Welcome to our Agile coach FAQ library, check out our frequently asked questions on Scrum & Agile to support you with your journey.
What is your biggest regret as an agile coach?
What is your biggest regret as an agile coach? I’m not somebody that believes in regret. Professiona…
What is the ‘go to’ exercise for a sprint retrospective?
What is the ‘go to’ exercise for a sprint retrospective? It used to be ‘Mad | Sad | Glad’. Many moon…
What are the 3 things that trip you up as an Agile coach?
What are the 3 things that generally trip you up as an Agile coach? This is an interesting one. Ther…
How do you sell a concept to a team and a client as an Agile coach?
How do you sell a concept to a team and a client as an Agile coach? Your first step is to stop think…
What is the one thing you must do before starting any engagement as an agile coach?
What is the one thing you must do before starting any engagement as an agile coach? It’s contract. I…
The Definitive Guide to Scrum Training
Why take Scrum training? Scrum may appear simple at first, but it is deceptively difficult to do wel…
How does an agile coach facilitate sprint planning?
How does an agile coach facilitate sprint planning? This answer may be a bit different to how a scru…
What is one of the most important traits of an agile coach?
What is one of the most important traits of an agile coach? Patience. Without a doubt, patience is o…
When did you realise that you had transitioned from scrum master to agile coach?
When did you realise that you had transitioned from scrum master to agile coach? I will be honest, I…
What is the most common mistake made by newbie Agile coaches?
What is the most common mistake made by newbie Agile coaches? I would be hard pressed to pick a sing…
How does an Agile coach learn to work at the executive level?
How does an Agile coach learn to work at the executive level? There are many ways that agile coaches…
What is the one book you would recommend to aspiring Agile coaches?
What is the one book you would recommend to aspiring Agile coaches? That gets tricky. I’ll be honest…
How do you prioritise team coaching over individual coaching as an agile coach?
How do you prioritise team coaching over individual coaching as an agile coach? I would question whe…
What is one of the toughest lessons you learned as an agile coach?
What is one of the toughest lessons you learned as an agile coach? The toughest lesson, without a do…
Does the Agile Coach Academy help me to achieve coaching certifications?
It’s important to distinguish between what you mean by coaching certifications. Let’s start with Agi…
How is the Agile Coach Academy going to help me in my career?
Although career development is an important part of a scrum master’s journey, I would urge you to fo…
Does the Agile Coach Academy actively coach and mentor me?
Yes, it does. The idea for the Agile Coach Academy was born out of conversations that Karim and I ha…
What do I need to sign up for the Agile Coach Academy?
You need experience. You need actual working experience and practice as a Scrum Master in a working …
What is the Agile Coach Academy?
The Agile Coach Academy was an idea me and Karim explored when we first started Agile Centre. We had…
Will I be a more effective coach after doing the CSP-SM course?
You will certainly have the tools, techniques, and theory to help you become a great deal more effec…
Is the CSP-SM course an Agile coaching course?
Yes, it is. In many ways, a scrum master acts as an Agile coach for the scrum team, the product owne…
How long is the CSP-SM course and how is it structured?
The Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master course is a total of sixteen (16) hours. We deliver th…
How much of a difference will the CSP-SM course have on my career?
It could have a significant impact on your career if you embed the knowledge, skills, tools, and tec…
What will I learn on the CSP-SM course?
The Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master (CSP-SM) course was designed by the Scrum Alliance to …
Is the ACSM a steppingstone to the CSP-SM course?
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) course was designed to act as a bridge between the Certi…
How difficult is the ACSM course?
It depends on your current skills, experience and mindset. If you find that you have mastered the ba…
Does the ACSM course translate into a better salary?
Curious about the impact an Advanced Certified Scrum Master (ACSM) course will have on your earning …
Could I coach new scrum masters after doing an ACSM course?
Curious about whether you will be able to coach new scrum masters after doing the ACSM course? John …
How actionable is the ACSM course content?
It is very actionable. The Advanced Certified Scrum Master (ACSM) course is designed to help you mak…
What will I be able to do after the ACSM course?
Curious about how the ACSM course will impact your #scrum career journey? John McFadyen walks us thr…
How well recognised and respected is the A-CSM course?
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) certification from the Scrum Alliance is fairly young co…
Will an ACSM course earmark me for promotion at work?
Curious about what promotion opportunities advanced training will offer you? John McFadyen explains …
What are my next steps after the ACSM course?
The Scrum Alliance designed the Advanced Certified Scrum Master (A-CSM) course to be the bridge betw…
Can I attend the CSP-SM course without doing an ACSM course first?
You are more than welcome to attend a Certified Scrum Professional Scrum Master (CSP-SM) course with…
What is the difference between a CSM and an ACSM course?
They are chalk and cheese. The Certified Scrum Master (CSM) course is designed as an entry level cer…
Does the ACSM course teach me or simply validate my skills?
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master (ACSM) course is designed to both teach you new skills as well a…
What do I need to know before signing up for the ACSM course?
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master (ACSM) course was designed to be a natural evolution for C…
Is the ACSM course theoretical or practical?
It’s a blend of both. The ACSM course features necessary theoretical knowledge and concepts that wil…
How does the ACSM course prepare you to be a better Scrum Master?
The ACSM course was created by the Scrum Alliance to be a bridge between the Certified Scrum Master …
Why do I need a year’s experience as a CSM before I can attend the ACSM course?
Technically, you could join the Advanced Certified Scrum Master course a day after completing the Ce…
Does the ACSM course prepare me to be an Agile coach?
In theory, a Scrum Master is already performing the role of an Agile coach within the Scrum Team and…
How long is the ACSM course and how is it structured?
The Advanced Certified Scrum Master course is presented over a total of 16 hours. We have two differ…
What will I learn on the ACSM course?
It’s an advanced course that follows on from the Certified Scrum Master course and builds on the kno…
How long will it take to go from Scrum Master to Agile Coach?
For many people, it’s simply a case of updating your resume or LinkedIn profile. In many ways, a scr…
I lead a development team. Will becoming an Agile coach benefit us?
That’s an interesting one. It depends on how effectively you can make the transition from a team lea…
Do Agile coaches work with individuals or teams?
They work with both. Agile coaches play an integral in helping to build great teams. They do so by w…
What is the difference between a Certified Enterprise Coach and a Certified Team Coach?
A Certified Enterprise Agile Coach (CEC) is an Agile coaching certification awarded to individuals w…
I’m an entrepreneur. Will becoming an Agile coach help me lead my organisation more effectively?
The short answer is no. You’re an entrepreneur, you already have a significant job to do. What I wou…
How much of an impact can Agile coaches have for entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs are simply leaders in business often working in a smaller business than some of the gi…
How does Agile coaching help Agile transformations?
Traditionally, Agile coaches are involved in two areas of an Agile transformation. At the team level…
I’m a project manager, can I make the transition to Agile coach?
Yes, you can. Project managers possess a great deal of valuable skills that are transferable into th…
How will hiring an Agile coach help our business?
If you hire the right person and listen to their feedback and input, you’re going to find that an Ag…
What is the difference between an Agile coach and a project manager?
Where to begin. A project manager possesses a great deal of amazing skills in project delivery. They…
Is Agile coaching a natural evolution from Scrum Mastery?
It can be, and it often is a natural progression for many scrum masters. It was for me personally to…
How effective is Agile coaching in an organisation that doesn’t embrace Agile?
Many organisations don’t know and understand Agile. Many of them simply aren’t ready to make the tra…
Are there levels of seniority for Agile coaches?
In any working environment, there are going to be people with varying degrees of expertise and exper…
How will I know if the Agile coach role is a good fit for me?
The best way to find out is to do the work. Be an Agile coach. An Agile coach is often a thankless j…
How is an Agile coach different to a Scrum Master?
Technically, they are no different. There is a difference in style and expertise but ultimately, a g…
What would be a great apprenticeship for an Agile coach?
Working in an Agile environment, with a team, to actively create and produce products or services th…
Can I become an Agile coach from both the Scrum Master and Product Owner tracks?
Yes, you can. In the vast majority of cases, scrum masters generally progress into Agile coaching as…
Do project managers make great candidates for Agile Coaches?
It depends. Are they even good as a project manager? If they are, they possess valuable skills that …
How do I integrate Agile coaching into a traditional management role?
Let’s start with coaching before we examine the ‘Agile’ part of that question. Over the past 100 yea…
Is Agile Coaching a line management position?
There’s nothing to stop an Agile coach from being a line manager, but I wouldn’t advise it. They are…
Do I need to be an expert in Scrum to start my journey as an Agile coach?
It’s important to define what you mean by ‘expert’. The Scrum Guide is officially 13 pages long. It …
Do you need to be an Agile or Scrum practitioner to become an Agile coach?
Yes, you do. You really need to understand Agile. You need to have lived it, breathed it, and worked…
What are career opportunities for an Agile coach?
The sky is truly the limit. An Agile coach works with large and small organisations around the world…
What is the difference between an Agile coach and a traditional coach?
What is the difference between an Agile coach and a traditional coach? A professional coach uses que…
What is an Agile coach?
An Agile coach is someone who helps align a team with Agile values and principles so that the team c…
Why Coaching is the Number One Skill for Leaders in an Uncertain World
It is often said that everyone wants to change the world, but no one wants to change themselves. The…