Coaching Stance – holding the space

I was fortunate to be an assistant in the November Coaching Stance class… with Lyssa Adkins, Michael Spayd, and Cynthia Loy Darst, what a great learning experience. I highly recommend this class – this learning and practicing experience!

My big takeaway – Wow it is much harder to be an assistant rather than a student. Being a student I get to focus much more on me. On my learning. On what I am taking in. On what I am practicing. And when I am a student all of the other students are my peers, my fellow learners. We are connected with relationships. We see one another, we meet, we interact, we connect.

Being an assistant is all about helping the students and the “front of the room leaders” to be successful. It is a chance to practice a continuous level 3 focus. A soft focus – tuned into everyone else’s learning. Tuned in to the system of people in the room, the whole environment, the place. Lyssa explained that it is about both holding space energetically and also holding the space for B.O.D. Beauty, Order, and Design. I notice that this is often my role. When I am leading a meeting at work, I am responsible for both facilitating the meeting and for holding the space   … how much nicer it would be to have an assistant – someone helping to “hold the space”… I will ask for that help now that I see the value and importance!

On the second day, I was a participant for part of the day – which I loved, now double valuing the chance to both build relationships and learn new ideas about coaching. One of my favorites was a game where you take turns coaching someone else – with a twist that the coach is given frequent prompts to try specific practices – like comment on Level 3. It made me very much more aware of where my questions and comments are coming from at any given moment. We laughed a lot!

I also loved the chance to meet and interact and learn from a great community of coaches.  We are coaches now. Because we WANT to coach and help others. It doesn’t mean that I am a great coach, or the best coach. Still –all of us in the class, we are all coaches now!

As usual, I have posted my notes … here are the images.

CoachingStanceclass_Nov2011

Let me know what you think…

Constellations

Lyssa Adkins and Michael Spayd came to lead our BayScrum meetup session. The learning was about Constellations. Which is a tool that can help us understand different perspectives around an issue or situation. Google System Constellations or Satir Constellations to learn about the method.

We talked a bit about how it works and then jumped into a demonstration – which was very intense. Lyssa and Michael cautioned that this is not something easy that we can just take back and try…it takes training, skill, and practice. Still, we can learn about perspectives and relationships just from watching and or participating.

I like to draw my learnings and have posted here …

https://picasaweb.google.com/109874608943839423570/BayScrumNov2011_LyssaAdkins_MichaelSpayd?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Reflecting back, I can see that with any system (or people) there are relationships. The relationships enable energy (thoughts, ideas,conversations, caring, etc)  to flow between people. Better relationships enable easier flow, more trust, etc. When there are people within a system (constellation) that others are ignoring, discounting, disrespecting, etc then the energy (communication, trust) is low and the system feels stuck.

So I can map out systems, think about different perspectives, and look for the parts of the system where trust is low. Those part of the system need attention.

PS: this Reminds me of acupuncture … getting energy flowing …

Nurturing an online #Agile #Community of Practice

I am part of a wonderful new online community – the PMI-Agile Community of Practice. It’s still a toddler in my eyes…but it’s a big toddler at 13,000 subscribers. Wow!

And these past few days I attended a PMI conference with several great sessions focused on growing online communities of practice.

One of the sessions I enjoyed was “If you want to grow Oaks, You Need Nuts!”  with Mark Gray  www.sigma-pm.com  .  My full session notes are in the drawings below!

I came away from the session, and subsequent discussions, inspired to nurture our community conversations.

Active participants in our community are the “vital few”… be curious:

• What are they seeking?
• Why are they here?
• Acknowledge them for being willing to ask

Teach others to fish, rather than giving away fish

• Resist the urge to solve the other person’s problem with “one solution”
• Think about sharing sources of ideas, rather than answers
• Cultivate dialog and mentorship
• What do you think of…
• Is this valuable? Or maybe not?
• Here is a thought or here is a story, maybe it will spark some ideas…
• That sounds interesting, let us know how it goes.

Building relationships, start with introductions

• Here is who I am: Build an online profile so that people can learn about you
• Attached an automatic signature block with profile link
• Be curious about the other person

Come for the information, stay for the relationships

• Be gentle, be respectful, be positive
• “Strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet” Mark Gray

Inspiring session, hope to see more of Mark’s thinking and coaching in the future…

And inviting everyone who wants to join our learning community to join us at http://agile.vc.pmi.org/ (would need to join PMI first at the basic subscription cost).

The Unstuck Class, the Coaching Stance that helps Agile execs and team members

I participated in the first ever Coaching Stance class offered by the www.agilecoachinginstitute.com  with Lyssa Adkins, Michael Spayd, and Cyntia Loy Darst. It was a great learning experience. And while I do want to write posts and share here as I process more of the ideas, I also am sensitive to the notion that people may be curious not about the class…  So I have posted all my notes here .

The next instance of the class will be again here in San Francisco – at the amazingly beautiful and collaborative EFI site Nov 16-17, 2011. I am proud to work here at EFI and happy for us to be able to provide the space. And to welcome agile coaches and learners to our building and environment.  Lyssa and Michael will also hold a Coaching Agile Teams class the same week Nov 14-15, 2011 – in the same space. I also can highly recommend that learning opportunity as well!

To sign up for either class http://www.agilecoachinginstitute.com/class-schedule/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PMI-ACP – the audit!

A few weeks ago I applied to take PMI’s new PMI-ACP exam – the Agile Certified Practitioner. I was initially reluctant to sit for this exam because – I knew it was going to take time to file, to skim the required reading (I’ve already read most of the books suggested), and to actually take the test – see the FAQ. I also have so many interesting and exciting change initiatives and coaching learning opportunities currently underway  … so where will I find the time?

And as soon as I pressed the submit button on my application, boom, I received email that I was one of the lucky (unlucky) random foks to get audited. Really it’s fine, I have tons of the required experience and classes. It was more of a sense of – bummer – this is going to eat up even more time.

A)     The transcript was easy – MBA– no problem, they deliver electronically! Go USC!

B)      Work experience in Agile – no problem… thank you EFI and my wonderful manager for the opportunity!

C)      The Agile Related Education – oh man. This was harder that I imagined.

You see, much of my Agile education has been either in-house or in Open Space with some fabulous consultants, like Tobias Mayer, and Chris Sims. My first great learning experience was working along side Jesse Fewell, Pat Reed, Brian Buzzuto, and others on the original PMI-Agile PB Wiki – this was even before there was an official Community of Practice. I am also a trained “Innovation Games® facilitator – great tools to facilitate agile collaboration and the best tool for hosting online retrospectives with virtual/remote teams!  I have also learned so many great agile lessons from the Agile Open Northern California  open space — for several years in a row with Ainsley Nies, David Chilcott, and many other amazing folks. And then there was the first open space that I actually shared at – the PMI San Francisco Open Space – exploring the Agile Way.  I love open space events – great hands on learning!  My first more formal training – with certificate – was a Product Owner class with Chris Sims and Steve Bockman – called The Agile Product Manager’s Guide to the Galaxy – hmmm was this going to apply? And I have also participated in and hosted Agile tracks at PMI symposiums.

So I started emailing all my teachers above…only to learn that the events above probably don’t count towards the Agile Related Education. Uh Oh. Now what?

Fortunately I realized that through an interesting twist I did actually have my CSM – by chance! (that is a story for another day). Great  - I thought – that should be two days of the training requirement. Alas I went to the scrum alliance site and could not find the letter proving that I had in fact taken the CSM training – no proof of attendance. Now I was on a mission, if I had to be audited, at least I would help others who are a audited later…by sharing my learning. I happily emailed scum alliance support and asked for the letter of attendance. And they quickly replied – “Thank you for contacting. You will need to get this letter from the actual trainer. Do you still have their contact information? If you give me the name, I can provide it to you. “…  Wow  – this was getting frustrating. At least I knew how to contact Tobias Mayer! Who quickly sent me the needed letter!

Then a colleague pointed out that in fact there is a way to print a certificate of CSM on the scrum alliance site. Ironically I could not “find” the button to create this certificate until he sent his email –  I re-checked my screenshots. The font on the “generate certificate” button is really small. And my eyesight is not improving here with age! I am glad that there is a place to generate the certificate.

By then, reviewing the list of books for the exam study – I also realized that Lyssa Adkins’ Coaching Agile Teams class would also count! Hurray! And I also had just taken The Coaching Stance class with the Agile Coaching Institute. Now my audit folder contained an embarrassment of riches. Lots of “extras” just in case. Letter from many Agile friends and trainers. We sent in the whole lot of letters and certificates… and voila – I have passed the audit.

So lesson here – just ask the Agile trainers for a letter of completion listing dates and learning goals at the time that you attend that class. Keep a copy in a safe place – electronic – pdf is fine. And wear glasses when checking the scrum alliance site for your certificate – it’s there somewhere!

Good luck with your exam!

Designing an alliance

One of the tools that I learned about in The Coaching Stance class is how to design an alliance (based on CTI work) . At first I was think – no way – I am not asking any of my friends and co-workers to sign a “coaching contract”…and then as I listened and we practiced I began to learn that it is not about a piece of paper. It’s not even about a contract. It’s about the relationship.

This helped me to understand why in so many classes – at the start of the class the instructor often starts with ground rules…asking the participants to contribute ground rules. I am always thinking, let’s go! Just tell us the ground rules, no problem. We are wasting time But now I see that the teacher is designing a kind of alliance too. By inviting us participants to contribute. It is even effective – because when someone adds to the list “full participation”  or “everyone participates” I am reminded to both step up my game and also to invite others to speak up through out the session (because I am a Myers Briggs extrovert… often talking – thinking outloud… like right now even as I write this post. And so many of my fellow learners are introverts….

Here are the basics to begin with:

Asking for permission to coach … (if new relationship or new approach describe the coaching that you are offering – there are many meanings and understandings of what coaching is…)

Then have a conversation about the culture/space/tone and about the co-responsibility –  ”how will we work together when things get challenging, what will you want me to do?”

Another of the many questions to ask ” what else do you know about how you want to be coached?”

notes from The Coaching Stance class

creating space for collaboration and teamwork

This post is not about cubicles or office layout!

Rather it is about creating space for people to be authentic and collaborative … all at the same time!  I learned more about this in a recent  The Coaching Stance class   … with Lyssa Adkins, Michael Spayd, Cynthia Darst, and David Chilcott. The first day Cynthia and Lyssa were our “front of the room teachers” while Michael and David “held the space” and the second day Cynthia and Michael were our “front of the room teachers” while Lyssa and David “held the space.”  And the class unfolded I bcan to get a much better sense of what it could mean to “create and hold space” for people. At work and at home. Just by watching and experiencing the environment created.

In her book on “Coaching Agile Teams” Lyssa talks 16 times about “space” …  Here’s one quote: “When you coach you nurture an environment that  ”holds the space” open for the team to create.”

I am noticing now that some of my friends and some of the leaders that I most respect seem to do this naturally. And here is what the “this” of “holding the space” looks like for me:

1) Make it safe for others to speak

2) Welcome and thank people communicating bad news early

3) Say “we” when processing  ”bad news”

4) Acknowledge people’s contributions

5) Respect others in the space (the group, the meeting)

6) Ask with curiosity, then wait expectantly

So happy to be able to practice this with some great role models nearby!

Learning about coaching

Last week I participated in The Coaching Stance class with Lyssa Adkins, Michael Spayd, Cynthia Darst, and a wonderful team of fellow students. I was amazed to have this opportunity to learn a bit and practice what is means to coach.
It’s funny, going in I wanted to learn about coaching…and somehow felt that it was too lofty a goal to achieve any measure of skill in just two days. Boy was I wrong. Happily!
I had previously read (skimmed) the Co-active coaching book which is of course excellent, and not enough to really allow one (ok me) to practice. On top of that I could not imagine becoming an “executive coach”… that’s not what I want to do! I want to be right in the thick of the problems, the opportunities, the content, and the context. I like to be right there in the mix.
What I learned is to really apply the practice of asking powerful questions, to approach a conversation with more curiosity than answers. And to listen systemically, where the listening forms a picture of a system…or at least pieces of a system.
Now rather than always saying “I have an idea” and thinking – “hey everyone listen to me.” I am instead learning to practice blurting… I’m getting a picture or an idea, or seeing something… would it be appropriate to share? Is this a good time to share? So the idea is more part of the conversation that is a possible path, but not the only path. I can also see how this fits my style of being a person that like to quietly starts to draw frameworks on the board or type into shared virtual “whiteboards” …when the a large meeting conversation gets complex. It’s a way that I can suggest a direction, without insisting. Interesting.
Over the last year or two I am also learning that it’s not so much that I want to see my ideas implemented… rather I want to see the direction that I am encouraging to be close to the way that we go. I see bigger ideas now, ideas that are about levels of collaboration and community.
It’s a great time to be here.

In praise of patterns

I was just listening to this Software Engineering radio podcast with Linda Rising … and was reminded of the usefulness and wonder of patterns.

http://www.se-radio.net/2009/06/episode-139-fearless-change-with-linda-rising/

The book, Fearless Change book is also inspiring. It is nice to also hear an author in conversation about their learnings and path to writing the book.

The conversation looped back to Christopher Alexander’s Timeless way of building ,  which Markus referred to as the “prior art” of patterns!   Timeless way of building is a book I studied end to end when it came time to remodel our house! Great book, great patterns.  The famous “light on two sides” inspired me to ask for sunlights in several rooms! Makes a huge difference in the rooms.  And lots of material in the book about community building, gardens as spaces and much more. Very rich book. And it is about much more than building! The book itself – is timeless…

In the interview about Linda Rising also referred to Alexander’s definition of a pattern – which I am quoting from his website http://www.patternlanguage.com Each pattern describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.

Thinking of Agile Scrum this reminded me of user stories. I wonder if a pattern is similar in that it is a what and a why…but not a how…

Lots of time in life it is valuable for us to think about what and why…and leave the how ‘til another time, another place, or leave it as a future that is open and waiting.

 

Conflict

Collaboration, real collaboration, happens when all of us contribute. And often our contribution is a different point of view, a question, a sense of curiosity, a willingness to listen, a willingness to speak up, and an ability to help others face and navigate conflict.
In this interesting keynote, Navigating Conflict on Agile Teams: Why “Resolving” Conflict Won’t Work, Lyssa Adkins ofwww.coachingagileteams.com explains how to welcome and encourage differing views so that the team can grow and become high performing. She presents a model of levels of conflict, inspiring us to engage at Level 1.

• Level 1: When there are problems to solve, people engage in conflict openly & constructively. Live in constructive disagreement. Sounds like: I don’t think you are hearing me. What do you think I said? Stop let’s not go there (help each other look forward, not backward). What I’m hearing is…. Here’s where I think we are today and here are some ways we could move forward.
• Level 2: Disagreement becomes as important as solving the problem. Holding cards close to the vest, blaming, protecting, distancing, conversations don’t add up.
• Level 3: Real issue gets lost, over generalizing, Sounds like: he always___, he never___, other side of presumptions, I know what they think.
• Level 4: Crusaders refusing to listen to one another, philosophical, think other side will never change, not even worth talking. Sounds like: language becomes ideological, entrenched positions.
• Level 5: World war, full on combat. Sounds like: war. Approach: separate the combatants.
• Level 6: Silent but deadly. Volcano ready to blow.
• So next time you see  Level 2 thru 6, try to help the team move back to Level 1. It only takes one person to start a change for the better!

PS: In early November Lyssa will be leading a session at the Agile track of our PMI SF Project Management Day in San Francisco. And she will also be teaching a 2 day class on coaching agile teams. Hope to see you there!