Meet the Coach: Elrich Faul

We chat with Elrich Faul, who recently joined agile42 in the Netherlands as an agile coach

How did you first start your agile path and end up coaching with agile42?

After leading a set of software development teams from 2006 to 2008 using traditional methodologies I came to the insight that there had to be a better way to deliver high-quality software and create more opportunities for innovation and creativity in teams.

I was introduced to Scrum by one of my mentors and started doing experiments immediately after. By implementing the Scrum guide to the letter, I learned not only the ‘How’ but I also discovered the emergent value and the ‘Why’ behind the mindset. The change in the lives of the people, as well as the organization, convinced me that Agility and the mindset associated with it was indispensable in inspiring positive change.

I moved away from the typical management mindset and started focussing on Scrum Mastery and implementing healthy DevOps principles. This perfectly aligned with my passion, talents, and background. I came into contact with agile42 which opened up the door to wider involvement in the Agile community. The way I think, approach and choose to live life naturally aligns with the ideals held dear by agile42 and the wider community.

The natural way for me to propagate these ideals and values is to, more in-depth, get involved in the coaching of people, teams, and organizations. It’s been 11 years and the adventure is still in its infancy.

What is the main inspiration for what you do?

Perhaps a story can illustrate this best.

Two years ago (2017) I was starting up a new team in a company that made use of ancient practices and had endless red tape. This made software delivery, communication and organization-wide collaboration almost impossible. It put a lot of strain on the team and they were almost at breaking point.

By growing incrementally, the team started delivering which in turn empowered them to take more initiative and grow personally as well. One of the team members made the comment that he had never had the opportunity to discover himself, his passion and the possibility of being happy until joining the team.

This is what inspires me. Seeing people change and embracing their true selves, unveiling their potential and discovering that happiness can and should be a constant.

What have you seen lately that is interesting and new in the world of Agile?

What excites me is to see the draw that is created by practical display of the value that Agility can bring. I am seeing more interest from non-it related people at public gatherings. The realization by the general marketplace that Agility can not only bring value to software development teams but also to other disciplines is picking up more momentum.

Although this is not necessarily something that is new it is definitely a wave of change that I would like to ride in order to see organizational structures change for the better.