In my last post, I argued that agile coaching doesn’t just venture into ethnographic territory. I think it depends on it. Let’s dig deeper into why this is true, and what it means for anyone serious about leading change in complex organizations.
Agile and Ethnography: More Than Just Surface Similarities
At first glance, agile and ethnography might seem worlds apart. Agile is known for its fast iterations, lean processes, and relentless focus on delivering value. Ethnography, by contrast, is often seen as slow, immersive, and deeply qualitative-a way of uncovering the lived experiences, motivations, and cultural patterns within a group.
But look closer, and the connection becomes clear. Both disciplines are fundamentally about learning in context:
- Agile teams iterate based on feedback from real users, not abstract requirements.
- Ethnographers immerse themselves in the daily lives of people, seeking to understand not just what happens, but why it happens.
When agile coaching is at its best, it’s not just about enforcing frameworks. It’s about helping teams and organizations make sense of their own context, culture, and challenges-work that is inherently ethnographic.
Coaching as Participant Observation
Traditional coaching can sometimes fall into the trap of treating people as problems to be solved: diagnose, prescribe, move on. Ethnographic coaching is different. It’s about participant observation-being with teams, noticing what’s said and unsaid, and co-creating meaning and progress together.
- Instead of standing outside and analyzing, the coach becomes a trusted participant, building relationships and trust over time.
- The coach helps teams surface their own stories, patterns, and blockers, rather than imposing external solutions.
This approach enables coaches to address the real, often hidden, dynamics that shape outcomes-such as anxiety, contradiction, and resistance to change.
Why Agile Coaching Needs Ethnography
1. Context is Everything
No two organizations are the same. What works in one context may fail in another. Ethnographic practices help coaches understand the unique cultural and systemic forces at play, so interventions are relevant and resonant-not just copy-pasted best practices.
2. Trust and Participation
Change only sticks when people feel seen, heard, and understood. Ethnographic coaching builds trust by engaging deeply with teams, observing their lived reality, and involving them in co-designing solutions.
3. Richer Insights, Better Decisions
Surface-level data rarely reveals the root causes of dysfunction. Ethnographic methods-field notes, shadowing, storytelling-help coaches and teams get to the heart of what’s really going on.
4. Story as a Bridge
Both agile and ethnography are fundamentally story-driven. Agile uses user stories to shape work; ethnography uses stories to reveal meaning and drive empathy. The best coaches use narrative to connect, inspire, and catalyze change.
Integrating Ethnography Into Agile Coaching Practice
So, how can agile coaches lean into ethnographic practice?
- Observe deeply: Spend time with teams in their natural environment. Notice rituals, language, and interactions.
- Participate, don’t just facilitate: Be part of the team’s journey, not just a process enforcer.
- Co-create meaning: Use workshops, interviews, and storytelling to help teams make sense of their experience.
- Reflect and iterate: Regularly review what you’re learning with the team, building shared understanding and evolving your approach.
- Stay humble and curious: Recognize your own influence and biases. Ethnography is as much about self-awareness as it is about observation.
The Bottom Line
Agile coaching that ignores ethnographic practice risks missing the very heart of transformation.
It’s not enough to know the mechanics of Scrum or Kanban. To truly enable change, coaches must become students of context, culture, and lived experience-helping teams write their own story of agility, together.
If you’re an agile coach, ask yourself:
- Am I just running ceremonies, or
- Am I truly seeing and understanding the world my teams inhabit?
That’s where the real work-and the real impact-begins.
Leave a Reply