Learning plans are important for teams and for you. As a Scrum Master or Agile Coach, you have the opportunity to learn right alongside your team members. Setting up the right learning plan will allow you to continuously grow your skills while raising up your team at the same time. Below are three easy ways you can set up your learning plan and start learning new skills.
- Read a book at least every six months
Books provide a wealth of knowledge that anyone can benefit from. You can assign your team reading materials that will benefit their positions, but at the very least you should be reading a book every six months. The inspiration and information you gain from your reading can be shared with your team in a number of ways. For instance, the insights you gain from a book can help you summarize concepts in new ways, and books can also help you see problems from a different perspective. If you’re in need of a few book recommendations, then consider checking out one of the below suggestions.
- Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
- Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, Brad Kowitz
- The Unicorn Project by Gene Kim
- The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
- Create a coaching circle
A routine coaching circle is a great activity for your team. This peer-to-peer style gives team members the opportunity to raise questions and seek assistance for any problems they may be facing, whether trying to learn a new skill or understand certain procedures. One of the most beneficial aspects of a coaching circle is that everyone in the group gets to learn from the challenges and breakthroughs discussed.
- Set quarterly learning goals
Quarterly learning goals give your team members something to work toward and focus on. These goals don’t have to be huge, either. It could be reading a book, learning a new skill, or even attending an event.
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