This document discusses using insights from Indian mythology to improve Agile coaching. It provides background on the presenter and defines mythology as old Indian scriptures written thousands of years ago in the form of stories. It explains that mythology communicates ideas through forms and stories that are passed down through generations. The document then discusses various aspects of Agile transformation and coaching, drawing parallels between mythology concepts and Agile principles. It focuses on people aspects of transformation and coaching leadership. It provides advice for selecting the right coach and for a coach's evolution and challenges in driving organizational transformation.

1. Improving Agile
coaching with
amazing insights
from Indian
Mythology
Anand Murthy Raj

2. Dedication
Sep 20162
This presentation has been greatly influenced by the work of Mr. Devdutt
Pattanaik in the form of these three books and his multiple videos in youtube

3. Who am I?
Sep 20163
1. 20+ years of experience , 18+ in IT and 2 years in
Manufacturing
2. 9 years of experience in Agile Transformation
3. First Asian to be nominated for the SPCT program
4. Have trained close to 700 participants in SAFe
5. Work for Blinklane Consulting NV (http://www.blinklane.com/)
6. Clients worked - HP Product Division, Symantec, SKF, Healtyhways and Philips
7. Currently part of the Global Agile Transformation Program -
Coach @ Philips
8. Part of a NGO Nisvartha.org helping 500 rural talented students
to see and realize their dreams by providing them “Education
support”

4. What is Mythology?
Sep 20164
1. Old Indian scriptures written thousands of years ago
2. Written in the form of stories and these stories shared us by our ancestors
3. Communication of ideas through forms, stories and scriptures
4. Ideas that people respected are shared from generations to generations
5. How you interpret is left to individual– its indicative not descriptive

5. Why Mythology?
Sep 20165
Peter Senge, whose greatest work is the Fifth Discipline. He talks about learning
organisations and organisational development .
In reference to India and China he said “My intuition is they (India and China)
will move somewhat together but in very distinctive ways. But I think the thing
that will be really common to both of them will be the fact that they won’t be
able to do this without connecting to their heritage. They will have to develop a
confidence that they can do this as Indians and they can do this as Chinese. They
have learnt a lot from the West but they don’t have to copy, they cannot create
a Chinese or Indian version of a Western model. “
“The Western model itself is basically bankrupt. It does not give enough
attention to the human side of development.”

6. What is Lean -Agile Leadership?
Sep 20166
Rana Bhoomi Ranga Bhoomi
My hunger matters most I have outgrown hunger Your hunger matters most.

7. Business and Action model
Sep 20167
Leadership/Business
Employees

8. OrganizationalTransformation
Organization
Employees
Leadership
Agile
Transformation
Process and
Tools
Sep 20167

9. Transformation focus - People
Sep 20169
Tara = Stars=Talent
whose individual
personalities does not
impact the organization
Graha = Planets=Talent
whose individual personalities
impact the organization
Rashi/Nakshatra =Teams or groups or departments where collective
performance matters most than individual performance

10. Transformation focus - People
Sep 201610
Graha Behavior
Ravi Sun, radiant and attract attention everywhere
Soma Moon, emotional and moody
Mangal Mars, aggressive go getter
Budha Mercury, excellent communicator, silver tongued
Guru Jupiter, Bruhaspathi, rational relies on data
Shukra Venus, intuitive, relies on gut feeling
Shani Saturn, Procrastinates and obstructs
Rahu Eclipse causer, secretive, hates being transparent
Kethu Comet, resettles and spreads anxiety

11. Coaching needs hindsight and foresight
Sep 201611
• Values case study
• Focuses on the past
• Learning and Improving
• Looking past for the future
• Values creative visualization
• Focuses on the future
• Takes risk and moves forward
• Looking ahead of the future
Force Counter Force
Strategy Tactic
Creativity Process
Ambition Contentment
Hindsight Force sight

12. Leadership Coaching - People creation – Kartha vs Karya Kartha
Sep 201612

13. Leadership Coaching - People creation – Kartha vs Karya Kartha
Sep 201613
People can grow only when they are
1. Empowered to think of solutions
2. Give autonomy to decide the right things for the customer
3. Give the time and space to think out of the box
4. Give the platform to decide and come prepared
Vishnu (Leader) has four hands
1. Eyes are always open – Constant Engagement
2. Conch Shell – Communication
3. Sudarshana Chakra – Understand and control the business
4. Club – To induce discipline
5. Lotus – Rewards and Recognition
6. Vision – Sarpha Dhristi and Garuda Dhristi

14. Coaching needs to value people separately
Sep 201614
• Collaborative skills and reward in public
• Differentiate the contribution and recognize in private
• Build the character, focus on the process and results will follow
• The reverse order of focus will lead to disaster
• Always focus on the effort of acquired skills
• Focus and appreciate on 100% of what individual gives rather than the individual’s
contribution in the overall stakes
• Environment matters a lot to define the behavior of the teams and individuals

15. Coaching the Leadership inTransformation
Sep 201615
• Coaching the Leadership to punish (take hard decisions)
• Coaching the Leadership to liberate people
• Bend the rules to liberate and protect the people
• Teach, Mentor, Coach and watch
• Enable leaders to make mistakes and if the mistake is costly, alert them
• Allow the teams/Leaders to take their decisions (Yagna and Yagman)

16. Golden rule of AgileTransformation
Sep 201616
Exploitation
Empathy
Dharma – Right directionAdharma – Wrong direction
1. Rules/Policies are made to have harmonious system
2. Rules are valid in a context
3. Rules are valid only if they benefit people and customers
4. Bend the rules to upload the spirit of Agile Principles

17. Select the real coach
Sep 201617
• Imposters know to walk the walk and talk the talk but
they simply don’t know what the talk is all about.
• They know how to dress, how to carry their laptops and
their BlackBerrys, what cars to drive, which clubs to join,
where to be seen and with whom.
• They use words like ‘value enhancement’ and ‘on the
same page’ and ‘synergy’ and ‘win-win’.
• In other words, they know the behavior that projects
them as ‘Coaches’, but they have no clue as to what
coaching actually means.

18. Develop the coaching competency
Sep 201618
• Be ready to take orthodox forms
• Expect that the transformation will pose
huge challenges
• Think out of the box
• Hypothesis based approach
• Take different forms with different
customers

19. Agile Coach Evolution – Our behavior
Sep 201619
Parashurama
- Discipline
Rama –
Rules and
Principles
Krishna –
Bend rules
Budda –
Detach
Kalki -
Destroy

20. Coach’s challenges inTransformation
Sep 201620
Letter of Dharma
SpiritofDharma
Ravan Duryodhana
RamKrishna
Letter of Transformation,
Practices
SpiritofTransformation,
Principles

21. Q&A
Sep 201621