Coaching Developers Not Directing Them
True self managing teams emerge when developers are coached to find solutions themselves. This builds capability and ownership. Learn how to foster this.
Many organizations still treat development teams like feature factories. They expect a manager or a 'lead' to tell developers what to do and how to do it. This approach is outdated and counterproductive in Scrum. The Scrum Guide states that the Developers are self managing. This means they decide how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments. An Agile coach's role is not to direct this process but to coach it. This distinction is critical for building truly effective, empowered teams.
The Problem with Directing
Directing developers creates dependency. It stifles initiative and problem solving. If a manager always provides the answers, developers stop looking for them themselves. They become order takers. This leads to several issues:
- Reduced ownership of outcomes.
- Slower decision making, waiting for approval.
- Lack of innovation, sticking to known paths.
- Lower team morale and engagement.
- Failure to build a resilient, self improving team.
When problems arise, directed teams look upwards for solutions. Self managing teams look inwards first, then outwards. They leverage their collective intelligence.
The Power of Coaching Questions
Instead of giving solutions, ask questions. This shifts the responsibility for problem solving to the team. Good coaching questions are open ended and encourage reflection. They help developers explore options, consider consequences, and commit to actions. For example, instead of saying, 'You should use microservices for this,' ask, 'What are the architectural options you have considered here, and what are the trade offs of each?'
This approach respects the Developers as professionals. They are the experts in how the work gets done. Your role as a coach is to help them tap into that expertise more effectively. It is about facilitating their thinking process, not doing the thinking for them.
Fostering Self Management and Accountability
The Scrum Guide emphasizes that Developers are accountable for creating a usable Increment each Sprint. They are also accountable for creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog. This accountability cannot thrive if they are constantly being directed. Coaching helps them embrace this accountability by empowering them to make decisions and learn from the results.
When a team faces a technical challenge, a coach might ask:
- What have you tried so far?
- What resources do you have available?
- Who else on the team might have experience with this?
- What are the potential risks if you proceed with this approach?
- How will you know if your solution is successful?
These questions guide the team through a problem solving process. They reinforce the idea that the team owns the problem and the solution.
Creating a Safe Environment for Learning
Coaching requires a safe environment where developers feel comfortable trying new things and admitting when they are stuck. If teams fear punishment for mistakes, they will revert to waiting for directions. A coach helps build this psychological safety by emphasizing learning over blame. Retrospectives are a key event for this. Encourage open discussion about what went well, what did not, and how to improve. Frame failures as learning opportunities.
Your primary goal is to help the team become more autonomous and effective. This means stepping back and letting them lead. Provide support and guidance, but allow them to own their decisions and their growth.
The Long Term Impact
Coaching developers instead of directing them is an investment. It takes more patience initially than simply providing answers. However, the long term benefits are substantial. You build teams that are resilient, innovative, and highly engaged. They can adapt to change, solve complex problems independently, and continuously improve their processes and products. This is the essence of agility and the promise of Scrum.