If there was ever a time to put our Agile abilities to the test, that time is now. So much is changing in the world, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult for many individuals and organizations to adapt. That is why we are thrilled to welcome you to the 2022 Agile Coach Conference, where you’ll learn from the Agile masters themselves just how Agile working can help you get ahead of the curve. This event will be the perfect place to share best practices and learning cases, as well as a time to reconnect with fellow Agile colleagues, while getting acquainted with new ones.

Aspiring SPCs that want to improve their game should seriously consider the triple-deal ‘SPC in a week.’ The subtle work of the SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) requires a lot of what the Germans call ‘Fingerspitzengefühl’: in other words, experience is key. So, what better way to boost your beginnings as an SPC than with our ‘SPC in a week’ offer? Immerse yourself in a full week of mentorship, knowledge exchange and training by one the world’s most experienced SAFe trainers, SPCT Eelco Rustenburg with Marijt Weerts. From January 25^th ‘til 29^th… it’s all about the ART.

Agilists focus on program performance; line management focuses on functional excellence and control. Agilists preach a focus on product outcome, while line management tends to maximize output. Just two obvious stereotypes between the two groups. Sander Nienkemper looks forward to visiting Agile@Scale, because he combines both roles (as well as a third!) at insurance company Vivat.

The first speaker to present a case on January 25^t, 2021 at our upcoming event Agile@Scale is Rick van Benten, of telecoms conglomerate VodafoneZiggo. Offering a peek into his planned narrative, he says: “I wanted the desired outcome to lead us, rather than just unbox a method.”

It’s a wrap! On October 28^th we received over 100 Agile coaches on our virtual online platform for the first edition of the agile coach conference. Over the course of an entire day, these enthusiastic professionals followed more than 8 presenting speakers, 3 keynote speakers, and 2 rounds of 6 workshops each, and many exciting ideas exchanged.

They are a recurring voice in most Agile trainings, as they are in the workplace: the skeptical onlooker. I’m referring here to the voices that, while agreeing with the benefits promised by the transformation, they expect it will fail. I welcome such voices because their words hold a sad truth that is often left unsaid: many transformations do fail. And when they do, it’s usually because of precisely what the skeptics warned against.

Let’s look at the following scenario. You are a business or financial controller, in an organization that has adopted Agile principles and practices. Let’s assume there are obvious positive effects on product development and customer satisfaction. One thing bothers you, though…

Look into the ‘behind the scenes’ of the work that keeps the trainings running at Gladwell Academy, with Global Business Developer manager Geertje de Jong. Geertje talks about how she tries to offer her clients more than just a training: she offers them knowledge and peace of mind.

Seasoned Scrum Master Afra Shamshiri and Agile Coach Mark Heistek will present at the Agile Coach Conference about their work to transform business departments at the Dutch Employee insurance Agency (UWV) into more Agile Value Stream oriented lines. Here’s a peek at their plans for the conference.

Design thinking isn’t rocket science, says Riekes Beelen. “To get good at it does take some experience. What we teach in the new course, Design Thinking and Customer Journey Mapping is a great start, but you’ll get better over time – it’s a hands-on sport!”

Paul van Sonsbeek, Agile Coach at the Volksbank reflects on the recent PO/PM training with trainer Andries Hettema. “Most of us were well-experienced POs, so we were looking for a kind of masterclass. So, Andries cut the entry-level theory and doubled down on storytelling and practical experiences.”

Gladwell Academy has invited David Binnerts, an expert Agile Coach at Shell to speak at the upcoming virtual Agile Coach Conference. He shares his experiences with encouraging Agile Coaches to build an Agile community of practice through a fun, interactive, workshop.

Continuing Gladwell Academy’s deep dive into Lyssa Adkins’ model for the three roles of an Agile Coach, Renate Cremer defines how Program Coaching involves facilitating and integrating diverse teams within an organization to work together towards a common goal.

Foundational Agile thinker and author Lyssa Adkins breaks down Agile Coaching into three roles: Team Facilitator, Agile Coaching, and Enterprise Agile Coaching. Agile Coach Trainer Renate Cremer offers a deep-dive into the unique intricacies of each role beginning with the Enterprise Agile Coach.

There are the ‘usual suspects’ in Scrum that every team quickly picks up on. The four ceremonies, of course. Artifacts, too: a Product Backlog, a Sprint Backlog. So, now are we Scrumming? Sure, a little. It’s okay as a start. But without capacity planning… you’re seriously missing a point.

Have you been interested in entering the challenging but rewarding career of Agile Coaching, but are you unsure where to begin? Search no more with Gladwell Academy’s ‘Agile Coach Bootcamp’ taught by Renate Cremer, an expert trainer of Agile coaches. Follow this course and earn your ICP-ACC, acquire foundational skills necessary for an Agile Coach, and cap your week off with the first ever virtual Agile Coach Conference on October 28^th.

Gladwell Academy recently held one of its Agile Coach Bootcamps: a three-day course meant to give you the knowledge you need to get started as an Agile Coach. We sat down with two participants, Geert-Jan van Vliet of Dutch Railways (NS) and Robert Agterberg from Vivat, to get their thoughts on the course.

Dirk Meißner, owner and founder of CO-Improve Consulting continues his discussion with Gladwell Academy on the “Corona emergency program for development projects” and how it can help Hardware organizations bounce back following Covid-19 social distancing measures. This article continues from part 1.

Agile for hardware manufacturers? No way, we used to say. The interdependencies involved in physical product development are too rigid; development takes too much time to turn on a dime, we used to say. Until today: consultants Ali Hajou and Davar Azarmi explain why, how and when they will be offering our new course!

Maaike Klasen, an experienced Agile Coach and Scrum Master, gives us an idea of the workshop she intends to host at the virtual Agile Coach Conference on October 28^th. She is planning to delve into the “Ethics in Agile Coaching”, and you can expect a deep dive into how to balance the tightrope of transparency and confidentiality within an Agile organization.