The Cocky Agile Coach

There was a man who went to the market and purchased a small chick. He hoped that the chick would grow into a hen and lay eggs. However to his dismay, it turned out to be a cock.

He decided to kill the cock, but had to give it a context. Hence on Day 1 morning, he told the cock , “Starting tomorrow if I hear you crow , I will kill you.”. The cock obliged and said “As you say master.. !!”

The man thought that the cock due to its habit, it will crow the next day and he would kill the cock.

The next day morning, for the shock of his life, the cock just opened its wings and was lengthening its neck and there was absolutely no crowing..

The man was upset and said to the cock “Starting tomorrow if I see you opening your wings, I will kill you.”. The cock obliged and said “As you say master.. !!”

The next day morning, for the shock of his life, the cock was just lengthening its neck and there was absolutely no crowing or opening of wings “.

The man was upset and said to the cock “Starting tomorrow if I see lengthening your neck, I will kill you.”. The cock obliged and said “As you say master.. !!”

The next day morning, for the shock of his life, the cock was sitting like a statue with no motion and there was absolutely no crowing or opening of wings or lengthening of the neck.

The man was very upset and came up with a great strategy said to the cock “If you do not lay 2 eggs tomorrow, you will die”. The cock was sure now death is evident.

Later that evening the cock was crying. The man came in and Asked “Are you now afraid of death ? Do you see see death coming the next morning”

The cock said “I am not crying because I am going to die tomorrow. Death is evident and sure shot for everyone”. I am crying because, I am dying with no meaningful identity. I listened to all what you said and I am not a cock any more. I have lost my core identity.

I believe this is what happening to most Agile coaches. Unable to bear the pressure and challenge the leadership, Agile coaches succumb to the pressure and start doing wrong things losing out on their identify. Let us challenge do the right things, else you will also be killed with a completely different identity.

Written by Anand Murthy Raj