Mentoring and Gratitude

Written By Allison Pollard

Photo by Shannon Kringen

I just finished a virtual coaching class, and I am now an ICAgile Certified Professional in Agile Coaching!  I loved the class, and I learned a lot by practicing coaching skills over the 7 weeks.  During the class, we watched a video about gratitude that got me thinking about the role of mentors in the agile transition:

By the time I "really" became a Scrum Master, I was already part of the agile community and knew people with more experience that I could learn from.  I had someone to tell me to trust my instincts and be proud of my small wins.  I was excited to tell him about the magic I had found in posting 300 index cards with features and defects on walls for our business folks to prioritize, and he laughed and smiled with delight.  He has been instrumental in making me the coach that I am today.

Now as a coach, I find myself showing gratitude for the Scrum Masters and teams that I work with:

 

And showing gratitude for my peers:

And I'm in an environment of gratitude:

And some are showing their gratitude for my coaching:

Allison Pollard

Allison Pollard is a coach, consultant, and trainer who brings the power of relationship systems intelligence to go beyond tasks, roles, and frameworks to create energy for change. She engages with people and teams in a down-to-earth way to build trust and listen for signals to help them learn more and improve. Allison focuses on creating alignment and connection for people to solve business problems together. Her experience includes working with teams and leaders in energy, retail, financial, real estate, and transportation industries to help improve their project/product delivery and culture. Allison currently volunteers as program director for Women in Agile’s mentorship program. Her agile community focus is championing new voices and amplifying women as mentors and sponsors for the next generation of leaders. Allison earned her bachelor’s degrees in computer science, mathematics, and English from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), a foodie, and proud glasses wearer. Allison is a prolific speaker at professional groups and international conferences, including Scrum Gatherings and the Agile Alliance Agile20xx conferences. Allison is co-owner of Helping Improve LLC.

http://www.allisonpollard.com
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