It is never about you.

The best part of being part of the agile reformation is the community of supportive professionals who inspire each other.  I can rely on the experience and wisdom of thousands of people on a similar journey attempting to make work saner, sustainable, and satisfying.  I am training at Chicago State University to improve my credentials as a certified agile coach.  It is an excellent experience with people from all over the globe.  Someone from the Philippines has the same challenges I do when leading change.  It is always nice to know that we face similar struggles and challenges. This week, I learned a rather important lesson, which often gets lost as we become more experienced in agile.

One of the critical foundations of agile is the notion of servant leadership.  The best leaders often are those who see themselves as servants helping the people; they lead rather than viewing the people under their authority as people who serve them.  As you gain experience and credibility within the profession, it is easy to let the certifications, recognition, and respect go to your head.  We are scrum masters, and people look to us for advice and guidance.  It is intoxicating.

The reality is that being an agile coach or scrum master is about service to others.  It is not about us and our journey.  We should remember that success in this profession is when others take our lessons and apply them to their challenges.  If we do our jobs properly, our wisdom will help build success for others.  We should celebrate the achievements of others and the growth of people under our charge.  Unlike other areas of business, being a coach or scrum master means taking the focus away from yourself and directing it at the teams you are working. 

It is nice to learn from others.  The most important lesson is discovering that to be a servant leader, you must remind yourself it is not about you but the people you lead.  It is a lesson worth repeating.  

Until next time.