to independently develop insights and solutions to problems.
An agile coach supports companies in optimizing processes so that they can react quickly, flexibly, actively and proactively to a wide range of new challenges. Fundamental corporate strategies are optimized in such a way that these processes can be completed internally in the future . The aim of an agile coach is therefore to make teams and companies adaptable and therefore self-learning.
Agile coaches originally come from the field of software development, but are now also established in many other industries.
Good to know: The agile coach can be described as a so-called "servant leader". Although they hold a management position , they do not have any disciplinary responsibility. Their expertise is not sought for technical matters. Instead, their main task is to assist the team during the work process.
Agile Coach or Scrum Master? Differences
The designations Agile Coach and Scrum Master are often used interchangeably. This is due to the fact that the two professional profiles overlap thematically and therefore have certain similarities: Agile coaches and scrum masters basically both support teams in the realization of agile processes.
However, there are also fundamental differences between the two:
- While Scrum Masters, for example, only take care of Scrum teams, Agile Coaches support teams with all methods of agile working and at all personnel levels.
- Agile coaches should therefore not only be familiar with Scrum, but also with other principles such as Kanban or Lean Startup
- As a rule, training to become a Scrum Master is shorter than that of an Agile Coach - in fact, active Scrum Masters repeatedly undergo further training to become Agile Coaches.
What does an Agile Coach do? Tasks
Basically, an agile coach should help to make the day-to-day work of a company or organization more agile. To this end, they usually supervise several teams and support them in their day-to-day business in order to improve the conditions under which they work.
An agile coach can be deployed at various levels: Sometimes he supports individual team members or managers, sometimes teams or departments and in some cases entire companies. Depending on the situation, they slip into different roles (moderator, facilitator, mediator, etc.) and help to align the day-to-day work to the needs of the team.
The tasks of the agile coach can vary greatly. This is because there is no uniform standard solution for agility; instead, it is always a process that must be individually adapted to the respective company. The scope of an agile coach is therefore very broad and basically consists of the following activities:
- Training: The Agile Coach imparts knowledge about the concepts of agile working where necessary.
- Consulting: The Agile Coach answers questions and makes recommendations for solutions.
- CoachingThe Agile Coach accompanies and supports you in actively finding solutions
It is usually up to the agile coach to assess for themselves which situations require which methods.
In detail, his areas of responsibility include the following aspects:
- Agile process optimization
- Dissemination and application of agile methods
- Knowledge transfer
- The organization and moderation of agile meetings
- Support in trying out the methods learned in the training in practice
- Help with organizational problems of a team
- Optimizing the performance of the team by distributing responsibility
- Improving communication
- Help in understanding and accepting change
- Help to develop processes for finding solutions independently
In one-to-one discussions, agile meetings and workshops, the agile coach helps to find a solution tailored to the respective company for a wide range of problems.
What skills does an agile coach need?
Depending on the situation, an agile coach has to take on a wide variety of roles: trainer, consultant, coach, moderator, facilitator, mediator, ... Accordingly, a good agile coach must be multi-talented and have a broad repertoire of skills and knowledge . The following skills are essential for an agile coach.
Hard Skills
Due to their position of responsibility, an Agile Coach must have many specific hard skills. Some of these are
- Several years of professional experience
- Detailed knowledge of agile methods such as Scrum, Kanban and Lean Startup
- The ability to apply agile methods in practice
- Expertise in the areas of technology, business and transformation processes
- Experience with change projects
- Experience with different organizational cultures
- Experience with mentoring, coaching and facilitation
Soft skills
Since the main task of an agile coach is to work with individuals or teams to optimize their work processes, the following soft skills are of great importance:
- Moderationand presentation skills
- Strong communication skills
- Good knowledge of human nature and a strong ability to empathize with other people
- An analytical mindset
- Flexibility to be able to adapt your actions depending on the situation
- Ability to work in a team
- A convincing and confident appearance
Agile Coach: Training & further education
Training to become an agile coach usually takes place alongside work. If you want to take the next step professionally and train to become an agile coach, you should already be familiar with the basics of agile working.
Education
The basic requirements for an agile coach are many years of professional experience and practical skills such as mentoring and coaching. Specific specialist knowledge in the areas of technology, business and transformation processes is also required. Accordingly, no future agile coach should be without a degree in a relevant field.
To work as an Agile Coach, you should also complete a certified course . Within this training, you can choose from various elective modules, allowing you to set individual priorities, and the schedule can also be customized. Complete the Haufe Akademie the advanced training to become an Agile Coach .
Our recommendation
Further training to become a certified "Agile Coach"
With this 8-day training , you will become a certified Agile Coach. The seminars can take place either face-to-face or online and can be personalized with an individual focus. The course concludes with a certificate as a professional Agile Coach.
Further training to become a certified "Agile Coach"
As a prerequisite for this training, you need at least one year of practical experience in an agile environment. To build on your previous experience with agile methods, the following seminars could be suitable for you:
Further training
In order to carry out your work as an agile coach as efficiently as possible, you should always ensure that you continue your training. Further training and seminars in the areas of agile methods, communication and change management are essential in order to stay up to date.
How much does an Agile Coach earn? Salary
The salary of an Agile Coach can vary depending on location, company, personal experience, type of employment and their respective training and further education. A full-time Agile Coach employed by a company in Germany earns between 55,000 and 93,000 euros grossper year.
How do you become an Agile Coach?
In addition to many years of professional experience in a relevant field and certified training, an agile coach must also have other skills. Agile methodological competence and the ability to apply it alone are not enough - an Agile Coach should undergo continuous further training and always be informed about innovations in this and related areas.
Soft skills such as excellent communication skills and the ability to work in a team are also essential for an agile coach. In order to have a lasting influence on the way teams work, you also need to have a good knowledge of human nature, a convincing manner and a great deal of flexibility. Finally, good moderation and presentation skills are also essential for the role of an agile coach.
Agile Coach: Workplaces of the Future – Haufe Akademie
The world of work is constantly changing - relatively new concepts such as agile working have become increasingly popular in recent years , even outside of software development. The agile coach may still be a relatively new profession, but it is already a sought-after position in companies of all kinds.
Would you like to move with the times and integrate modern working methods and techniques into your day-to-day work? If you are still at the very beginning when it comes to agile working, you will find a wide range of further training options in our wide range of courses, such as the basics of agile project management. If you are already working with agile methods, further training to become a certified agile coach could be an option for you.
For reasons of better readability, the article does not use female and male language forms simultaneously and uses the generic masculine. All personal designations apply equally to all genders.
FAQs: Agile Coach
What does an agile coach do?
The aim of an agile coach is to optimize internal company processes using agile practices. They also help teams to become self-learning so that they can work out solutions to problems independently in the future.
How much does an Agile Coach earn?
On average , an Agile Coach in Germany earns around 72,000 euros gross per year, although the salary can generally vary between 55,000 and 93,000 euros gross per year depending on the company, qualifications and location.
What is the difference between Scrum Master and Agile Coach?
While a Scrum Master only deals with the principles of Scrum and usually works within a fixed team, an Agile Coach must be familiar with the entire repertoire of agile work and provides support at all staff levels.
How do you become an agile coach?
After many years of professional experience and with good basic knowledge and experience of agile working, you can become a certified agile coach with further training.
