Fear is the Mind Killer
Being an Agile Coach requires a bit of fearlessness.
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. — Frank Herbert, Dune
This quote, called the “Litany Against Fear” from Dune, has been on my mind lately for many reasons.
Side note: the new Dune movies from Denis Villeneuve are spectacular. His ability to lean into visual storytelling to help tell this incredibly complex story of politics, power, loyalty, and love was amazing. Mesmerizing. But I digress.
The quote is famous, and even if you’re not a fan of the book or movies or have a strong opinion about the 1984 version of the movie, the concept of fear resonates with everyone. And, especially as an Agile Coach, there is some degree of fearlessness required to do this job authentically.
Dozens, maybe hundreds of times, I have joked by saying the following:
To be an Agile Coach, you are always dancing on the line, pushing boundaries, nudging people into discomfort, and risking your own job… If you’re not about to get fired, you might not be doing your job well.
As I said, there are many reasons you need to be a bit fearless to be a coach:
Dealing with Change
As a change agent, working with humans, we are often the one who instigates unfavorable reactions from people, leaders and teams. We cannot hesitate to have those conversations. And if you do your job well, you look that fear in the face and plow forward. You deliver the poorly received news and have the head to head conversation with someone opposed to the direction you’ve been asked to nudge change.
Being Authentic and Honest
The truth can be a very sharp, double-edged sword. As an Agile Coach, we espouse the ideals of being transparent and authentic. As they say, “there is nowhere to hide in agile.” So, naturally, we need to represent these ideals ourselves by leading with vulnerability and empathy. And we are sometimes the one shining that spotlight of truth into the dark corners of longtime habits and unhealthy behaviors that organizations have tolerated for years.
As An Independent Business Owner
It’s inherently risky just being in business for yourself as an Agile Coach and with that comes some natural fear. A fear of survival. More than once in my career I have made the tough choice to speak my mind because I knew it was the right thing to do (not just part of my job). And the consequences can be severe. I’m pretty sure my contract was not renewed this month because of my fearless behavior that often has me sharing my opinions, speaking the truth, and often (gently) challenging the ideas of the leaders who control my employment. You can’t quite predict when those choices will be praised for helping a company or injuring big bosses egos who don’t want new ideas, so beware.
I have learned to live with no regrets. I would be more disappointed in myself for not holding myself accountable to asking the right questions and trying to do the right thing to impact change for the greater good. Now, believe me, I’m not reckless. With this idea of fear and accountability comes great responsibility. I also know how to navigate politics and be careful with whom I say certain things. But if you are a coach, you likely know exactly what I’m talking about. Sometimes… you do need to push boundaries slightly because there is something deep in your soul that urges you to say and do the things that you stand up for… to speak your mind and fearlessly say the truths that you hope will create lasting change.
Do not be afraid of fear. It is the mind killer. Instead, face your fears and say the things you know to be true. After facing this fear and accomplishing great things, you will look back and realize it was the right choice and the path you are on is one you chose alone and one that you can be proud of.
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Hi, I’m Brian Link, an Enterprise Agile Coach who loves his job helping people. I call myself and my company the “Practical Agilist” because I pride myself on helping others distill down the complexity of the agile universe into easy to understand and simple common sense.
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