Today, I’ve got some exciting time-tested insights to share with all the budding Agile consultants out there who are stepping into the exciting world of Agile. 🎯
So, I’m listing my top three tips of all time for anyone new to the Agile consulting world and wanting to gain momentum. 🚀
Let’s start by reviewing these three top guidelines that I consider essential and ones that every new Agile consultant needs to know.
So, let’s jump right in!
1. Understand the Domain – Context is King
Understand the Domain – Context is KingFirst off, I can’t stress how important it is for an Agile consultant to understand the domain within which you’re working. If you’re consulting on a particular topic – let’s say, helping a software product company shorten their feedback loop, it’s vital to understand what it takes to build those products. 🌐
As I always say, you want to have a keen understanding of the context within which the teams and the people doing the work are operating because it’s the people doing the work that is actually moving the business forward.
So, here’s the crux of this tip: as Agile consultants, we’re not just hired for our Agile expertise. We need to understand the business, the product, the people, the environment – the whole context.
So, immerse yourself, learn, and grow with the team within their domain and remember that understanding their context is vital.
2. The Power of Listening
The second of my three tips is being able to listen. I know that sounds easy, but I mean that listening is vital to being a good Agile consultant. A valuable and potent skill in consulting is listening to what the people doing the work are saying and how that differs or relates to what leadership and customers are saying. 🔑
I often do interviews across all levels of the organisation when I start working with a team or with a company to really get an understanding of what it is that’s going on. The different stories told from the same perspective from people at those different levels are incredible.
If there is a difference in the story, it’s a sign that there’s a communication problem, which should be your first focus for organisational change.
These differences in the narrative often reveal a fundamental problem with transparency. Therefore, active listening can undoubtedly help you identify opportunities for organisational change and shift.
3. Have the Courage to Speak the Uncomfortable Truths
Finally, I’d say my last tip would be to be able to articulate what people don’t want to hear. As consultants, we might often be afraid to tell the hard truths, especially when we’re new and unsure. You must have the courage to speak the uncomfortable and often difficult truths.
Before I could do that, I went into an organisation that had just undergone a massive restructuring. The CEO turned to me and asked if they needed to do another big reorg. I was afraid to say yes. But now, I’ve learned that if something’s not right, you need to say it.
We’re hired for our expert opinion. So don’t hold back, even if they’re not going to like what you’re going to say.
Embrace these three tips – Understand, Listen, and Articulate – and you’re well on your way to becoming a successful Agile consultant! 💪
If this sparked your interest, don’t hesitate to join me on my journey to explore Agile and Scrum.
Follow these three time-tested tips – Understand the Domain, The Power of Listening, and have the courage to speak the uncomfortable truths, and you’re well on your way in your Agile consulting journey! 💪