Psychology of Agile Coaching:Understanding Science of Change

Pavel Dabrytski

Think of an improvement goal you would like introduce to your life.

* Not a result or outcome* Implicates you* Important to you*State affirmative

Coaching is facilitated development

Waterfallis…

Agileis…

Neuron

Brann, Amy. Neuroscience for Coaches : How to Use the Latest Insights for the Benefit of Your Clients. London ; Philadelphia, PA, Kogan Page, 2014.

Neuroplasticity

chemical

structural

Brann, Amy. Neuroscience for Coaches : How to Use the Latest Insights for the Benefit of Your Clients. London ; Philadelphia, PA, Kogan Page, 2014.

Basic Psychological Needs

Autonomy Competence Relatedness

Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

Think of examples in your Agile practice when you satisfied someone's innate psychological needs? What happened?

Autonomy Competence Relatedness

MotivationExternal regulation

Introjection

Identification

IntegrationDeci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

External Regulation

Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

• Attain a reward or avoid a punishment.• Poor maintenance and transfer once contingencies are withdrawn.

Example: I will get my bonus if 10% of projects are Agile bythe end of the financial year.

Example:

Introjection

Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

• Swallow regulations whole without digesting them.• Internalized through feelings of self-worth (pride) or threats of

guilt and shame. Usually invokes inner critic.

Example: If I do not get 10% of projects to be Agile by the endof the year, I must be a bad manager.

Example:

Identification

Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

• Recognize and accept the underlying value of a behavior.• Behavior is still instrumental (to reach a goal), rather than being

done solely as a source of spontaneous enjoyment and satisfaction.

Example: I love Agile because it reduces attrition rate andincreases delivery and job satisfaction in my team.

Example:

Integration

Deci, Edward L., and Richard M. Ryan. “The What and Why of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 11, no. 4, 2000, pp. 227–268.

• Identify with the importance of a behavior and integrate its identifications with other aspects of the self.

• The behavior is in harmony with other aspects of person’s values and identity.

Example: We implemented Agile because I love working in collaborative environments where everyone’s opinion matters.

Example:

Motivation

External regulation

Introjection

Identification

Integration

Think of your earlier improvement goal.

How are you motivated today?

What would serve as better motivation for you?

Creative Brain

ConnectReasonEnvisionAbsorbTransformEvaluateStream

Carson, Shelley. Your Creative Brain : Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life. 1st ed., San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 2010.

Practice 1: Open-Ended Inquiry

1. What is going well in your life?2. What are 5 things that make you thrive?3. What is your vision for your future well-being?4. Why does this vision matter to you?5. What is the gap between now and your vision?6. What strengths can you use?7. What is a key challenge?8. What are three strategies for overcoming yourchallenge?9. What are your goals and first steps?10. What insights did you have?

Moore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Practice 2: Mindfulness

Narrow Awareness

Open Awareness

Meta-Awareness

Vago, David Ronald, and David A. Silbersweig. “Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, and Self-Transcendence (S-ART): a Framework for Understanding the Neurobiological Mechanisms of Mindfulness.” Vol. 6, no. NA, 2012, p. 296.

Practice 3: Reflections

Simple reflections

Amplified reflections

Double-sided reflections

Shifted-focus reflectionsMoore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Simple Reflections

Moore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Client:How would you know what I am going through? You’ve probably never even done an Agile transformation in an organization of our size.

Interviewer:You feel that I don’t have enough expertise to help you.

Amplified Reflections

Moore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Client:How would you know what I am going through? You’ve probably never even done an Agile transformation in an organization of our size.

Interviewer:You feel that it is impossible for your company to implement Agile.

Double-Sided Reflections

Moore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Client:This company is gigantic, and it is full of red tape. It will probably take too much effort to get the full benefits of Scrum. We might need to do a hybrid approach.

Interviewer:You know that it will be a challenge to implement Agile in this company, and you also know it is important to increase your teams’ efficiency.

Shifted-Focus Reflections

Moore, Margaret. Coaching Psychology Manual. 2nd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2016.

Client:You are an expert in the field. I pay you. Now, tell me what I have to do.

Interviewer:I am more interested in what you want to do. I’d like to find a way to help you get through this situation. Tell me what is important to you.

Practice a coaching conversation in pairs. Use open-ended inquiry and reflections.

Psychology of Agile Coaching:Understanding Science of Change