Agile + DevOps West 2020 Concurrent Session : Everything I Learned about Agile Coaching I Learned in Little League

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Thursday, June 11, 2020 - 11:30am to 12:30pm

Everything I Learned about Agile Coaching I Learned in Little League

What does teaching a 7-year-old how to hit a baseball have to do with agile coaching? After coaching Little League for eight years, and agile teams for ten years, Steven Granese thought he was an expert at both. Last year, while attending a New York Yankees coaching clinic, he quickly realized that he had much to learn. Rather than focusing on isolated mechanics, the Yankees believe in coaching toward achieving measurable outcomes. Their approach allows players to learn the “how” at their own pace through self-discovery and experimentation, which allows for deeper learning and longer-lasting results. The Yankees philosophy can be applied to coaching agile teams, too. For example, rather than coaching Scrum teams to only improve their practices, Steven now helps teams to achieve business outcomes. Focusing on outcomes frees teams to experiment with the practices that will help them deliver the results they want, something Steven feels made him a better agile coach. He had less friction with his teams, and they achieved their desired results more quickly. Steven will describe the outcome-driven approach taught by the Yankees, which includes techniques like inquiry, imagery, extremes, and engagement. Learn how to apply these concepts to make your agile teams more effective, and maybe even volunteer to hit virtual baseballs off a “tee" and learn to pitch!

Steven Granese
AgileThought

Steven Granese has been building innovative teams and solutions for his entire nineteen-year career in the technology industry. His expertise lies in transforming organizations to deliver their desired business outcomes by adopting an agile way of working. He holds multiple agile certifications (CSM, CSP, PMI-ACP) and is an avid speaker for companies, conferences, and user groups. Steven currently serves as the director of agile consulting at AgileThought, where he leads a team of the top agile coaches in the Tampa Bay area. He holds master's degrees from Carnegie Mellon University and Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University.