Action & influence, Inc. announced today that they are hosting more Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Certified Product Owner (CSPO) courses in Atlanta due to increasing demand. As the only company in Georgia to have a local Certified Scrum Trainer, Peter Saddington, they want to bring even more value to the Agile community and local Atlanta companies who want to leverage Agile or Scrum to bring quicker development value to their software and services. Having a local CST gives Georgia companies a great advantage, as their employees can attend local courses without incurring the costs associated with travel. Peter Saddington is one of the 140 Certified Scrum Trainers in the world and about half of them reside in the United States. Peter Saddington is the first CST to reside in the state of Georgia. Saddington says, “Our local clients who are looking towards Agile and Scrum have greatly enjoyed having a local trainer who can service their needs without flying in another trainer from out of state. Most of our clients in Atlanta have private courses for their entire development teams and organization.”

You can quickly find local Atlanta Certified ScrumMaster classes, http://atlantascrummaster2013.eventbrite.com/and sign up as an individual, team, or company.

According to one of Action & Influence’s students, Mike Rucker, who recently took a Certified ScrumMaster course in Atlanta said, “I was very pleased to find a local group that offered such a wide choice in class days and times. It was very easy to find a class that fit within an already busy schedule.”

Other testimonials of Action & Influence, Inc. classes:

“Peter’s mastery of the subject matter coupled with his excellent presentation and communication skills made for an outstanding learning experience.” – Jim Olwine from Atlanta

“Peter REALLY did change my life. He provided such great instruction on Scrum and the duties of a ScrumMaster. He gave lots of clarity on my career direction. Great job!” – Aletha Hill from Atlanta

“VERY INSPIRING. [Peter Saddington] is one of the best instructors I have ever seen in my life.” – Parveen Yadav from Atlanta

“I can honestly say that the ScrumMaster class has changed my view on software development, and breathed welcome fresh air into some tired sails. I am genuinely looking forward to the second half of my career now, with hopes to embody in my work all that Peter laid out in the class and the skill set of a true servant leader in the technical world.” – Mike Rucker from Atlanta

[HT: PRWeb]

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[If you're already an Agile Coach... see our tips section below]

• 5 Tips for engaging workshops
• 5 Tips for building better client relationships
•  5 Tips in communication in a workshop
• 5 Tips for multiple coaches at a client
• 6 Tips for agile coaching mentors
• 7 Tips for Agile coaching client engagement

===

SPEECH

Fewer things are more powerful in the arsenal of coaching than our words and how we use them. Words can not only empower and enhance our leadership, but they can also discount our profile and devastate those in charge. Words are the essence of our trade. The wise coach does well to recognize that fact.

There are two key considerations about words that we use and the things we say.

1. Words make impressions - The words that leave our mouths move through the ears of those around us and lodge themselves permanently in the minds AND hearts of those who hear. Data will be used to draw impressions regarding the kind of person we are. Once our words have logged the data and made the impression, it is beyond difficult to erase the impact. All it takes is ONE misspent word, response, or statement to cast a permanent shadow in regard to our character.
2. Words grant permission  – We unintentionally grant people permission to adopt our use of words and speech patterns with the way we speak. Human nature dictates that people need little encouragement to speak out of the wrong side of their mouths. But when we as coaches and leaders do it, there is a tendency for people to feel free to follow suit. Coaches who exhibit empathetic and caring-controlled patterns of speech that are loving yet firmly truthful, healing, helpful, and encouraging; will find that before long that will begin to rub off on others. Remember, only a few weeds can ruin a beautiful garden!

Types of Speech that erode Character

I found it fascinating as I was thinking and researching about this… that I came up with a list of issues that I not only found troubling… but issues that I, myself, have encountered among consultants, coaches, employees alike. It’s troubling to know that we live in such a negative work environment. That, my friends, needs to change!

• Gossip – The sharing of information about someone or something with another person who is not part of the solution. It may be true or untrue. The fact that it may be true does not provide sufficient rationale for sharing it. Telling everyone everything we know, simply because it is true, is not wholesome leadership … especially if it casts a dark cloud across or upon someone else. Gossip plants impressions that are often unjust. Gossip almost always does damage that is non-“ overcome-able.”

• Slander – The sharing of negative information with the intent to hurt or do damage. Slander is usually born out of some wrong that has been done either to ourselves or to another that we know. It is a means of revenge, a way to even or settle a score. It reflects that our hearts have not yet learned to forgive.

• Lying – It is our occupation to be truth-tellers. To represent the truth is of the highest calling! A lying tongue betrays some fundamental heart issues that need to be considered. It reflects that at the core of our being, we are more concerned about the advancement, protection, and maintenance of ourselves than we are about the primacy of reality and truth. Lying reveals that there are issues in our lives that we are trying to mask or hide. Lying may simply reveal that we have become over-committed and are unable to fulfill our commitments, which tempts us to manufacture excuses to cover the reality of our over-commitment.

• Deceit – A close relative to lying, deceit seeks to gain some advantage by masking part of the truth, twisting the details, or manipulating the communication to effect a less-than-true communication of the facts. Deceit reveals the same core realities as lying, except that it is not as blatant in its presentation. It’s more elusive than lying, but equally as devastating.

• Beguilement  – We are beguiled when we draw a wrong conclusion from the facts presented. Our tongues beguile others when we share those false conclusions even though we believe that our conclusions are correct. Beguilement has a devastating impact on others. It probably tracks false information more quickly because it is so perceptually innocent.

• Complaining/Grumbling – There probably are fewer groups of people more prone to murmuring and complaining than coaches. Why? We are often unappreciated, under-loved, unheeded, and OVER-paid. Why should we complain? Seriously???

• Criticism – This devastating item emanates from the all-too-prevalent pressure from our obsession with significance to tear others down. It often reflects a self-righteous heart that has ceased to be internally honest with its own failures. It’s not that we should not be discerning and careful to observe what is right and wrong. But it does mean that we process that observation in a way that is honest and truthful.

• Boasting – At the base of a boasting tongue is a heart that has forgotten how blessed we are to truly do what we do. We simply cannot help others and ourselves at the same time.  A boasting tongue, no matter how subtle, sets up an environment where the glory is focused on us. Boasting tempts others to compete with our “can you top this?” attitude and will often create resentment toward our self-adulation.

• Exaggeration – Stretching the details and expanding the set of numbers to give the story or reality a spin that makes it more compelling, this is exaggeration. It reflects a lack of trust that even our average abilities can actually help others and transform lives. If people come to believe that we exaggerate there is something that happens to our trustworthiness and our respectability.

 A somewhat depressing list, if I do say so myself. But it comes from the heart. We live in a world where deceit and dishonesty for personal gain are all the norm. I don’t have cable. I don’t even have a Playstation or DVD player for movies. Our media has saturated our brains (and potentially my two kids brains) with nonsense. Could I go too far that all these negative inputs to our brains doesn’t play over into our work-lives?

I want to raise the bar for REAL COACHING in this world. I’m down. Who’s with me?

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[If you're already an Agile Coach... see our tips section below]

• 5 Tips for engaging workshops
• 5 Tips for building better client relationships
•  5 Tips in communication in a workshop
• 5 Tips for multiple coaches at a client
• 6 Tips for agile coaching mentors
• 7 Tips for Agile coaching client engagement

===

In a lot of ways I see any type of ‘coaching’ a calling. Seriously. “Coaches” seem to be popping up all of the place these days… coaches in anything. I get it. There’s a market for it, but again, I believe is a calling. Something you’re compelled to do out of a deep desire for helping others. Nothing else.

I’m not talking about helping businesses necessarily… but helping people in LIFE. My opinion is this: A coach, helps people in life. It just may happen that you’re a coach for (fill in the blank) at a company or organization. That’s cool. But a coach helps people. Period.

 Characteristics of the Call

1. It is personal.
2. It is pressing. Do it now!
3. It is particular. It’s very specific.
4. It promises resources… your personal resources, time, emotion to be poured into others.

 11 Important Aspects of a Coach as a Person

1. Servant leader character.
2. Contagious love for helping others succeed (before yourself).
3. Genuine love for people. 
4. Good, friendly personality.
5. Good physical health.
6. Good personal emotional maturity.
7. Careful attention to emotional needs of others.
8. Lifestyle commensurate with a community of leadership.
9. Dependability.
10. Ability to protect confidences.
11. Public relations consciousness.

The Coach and Personal Integrity (Character)

1. Must be a person of character before you can serve as a person of character.
2. Moral integrity – the highest.
3. Intellectual honesty – committed to others.
4. Giving fervor – highest desire is to help others succeed.

Fewer things are more challenged and more neglected in our modern society than the importance of integrity (character). “Performing,” “succeeding,” and “doing” all hold higher postures than “being” and “becoming.” In today’s culture, character simply does not rise to a high level of importance. “Character doesn’t matter so long as the work is done well” is the cry of many in modern culture. This is especially true in the political arena.

The truth is, however, character does matter. Who we are and what we do in private will ultimately affect what we do in public. All that we are and do as leaders ultimately is revealed in our personal authenticity. Character is about what AND who we are at the core of our being.

Character still counts! In a society that minimizes values, the value of character escalates in terms of coaching and mentoring. It is character that will be transferred to others and be used to transform lives. CHARACTER IS THE CRITICAL MASS OF COACHING!!!

The world is expecting less and less of us as leaders in regard to personhood. We who are called to coaching leadership, however, need to expect more of ourselves and hold ourselves accountable to higher standards rather than societal opinions.

In the coaching character is more than a generic philosophical concept. It is a way of life.

Am out out of my mind here? Gone too far? What say you?

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Peter Saddington‘s 2nd book published by Wiley, “The Agile Pocket Guide – A quick Start to Making Your Business Agile Using Scrum and Beyond” is out!

To celebrate, we’re giving some away!

To enter, simply

1 – Tweet this post

2 – Comment on this post!

#win

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[I was recently asked what my journey to become a CST was like. So like an Agile blogger, I told them to wait for it to post on AgileScout.com ]

The path to becoming a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) is one of the most arduous yet rewarding experiences I have ever gone through (and I spent 7 years in Master’s programs!). It has not only stretched me, but brought about a greater understanding of “mastery” of a craft, that, no matter how good you ‘think’ you become at something, you can always improve, become better, learn more, and grow as a person.

The day you stop learning is day you become ineffective in your work.

My CST Journey

I began my journey to becoming a Certified Scrum Trainer back in early 2009 when I began my investigation into the process and started collaborating with other CST’s about co-training opportunities. This was a time when the CST application process was evolving (and still is) and the requirements and application process wasn’t fully fleshed out. I, at the time, had been in my 8th year as an independent Enterprise Agile Coach and felt like the CST was the right way to go. I had completed my Certified ScrumMaster designation and my Certified Scrum Professional designation previously.

In early 2009 I had my first co-training opportunity with a fellow Agile coach. They went very well. I was stoked. I was excited. I had gotten a great review and was given priceless advice on how to become better. I felt like the CST was fast becoming a reality. I flew out to meet my 2nd co-trainer and we trained together. Another great workshop. I felt great… Then:

• Client work picked up.
• Timing just wasn’t working out.
• Work-life balance just wasn’t what it used to be.

A full year later, I still had yet to co-train with other coaches and trainers. My client list was full, my schedule was so tight that it became apparent to me that I may not be able to finish this race due to scheduling conflicts and overall timing not to mention funding from the CFO of my house (wife). I was burnt out, tired, and a bit frustrated.

It was all about the timing. It just didn’t seem to work. So what did I do? I made the tough choice to lighten my client load (OUCH! SCARY!) so I could open up opportunities to co-train. I made the time available, I reached out to friends and fellow Agile coaches for time slots, and I invited Agile coaches to come train with me at my client sites. I patiently prayed that the opportunities would come… and they did.

After a full 3.5 years I completed it… The road to becoming an official CST was complete… but the journey forward has just begun. YES!

[Peter Saddington Training on ScrumMaster Roles]

On Co-Training

Co-training with other Agile coaches is simply the best way to grow your craft as a coach. I have not only learned more about the small nuances of training people, but have met some of the most passionate Agile enthusiasts out there. My experiences have taught me one thing: We need co-training to be more available and accessible. We need to value co-training as something that only elevates and helps all involved: trainer, co-trainer, and client.

2010-2012 was a solid couple years of co-training for me. I not only co-trained for my CST designation, but I also co-trained with other Agile coaches just for learning. In 100% of my engagements with a co-trainer (with my clients) I have received feedback from all of them that the co-training helped the client participants learn better. What’s my point?

Take opportunities to co-train. Ask other experienced coaches if you can co-train with them.

As my father always said:

“Asking is always free.”

What have you got to lose?

[Peter Saddington loves big visible charts]

On the CST Process

The CST process is not perfect, neither will it ever be. Mike Vizdos talked about this almost 4 years ago, and it still holds true today:

“The process is not perfect. It will change. It must evolve. We must be agile. We must inspect and we must adapt…The process will never be able to predict with 100% certainty who will be a great trainer and who will be a mediocre trainer…And the process will never elevate CST into anything more than a designation, symbolizing strong Scrum knowledge and a talent for training. Being a CST should almost be a calling for a few people. It should be reserved for those who are gifted at teaching and who want to impart what they have learned about Scrum to those who need to know how to get started.” – Mike Vizdos on his CST Candidacy

[Peter Saddington teaching a CSM class]

The CST process is HARD. Period. You have to personally take into account your “calling” to do it. I seriously felt called to do this.  But being that it is a worthy goal, and also a “calling” of sorts, you have to take into account the (current) requirements (implicit and explicit) for this:

1. Have proven Agile experience… what does this mean? – That you have a proven record of working in Agile environments over time and succeeding.
2. Have a proven level of engagement with the Agile/Scrum community – Speak, get involved, jump in!
3. Co-train with N+ current CST‘s – To get their sponsorship and endorsement. *SOME PEOPLE MAY DISAGREE WITH THIS… that is ok! – [I had 10+ endorsements and co-training]
4. Fly out to co-train with them 1 or 2 or even 3 times on your dime and dollar (account for hotel, flight, car rental, food, etc.). – [Again, this is my experience here]
5. TIMING!!! – The timing is the hardest. If you’ve been an independent Agile Coach for as long as I have, you have to keep selling, keep mining for client work, and keep moving. Aligning time for you to co-train with another (just as busy or busier) trainer can be a nightmare.
6. Overall time – Yes. You should expect this to be a 18 month or longer process. Unless you’re a skilled warlock in the art of bending time to your will. – [My experience was 3.5 years]
7. Patience and dedication – This is a long hard road, no joke. You will get tired. You will be discouraged. You will be inclined to frustration at times. But keep pressing on. The light at the end of the tunnel is not the train coming at you, it’s a goal worth working for.

My Path Forward

Train With Me

I’m giving any Agile Coach, ScrumMaster, Project Manager, Development Manager, Programmer, or anyone interested in coaching and training companies to excellence, an opportunity to co-train with me.

My desire is to increase the knowledge and level of expertise within the software development community through mentoring and co-training fellow practitioners.

Why? Because you’re helping me become a better Trainer, Coach, and Mentor. As I learn from you I’ll become more effective in what I do. Oh yes, and hopefully you will learn a thing or two as well

Seriously? Yup. Words cannot describe how much fun it was co-training over 3.5 years with many different people. The learnings and experiences were absolutely priceless.

So, can anyone co-train with you? Yes… but first, we’ll have a conversation, then preferably meet up at some conference or local meetup and get acquainted in all the usual ways. We’ll start there. I have no other formula around how this will work, but I’d love to get to know you and start with a conversation.

Reading Recommendations:

 +  

• Drive – Daniel Pink’s book helped me better understand, at a deeper level, why we Agile Coaches do what we do: To help people attain Mastery, Autonomy, and Flow/Purpose. I talk a lot about these things by the way – [Just a great read anyways]
• Training from the BACK of the Room! - Sharon Bowman’s book completely changed my world of how I do training and workshops. No more death by powerpoint. Her book is top-shelf-grade reading material. It is how I plan and execute my workshops and training. My expectations are that you would understand her 4-point model.

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AgileScout.com is happy to announce that we’ve grown +1.

Faisal Mahmood is the author of the book Agile Adoption Mistakes You Must Avoid and several articles on Agile and Scrum. Faisal is a Certified Professional Scrum Trainer based in London, UK. Faisal trains, mentors and coaches individuals, teams and organizations during their Agile and Scrum adoption journey in London and around the world.

Faisal started using Scrum in 2005, while working for F-Secure Corporation. Since 2007, he has been helping various companies in their transition to Scrum and Agile in Finland and the UK including Telefonica O2 UK, British Gas, Elisa and Itella Information.

We’re excited to have Faisal join us! We’re looking forward to his expertise and experience!

• LinkedIn Profile
• Twitter @agilehow
• Personal Website

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[[[Go here to listen]]] to us pontificate and bloviate about Agile

Craig chats with Peter Saddington (an Agile Coach and Consultant who is probably best known as the face behind Agile Scout) at Agile 2012 in Dallas, Texas about Agile in the US Military, the top lists on Agile Scout, his newly rewritten book “The Scrum Pocket Guide” and the state of Agile (or “Raccoon”!)

Peter is also the Co-Founder of Action & Influence and his upcoming book “The Agile Pocket Guide” will be released via Wiley in late 2012. His talk at Agile 2012 was entitled “Scaling Product Ownership at the US Air Force“. Look out for a longer video interview coming soon on InfoQ.

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Wouldn’t you want to be Agile-trained by someone like this… ?

Yep. I sure would.

So, continuing on from my previous post on Agile Fitness for Coaches and Consultants which offended some people… :) I find it necessary to help people move forward in their quest to be the healthiest Agile Coach of all time. Here are a couple workouts that I’ve built and used to help train others.

Introduction

• This is a combination of strength training with overall body training.
• This has been a compilation of several workouts and can be retrofitted with your particular style.
• This is NOT a be-all end-all but merely a guide for your own personal fitness goals.
• Be safe and always work out with a partner to get the gain
• YOU WILL FIND 3 SECTIONS: Strength Training, Sport Training, and Workouts for Women (which I built out in a text format) – **Note for women: Please don’t worry about “lifting weights will make me into a hulk.” It doesn’t work that way. You don’t have enough testosterone to bulk up. Google it. Women should lift weights!
• PLEASE SEE Peter’s 5 RULES for Healthy Living - For Coaches, Trainers, and Consultants

Note: Use this in conjunction with the Men’s Health Fitness Guide Below:

[DOWNLOAD PDF] - Total_Body_Plan_Saddington

STRENGTH TRAINING

SPORT TRAINING

WORKOUTS for WOMEN

10 GREAT BUTT EXERCISES! – Yes. I did help with this…

a. Walking Lunge

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Step forward with a large step. Bend both your knees. Your front shin should remain in a straight line with your ankle. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. As you are pushing up and at the top of your lunge, lunge forward with the other
leg repeating the same movement. Continue with this sequence, alternating from one leg to the other until
you have finished the required amount of reps.

b. Squat

Stand with your legs wide apart – (wider than shoulder width apart). Have your toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Holding one end of a dumbbell with both hands, the other end of the dumbbell should be facing the floor, have your arms directly in front of you. Make sure
your back is straight and don’t lean too far forward. (Keep the weights light to start with) Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels. Now push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs. Make sure you don’t lift your toes up off the floor.

c. Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Beginners start with a very light or no weight until you can perform this exercise with correct form.

Stand with your feet only slightly apart. With a dumbbell in each hand at arms length, bend over from your hips so that your dumbbells are in front of your ankles, beginners – have your dumbbells at your shins.

Your palms should now be facing your lower legs. Keep your body stable with your chest out, midsection firm, knees slightly bent for beginners and legs straight for advanced.

Squeezing your butt and hamstrings raise your body back up to standing position, while also keeping your chest out, midsection firm and shoulders back. Keep the dumbbells at arms length so when returning to starting position the dumbbells should be in front of your thighs.

d. Reverse Lunges

Reverse lunges can be performed with barbells or dumbbells but I would recommend you not using any of these until you are well practised at performing this exercise with no weights at all. Don’t worry, you will still feel it working.

Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm, do not arch your back. Place your hands on your hips or by your sides. Here’s where it changes……….

Step backward with your left leg. Bend both your knees. Your right shin should remain in a straight line with your ankle. Your left knee should be nearly touching the floor. Now with your left foot push up carefully until you are back to starting position. Then swap legs and perform the exericise again stepping back with your right leg. Take your time and keep yourself sturdy.

e. Machine Leg Press

Beginners keep your weights very light to none at all. Sit in the Leg Press machine. Place your feet high on the plate and wider than shoulder width apart. Have your toes
pointing slightly outwards. Keep your chest out, back pushed into the back pad and your midsection firm.

There should be a lever either side of your seat which you will need to unlatch to lower the plate down. Keeping your feet stable lower the plate down towards you controlling it slowly down, depending on your flexibility, until you feel
the pull in the back of your thigh.

If your heels lift off the plate when lowering the plate down then your feet are positioned dangerously too low on the plate. Push, don’t bounce, the plate back up to starting position.

f. Butt Tightener – Exercise Ball

Lie face down on the exercise ball with your abs and hips resting on the top of the ball.

With your arms reaching out directly in front of you, hold onto a machine frame or a nearby bench with both hands to keep you sturdy.

Now with your legs and feet together raise them off the floor while also squeezing your butt holding, if you can, for a count of 2. Your legs shouldn’t raise any higher than your hips and abs.

Lower your legs back to starting position.

g. Step Ups off a Bench or Step

Standing in front of your step or bench, start with your right foot first stepping up onto the step or bench, bringing your left foot up behind you, making sure your feet are securely on the bench at the top of the movement.

Now lower your right foot down again, followed by your left foot. Now swap feet starting with your left foot up first, followed by your right foot.

h. Smith Machine Squat

Position yourself in the Smith machine, resting the bar across your traps and upper shoulders.

Place your feet about 8-12 inches in front of your body, just wider than shoulder width apart. Have your toes pointing slightly outwards.

Now lower yourself downwards keeping your midsection firm, inhaling on the way down, keeping your feet and heels pushed into the floor. When your thighs are approximately parallel to the floor squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to push yourself back up again. Exhale on the way up.

Do not bounce the squat when pushing yourself back up. Keep the movement controlled throughout the exercise.

NOTE: To emphasize your glutes in the exercise keep the weights lighter and squat slightly lower than the 90 degree angle.

i. Cable Hip Extension

Place the ankle cuff around your right ankle on the low pulley on the cable crossovers (or the cable machine).

Facing the weight stack and holding onto the bar provided (you will need something stable to hang onto directly in front of you to keep you sturdy) lean forwards slightly, turning your right foot outwards slightly. Now push your foot up and back behind you, squeezing your butt. Have your left knee (your supporting leg) slightly bent so it can support your weight sufficiently.

Now lower your leg down to starting position. Complete your reps and then swap legs.

j. Glute Extension

This looks totally weird but works.

Lie flat on a bench with your legs bent and hanging off the edge. (Your abs and hips should be resting on the end of the bench). Adjust the bench so that your bent knees can
touch the floor. If not they can hang there.

You have two options for this exercise:
You can use ankle weights with the soles of your feet pointing upwards or you can hold a dumbbell between the soles of your feet with the soles of your feet pointing upwards.

Hold onto the bench with your arms. Now with your knees pointing downwards but slightly outwards and your heels facing the ceiling push your feet upwards squeezing your butt. Do not raise your thighs higher than your hips and abs.

If you have lower back problems this exercise can also be performed on the floor. Make sure you use an exercise mat. Beginners should not use any weights until they have got used to performing this exercise.

BEGINNERS – No weights

Choose 3 of the following exercises performing 2-3 sets of 12 – 15 reps for each exercise.

Machine Leg Press
Butt Tightener – Exercise Ball
Plie Squat
Bench Step Ups
Glute Extensions

INTERMEDIATE – Light to Medium weights

Choose 4 of the following exercises performing 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise.

Walking Lunge
Plie` Squat
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
Reverse Lunges
Machine Leg Press
Butt Tightener – Exercise Ball
Step Ups off a Bench or Step
Smith Machine Squat
Cable Hip Extension
Glute Extension

ADVANCED – Medium to Medium / Heavy

Choose 4 of the following exercises performing 4 sets of 10 reps for each exercise.

Walking Lunge
Plie` Squat
Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
Reverse Lunges
Machine Leg Press
Butt Tightener – Exercise Ball
Step Ups off a Bench or Step
Smith Machine Squat
Cable Hip Extension
Glute Extension

ABS – COOL ROUTINES FOR YOUR MIDSECTION!

FEW RULES AND TIPS ABOUT THE FOLLOWING…..
a. As per the rest of your muscles, for bigger ab muscles you increase the resistance and lessen the reps. You can do this by holding for a count of up to 5 when contracting your abs muscles.

If you’ve achieved a fairly strong ab region and but want to reduce your waistline, yet keep it trim, then increase the reps and decrease the resistance to say a count of 1 when contracting your abs.

Example:

BIG MUSCLES = 5 sets of 10 reps holding for a count
of 6 on contraction

SMALLER MUSCLES = 5 sets of 20 reps holding for a
count of 1 on contraction.

b. Quality reps are best. If you’re swinging your legs, arms and head around performing 100′s of reps you are wasting precious training time.

c. If you’re a beginner don’t go performing the advanced exercises because you will more than likely cause yourself an injury. They are for advanced training folk only.

d. If you have lower back problems then make sure you use some kind of support for your lower back. You can fold up a towel and place it where your back arches up when lying on your back.

The further your legs are bent towards you the less stress on your lower back. So if you find your ab exercises are causing lower back strain keep your legs bent and knees closer to your upper body.

BEGINNERS ROUTINE

Abdominal Crunches

Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs bent, feet flat. Clasp your hands behind your neck, keeping your elbows back, in-line with your head. Crunch up slightly, raising your head and shoulders, breathing out as your upper body raises. Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor and repeat.

Reverse Crunches

Lie flat on your back, legs raised and bent, with your lower legs folded. Place your arms down by your sides with your hands facing downwards. Now raise your pelvis off the floor while also squeezing your lower pelvis, breathing out as you do this. Lower your pelvis down again and repeat the exercise.

Extended Leg Crunch to the sides

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Have your hands raised above your chest and your legs extended directly upwards, with the soles of your feet facing the ceiling and keeping your knees slightly bent. Crunch up with your hands reaching towards your right knee raising your head and shoulders off the floor. Squeeze your abdominal muscles then lower yourself down to the floor, keeping your legs in the same position. Crunch up again reaching for the left knee and lowering your upper body down again.

INTERMEDIATE ROUTINE

Legs Raised Crunch

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Have your hands clasped lightly behind your neck and your legs extended directly upwards with the soles of your feet facing the ceiling and keeping your knees slightly bent.

Crunch up with your hands reaching towards your toes raising your head and shoulders off the floor. Squeeze your abdominal muscles then lower yourself down to the floor, keeping your legs in the same position.

Incline Bench Reverse Crunch

Lying flat on your back on an Incline Bench with your head at the higher end of the bench and your legs toward the lower end. Place your hands up behind your head holding onto the pad or bars. Do not use your arms to pull yourself up. Concentrate on using your abs to squeeze your pelvis up.

Have your legs bent and slightly extended. Curl your knees up towards your chest, lifting your lower back off the bench. Squeeze at the top of the movement then lower down slowly to starting position.

Side Leg Raises

Lie on your right side with your body in a straight line. Have your knees slightly bent and your right arm stretched outwards with your palm facing the floor for support. Have
your left arm bent with your left hand at your temple at the left side of your head.

Now raise your left leg up while also slightly raising your head and shoulders until you feel the crunch at the side of your waistline. Squeeze, then lower your upper body and your leg down until it nearly touches your right leg (about 3 inches apart), then repeat. Complete your reps then
change sides.

ADVANCED ROUTINE

Knee Thrust Backs

Lying flat on your back on the floor. Have your hands down by your sides with your palms facing the floor. Depending on how advanced your abdominal training is you can have your legs fully extended, with your legs virtually touching the floor, otherwise you may like to bend your knees to lessen the strain on your lower back.

Raise your legs thrusting them up off the floor, until your knees virtually reach your chest. Raise your head and shoulders slightly squeezing your abs. Lower your pelvis and legs down to starting position. Keep this movement continuously until you have completed your set. To increase the intensity try not to touch the floor with your feet in between reps. Correct form is very important with this exercise.

Lying Leg Thrusts – OUCH!

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Depending on how advanced your abdominal training is you can either have your legs fully extended and flat on the floor, or bent. Have your head and shoulders raised off the floor, with your hands underneath your butt. (Where your butt joins the back of your thigh) This is to help prevent your back from arching when lowering your legs.

Raise your legs thrusting them up off the floor, your lower back should also raise up off the floor. Squeeze your abs then lower your pelvis and legs down to starting position. Correct form is also very important with this exercise.

Side Leg Raises

Lie on your right side with your body in a straight line with your knees slightly bent. Have your left arm bent and left hand supporting the back of your neck, keeping your elbow facing upwards. Your right arm should be in front of you with your right hand resting on your hip or on the floor. Raise both your legs and your upper body upwards until you feel the crunch. Squeeze then lower back down to starting position. Complete required amount of reps then switch sides.

Full Body Workout! Burn Fat and Increase Muscle

This circuit workout includes cardio intervals along with weight training.

If you feel any pain, feel ill or dizzy during this workout stop and seek your doctors advise. You should always receive a check up from your doctor before starting any exercise or eating plan.

WARM UP 10 MINS:
Starting at a moderate pace then increasing slightly – you should not be huffing and puffing (or out of breath) at any stage of the cardio intervals. If you are then either slow right down or take a break.

“STARTING A-FRESH” WORKOUT:

a. Squats
Either with barbells or with your arms folded across your chest.

b. Leg Curls

c. Machine or Barbell Bench Press

d. Dumbbell Bicep Curls

e. Cardio – moderate to 75% intensity for 10 mins

f. Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

g. Standing Calf Raise on Step or Calf Raise Machine

h. Tricep Dips or Cable Tricep Pressdowns

i. Cardio – moderate to 75% intensity for 10 mins

j. Barbell Upright Rows

k. Abdominal Crunches

COOLDOWN: 10 mins – take it easy

Then perform your stretches

HOW TO PERFORM THIS WORKOUT

Start off with your warmup. Perform one set of each exercise using 12 repetitions. Except for your calves and your abs for which you should perform 15 reps.

Perform this program for up to 8 weeks depending on your fitness level. You can then add another set onto each exercise, increasing the weights slightly. Eg… Squats: 2 x sets of 12 reps. At this point you can also add an incline to your cardio or up the intensity slightly.

EXERCISES FOR YOUR WORKOUT:

a. Squats

Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart. Have your hands either out in front or folded in front of your chest. Have your toes pointed slightly outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Now squat as if you were going to sit down, leaning into your heels, until your backside is inline or parallel to the floor. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Do not lock your knees out when returning to standing position. Keep your knees soft and the movement flowing continuing with the second squat, then third etc until you have completed the set.

b. Leg Curls

Lie face down on the bench or leg curl machine with the pads resting on the back of your ankles. Hold onto the handles or onto the bench or framework to keep you stable. Have your knees slightly hanging over the edge of the bench. Do not strain your neck up keep your head forward and do not arch your back up. Curl your legs up
so that the pads are virtually touching your backside. Squeeze your backside muscles then slowly lower your legs down to starting position. Repeat the exercise until you have completed your set.

c. Machine or Barbell Bench Press

Barbell Bench Press

This exercise is fantastic for stimulating muscle growth in your chest region. You will need a flat bench for this exercise. Lie flat on your back. Make sure your lower back is pressed firmly into the bench. If your feet don’t touch
the floor, you can bend your legs and place your feet at the end of the bench. Using a wide grip on your barbell, have your palms facing up and your grip just past shoulder width. Push the barbell directly above your chest. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH. Lower the barbell down slowly until
it only slightly touches your chest at nipple line. (Your elbows should be pointing out to the sides.) Push the barbell back up to starting position, make sure you don’t bounce the barbell at the top of the movement. Repeat exercise until you have completed your set.

Machine Bench Press

Great exercise for beginners wanting to gain experience in performing the bench press. Lie flat on your back on a bench directly underneath the bars of the machine. Line the bars up with the sides of your chest. Place your hands on the bars with your palms facing upwards. Keep your lower back pushed into the bench and your feet on the
end of the bench, if they don’t touch the floor. Push the bars upwards until your arms are virtually straight then lower them down again until they are nearly all the way to the bottom. Now push the bars back up again. Continue repeating the exercise until you have completed your set.

d. Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing forwards. Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders until you feel the “pulling feeling” in your biceps. Now lower the dumbbells down to starting position and repeat exercise to complete your set.

e. Cardio – moderate to 75% intensity for 10 mins
Your choice: bike, treadmill, other cardio machines etc.

f. Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

You can either use a Pulldown Machine or a pulley machine. Either way you will be seated during this exercise and using a wide grip bar.

Seated, facing the pulley machine, place a wide grip on the bar just past shoulder width. Pull the bar down behind your neck so it nearly touches the top of your shoulders. Do not lean or arch your neck too far forward. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and your head facing frontwards throughout the exercise. Slowly return the bar
back towards the pulley stopping when you feel the stretch, then repeat the exercise until you have completed the set.

g. Standing Calf Raise on Step or Calf Raise Machine

Standing Calf Raise on Step

Stand on a step, block or platform, with your feet slightly narrower than shoulder width apart, and with only the balls of your feet actually on the step. Your heels should be hanging off the end. Push up high with your heels, squeezing your calf muscles, then lower your heels down again to feel the stretch. Repeat for required amount of reps to complete the set. Throughout this exercise keep your lets straight.

Calf Raise Machine

Stand on the calf raise machine with the balls of your feet on the block or platform and your heels hanging off the edge. Standing up straight with your chest out and midsection firm placing your shoulders under the shoulder pads and your head in between them. Keeping your legs straight. Push up high with your heels squeezing your calf muscles then lower them down to feel the stretch. Continue to complete the set. Throughout this exercise keep your lets straight.

h. Tricep Dips or Cable Tricep Pressdowns

Tricep Dips

Sitting on a bench or chair, have your legs extended out in front of you. Make sure your body is stable and your chest is out, keeping your midsection firm throughout the movement. Have your hands besides your backside and
facing frontwards. Place your backside to the edge of the bench or chair, making sure the chair is secure and won’t slip out from under you. Now lift yourself off the bench or chair, your legs should now be slightly bent. Lower your body down slightly until your elbows are nearly in line with your shoulders. Push back up and lower your self down again without stopping. Do this for the required amount of reps.

Cable Tricep Pressdowns

Standing facing the cable machine, have your knees slightly bent. Lean forward slightly, not too far, keeping your midsection firm, chest out and your elbows down by your waist. Using a bar attachment on the top pulley have an overhand grip, with your thumb also over the top. Have your hands about 7-8 inches apart. Start with your elbows
at your waist and the bar level with your chest, keep your head facing frontwards. Push the bar downwards toward your thighs, keeping your elbows pivoted at your waistline, until your elbows and arms are nearly straight. Slowly return the bar back to starting position (level with chest) and repeat exercise. Keep it smooth and don’t “clunk”
the weights. Repeat for required amount of reps.

i. Cardio – moderate to 75% intensity for 10 mins Cardio activity of your choice. Jump rope, steps ups etc or your cardio machine.

j. Barbell Upright Rows

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Hold the bar in front of your thighs, with an overhand grip and your hands about 5-6 inches apart. Have your palms facing your body. Pull the bar up, keeping it close to your body, until it reaches you upper chest. Keep your elbows up (past shoulder height) and out. Lower down slowly and repeat the exercise to complete your set.

k. Abdominal Crunches

Lie flat on your back on your mat with your legs bent and feet flat. Beginners keep your lower back firm to the floor. Clasp your hands behind your neck, keeping your elbows back, in-line with your head. Crunch up slightly, raising your head and shoulders, breathing out as your upper body
raises.

As you crunch up, squeeze your abs as tight as possible. Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor and repeat. You should feel a burning sensation in your upper abs area. Keep this movement continuous until you have completed your set.

Note: Make sure your hands are only lightly clapsed behind your neck. Never, ever pull or drag your neck upwards using your hands. When crunching use your upper body (chest and shoulders). Another option is to have your hands folded across your chest.

2 x GYM CIRCUIT WORKOUTS FOR MEN AND WOMEN!

Depending on your fitness…

Stay within around 60% – 80% of your maximum heart rate. To get your maximum heart rate subtract your age from 220. Then calculate 60% of this total then 80%.
Example:
220 – 35 (age) = 185
60% x 185 = 111
80% x 185 = 148

Take your pulse for a count of 10 secondsand it should be between 18.5 (111 divided by 6) and 24.6 (148 divided by 6)

For your resistance or weights aim for between 50% – 80% of your one rep maximum.

WORKOUT A

Warm-up for 10 mins using your favorite
cardio machine or activity.

1. Walking Lunges            15 each leg
2. Wide Grip Lat Pulldown    12 reps
3. Machine Bench Press       12 reps
4. Incline Reverse Crunches 12 reps
5. Barbell Bicep Curl        12 reps
6. Jump Rope                  2 minutes
7. Cable Tricep Pressdowns   12 reps
8. Standing Calf Machine Raises   12 reps
9. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Raises 12 reps

Cool down for 10 mins using your favorite cardio machine or activity. Then perform your stretches.

WORKOUT B

Warm-up for 10 mins using your favorite cardio machine or activity.

1. Leg Press                  15 reps
2. Narrow-Grip PullUp Machine 12 reps
3. Dumbbell Bench Flyes       12 reps
4. Abdominal Crunches         12 reps
5. Dumbbell Hammer Curl       12 reps
6. Bike or Treadmill        2 minutes
7. Machine Tricep Dips        12 reps
8. Step Ups on Bench          20 reps
9. Barbell Upright Rows       12 reps

Cool down for 10 mins using your favorite cardio machine or activity. Then perform your stretches.

(see guide below…)

Beginners:
Perform your circuit once, taking your time to ensure you’ve completed your exercises with correct technique. Keep your weights light through to no resistance at all.

Once you’ve got used to the circuit you can repeat it, making sure you take a short rest of up to 1 minute, or more if you need to, before performing the circuit again.

Intermediate:
Repeat up to 3 times total! Rest for 45 – 60 seconds then repeat circuit. Kept strict form.

Advanced:
Repeat up to 4 times. Rest for 45 – 60 seconds then repeat circuit. Kept strict form.

Note: Do not lift or push any weights above heart level if you have any blood pressure problems or heart conditions. If at any time you feel sick, dizzy or suffer severe muscle
soreness stop and seek medical advise.

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Skype Mentoring!

Over half of all the Nobel Prize winners were once apprenticed by other Nobel laureates.

As a volunteer counselor and passionate about growing other great talent in our Agile community, I often take on opportunities to mentor others. I believe in the power of mentoring others. I believe in the power of helping people grow and begin to taste their potential. It is so very exciting for me to help others. Isn’t this what servant leadership is all about?

Let’s talk about mentoring for a bit…

What exactly is mentoring?

• To help mature someone in a practice or discipline
• To show them how you walked the path and to lead them through their own path
• To teach them to mentor someone else, what you are doing to them.
• Make a distinction between mentoring and teaching. If you’re teaching, you’re telling. If you’re mentoring, your walking with them through it (high-touch).

What mentoring is NOT primarily concerned with:

• A methodologies and exact praxis of how to do something. Not prescriptive. Who you are mentoring… is NOT your disciple.
• Mentoring isn’t a two way street like friendship. Mentoring isn’t accountability, but it is focused, unlike friendships.
• Personal agendas.
• You. The focus is on them, not you. We are to pour our life into someone else.

6 Tips for Mentors

1 - A mentor takes time to know people and reveal to them new possibilities and realities

• Mentors are good listeners and they have the ability and willingness to step over familiar ground to get to know people and bring them into the circle.
• If you’re mentoring someone for a particular role, help an individual by inviting them into communities of that practice. Always try to bring people not in the inner circle into the circle.

 2 - A mentor gets excited when good things happen to others.

• One of the wonderful, nourishing characteristics of a mentor is their ability to get excited about the good things that happen to other people.
• A mentor is one who constantly celebrates the wins, while also giving firm guidance as necessary to areas of potential trouble. Mentors need to be situationally aware and experienced as they can point to examples in which trouble can (potentially) happen… but provide enough freedom for the individual to experiment and even fail.

3 - A mentor takes initiative to help others.

• Take the first step. Have margin in your life to reach out to those that you believe could use your help. It’s not ego here, it’s a willingness to help.
• I’ve never been turned down when I’ve spoken to someone and let them know that I’d “Love to spend more intentional time with you to help you grow your craft.” Offer your services. You’ll be even more rewarded than who you mentor!

4 - A mentor raises up leaders.

• You raise up others so they can pass you in leadership. Of all the things we will talk about on mentoring, this may be the best part. You see, there is the (reality) that the one you mentor can (and will) be more successful than you are now. This is a GREAT thing. You’ve created a legacy.
• We need more leaders. Do your part by helping leaders grow. This is how you ‘scale yourself.’ Great mentors develop leaders better than themselves. Wouldn’t that be your definition of success as a mentor: to pour your life into someone until they pass you?
• A mentor’s goal. We’ve all heard the statement, “There’s no success without successors.” But how about this? “Real success is having a successor who does a great job than we do.” This is the highlight. That’s what mentors live for. They live to be bypassed by somebody they’ve taught.

5 - A mentor is willing to take a risk with a potential leader.

• Take risks with the one you mentor. Put them in positions where they can grow and even put them in positions where your reputation may be at risk if they fail. This imbued trust that you give the one you mentor is a huge step. But it’ll be the biggest wins for all when he does well!
• You want to be able to say: “You know what (mentoree)? I’ve mentored you – you’re bigger than I am and it’s time for me to find someone else to mentor. I’m going to take a risk for (a new person) as I did for you… and I’d like your help. Want to help me grow another person?”

6 - A mentor is not position conscious.

• Another Agile coach once said to me that “Servant leadership is influencing upwards and influencing outwards since no one is below you.” – He’s right. You will always (in a sense) be a peer to others… and there will always be people who position themselves higher than you. That’s ok. You’re growing others to be higher than you, with the hopes they won’t have an egotistical attitude about it. That’s a risk indeed!
• Your fanfare and rewards will be seen in others. You’ll have to be ok with that. Period.

 6 Areas of a Mentor Relationship

Some Practical Guidelines for those interested in mentoring others. I always want to go over principles first, and then to practical guidelines, as it allows us to know why what we’re doing what we’re doing.

• Authority / Desire
• Intensity
• Duration
• Format / Structure
• Intentionality
• Goals

My experience

1. Authority / Desire – Focus areas – What are you focusing on?
2. Intensity  -  Low Key – How often are we going to engage?
3. Duration –  1 year – Length of mentorship program
4. Format / Structure -Book / Talk – Workshops or problem solving?
5. Intentionality – Observe them – Yes. Watch them in action if possible.
6. Goals - They can mentor others

What Will You Live For: Titles or Testimonies?

In Tony Campolo’s book, Who Switched the Price Tags?, he talks about a Baptist preacher who was speaking to a group of collegians in his congregation. The following are a couple of paragraphs I want to read to you:

“Children you’re going to die. One of these days they’re going to take you out to the cemetery, drop you into a hole, throw some dirt on your face, and go back to church and eat potato salad (it’ll be kimchi and duk in our case). When you were born you alone were crying and everyone else was happy. The important question I want to ask is this: when you die are you alone going to be happy, leaving everyone else crying? The answer depends on whether you live to get titles or whether you live to get testimonies.

When they lay you in the grave are people going to stand around reciting the fancy titles you earned, or are they going to stand around giving testimonies of the goods things you did for them? Will you leave behind just a newspaper column telling people how important you were, or will you leave crying people who give testimony of how they’ve lost the best friend they ever had? There’s nothing wrong with titles. Titles are a good thing to have. But if it ever comes down to a choice between a title or a testimony, go for the testimony.”

He’s talking about leaving a legacy. Start leaving yours now.

[This is part of a series on Becoming an Agile Coach. See 7 Tips for Client Engagement for New Agile Coaches]

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I recently spoke with an aspiring Agile Coach the other day and spent a couple hours coaching him through taking on work as an Agile Coach and beginning his next path into coaching. *An exciting process indeed!*

He had a great list of questions queued up for me, but as we moved into the conversation it quickly became apparent to me that we needed to do was set a few ground rules… (a framework that I personally follow) with my clients.

Below are 7 areas to consider when beginning your trek into Agile Coaching and for any of us in the coaching realm, a healthy refresher of how to engage with a client!

7 Tips for Agile Coaching

1.  Don’t “jump” at the first offer (or what may seem to be the best offer) when a client comes knocking… or a recruiter comes knocking

• ask a ton of questions – About the environment, culture, and nuances of the client or engagement.
• seek wise counsel – know people that have worked there? Other Agile Coaches? Get the skinny before you dip.
• what are “your” motives for considering it – Is this a strategic client to go after, or a paycheck?
• don’t force your family and spouses to accept this new reality - A personal anecdote from a guy who has been traveling for over 10+ years, and… over 400,000 hotel points (@ 1000 points/stay). If you’re jumping into this and it includes travel. Get support for it … as you would with any career choice!

2.  Show up as a servant, not a savior

• confidence is one thing, arrogance is another – Reality check. You don’t know everything about your client. You don’t have all the answers… yet.
• respect the heritage of the past – YOU ARE A LEARNER BEFORE YOU ARE A LEADER – need to earn the right to make the right changes.
• lose the “I’ll make it right” attitude – You most likely have the right attitude, but you won’t fix everything (consider person/cultural dynamics). It’s impossible.
• your job: to listen, to learn, and position potential change where applicable – At the right pace. We can’t eat an elephant in one sitting… but in the course of a year, you can gobble it up.
• your mission: to lead people towards sustainable change – The goal is to LEAVE your client. Build up champions at the company, get the positive change to be part of the cultural DNA and then leave. Want a tough note? – If you’ve been at a client for more than 12 months (as a true change-agent Agile coach) you’ve been in-effective and need to leave. *OK – So what if it’s an enterprise company with 100K+ employees doing a 3+ year transformation. True. You’d need to stay longer… but… I’d wonder if you’d get somewhat “pickled” in the process. Tell me I’m wrong here.

3.  Learn as much as you can as fast as you can

• digest the history of the client – This will reveal vital insights to why and how things are done.
• discover the strengths and weakness of the client from the perspective of the membership – Not just the leadership.
• learn what motivates the people (what do they speak excitedly about?) – Understand their cultural and business dynamics.

4.  Gather some “change” before you implement change

• this is the initial leeway the people give you upon arrival – See what ‘change’ is going to look like at this client. One size doesn’t fit all. Just because you kicked-butt at a previous client doesn’t mean you can cookie-cutter it over here cowboy.
• we can increase the change – By being a positive change agent with a positive outlook.
• we can decrease the change – By being a jerk, insensitive, and situationally-unaware. As far as I know, there aren’t any PhD’s in Agile Coaching (ie. knowing it all). So be a servant leader first.

5.  Align your productive strengths with the clients greatest need(s)

• create a backlog of your client’s needs – Do a workshop with a client to create a working backlog of what they need to accomplish. Match this with ROI and your specific skill-sets to get it going.
• you’re great at some stuff, but not everything – That’s the reason why there are teams of coaches at some engagements. Because you can’t do everything and frankly you’re not good at everything anyway.
• know your own strengths and behavior patterns for positive change – Know thyself. Understand how you can effect change the most effectively.

6.  Invest more time in less people

• minimize meeting with people about things that are not significant – Yes. Once people hear that the “great Agile Coach” is here, you’ll be pulled in many different directions. Focus.
• practice the multiplication principle – Delegate and coach others to take on personal responsibility. You’re not the savior, you’re here to model and coach others to sustainable pace.
• make meetings about changing lives (as much as possible) – Another personal anecdote. Changed lives (within a company) equal changed output, work-ethic, and delivery of products and services to a company. Don’t believe me? Let’s chat. I spent 7+ years in 3 Masters degrees studying organizational change, culture, and enterprise processes and then employing the human-side of software development at my clients and have worked with some of the most fantastic Agile Coaches in the world employing this method. They too, know this.

7.  Communicate vision from your heart and mind

• provide direction – Clear, concise, and actionable direction. Give it straight.
• express belief in the people of the company and leadership to change – It begins with a positive mindset that things can change for the better. You’re belief… (faith?) might be the glue that gets things going to where they need to be.
• deliver hope - My last personal anecdote. Without hope we can never change. With hope, all things are possible.

[This is part of a series on Becoming an Agile Coach. See 6 Tips on Being a Mentor to Others or Getting Mentored!]

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