Self-Discovery in Agile Coaching 

Agile coaching is centered on helping teams and organizations adopt agile principles and practices, leading to improved efficiency, innovation, and adaptability. Self-discovery plays a vital role in agile coaching as it enables coaches to:

• Identify their coaching style and strengths, leading to more effective guidance and improved team performance.
• Recognize areas for personal improvement, which enhances their ability to support teams in overcoming challenges.
• Develop a deeper understanding of their values, resulting in better alignment with organizational culture and goals.

A study by the Agile Coaching Institute (2018) found that agile coaches who encourage self-discovery as part of their process have a 27% higher success rate in implementing agile principles and practices compared to those who do not.

Professional Development and Self-Discovery

Self-discovery is an essential element of professional development as it empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their own career paths, upskilling, and areas for improvement. This, in turn, leads to increased job satisfaction, motivation, and engagement. According to a Gallup report (2017), employees who have a strong sense of self-awareness are 30% more likely to feel engaged at work, boosting their productivity and likelihood of career advancement.

Ready for the win-win? Organizations that invest in professional development and promote self-discovery among employees experience a 34% higher retention rate (Deloitte, 2021). This reduction in employee turnover translates to significant cost savings and a more skilled workforce.

Corporate Mentorship and the Role of Self-Discovery

Corporate mentorship programs are designed to foster knowledge-sharing, skill development, and career advancement. If you’ve been around here long, you know I am not only a huge proponent of mentoring as a way of giving back, but also an active and engaged mentor myself. Self-discovery plays a critical role in the mentor-mentee relationship, as it enables both parties to:

• Develop a clear understanding of their goals and objectives.
• Identify the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to achieve those goals.
• Foster open communication and mutual trust, which is vital to the mentorship relationship’s success.

A study by the Association for Talent Development (2020) found that mentorship programs that incorporate self-discovery exercises yield a 40% higher success rate in achieving mentees’ professional goals.

The Connection Between Self-Discovery and Professional Wellbeing

As if all of the above wasn’t enough to sell you on the importance of diving into a self-discovery process, it also has a profound impact on professional wellbeing because it enables individuals to align their career choices with their values, passions, and strengths. This alignment results in higher job satisfaction, reduced stress, and a greater sense of purpose. A study by the American Psychological Association (2019) found that employees who engage in self-discovery are 25% less likely to experience burnout and 45% more likely to report high levels of job satisfaction. What’s not to love?

So, now that you know just why you should be incorporating self-discovery into your professional life, it’s time to address the how of it. (After all, I’m not just here to throw a bunch of stat’s at you! Implementation is key for successful change – the kind that includes both adaptation and long-term, habit-forming adoption).

Assessments as a Tool for Effective Self-Discovery

Utilizing assessments as a tool for self-discovery is a powerful way to uncover an individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral tendencies. They can provide insights into how one’s personality, emotions, and skills impact their professional performance, thus helping individuals and teams make informed decisions about development and growth. Let’s take a closer look at some popular professional assessment tools and compare their features and benefits.

• Gallup StrengthsFinder
  Gallup StrengthsFinder is a widely-used assessment tool that helps individuals identify their top 34 strengths or talents. By understanding and leveraging these strengths, employees can optimize their performance, improve teamwork, and increase overall job satisfaction. StrengthsFinder is particularly useful for self-discovery, as it encourages individuals to focus on their unique abilities rather than fixating on weaknesses.
• TeamHealth Radar
  TeamHealth Radar is an agile assessment tool that evaluates a team’s overall health and identifies areas for improvement. By assessing factors such as collaboration, delivery, and adaptability, the tool provides valuable insights that can help agile coaches and team members enhance their effectiveness. While not specifically designed for self-discovery, TeamHealth Radar can reveal crucial information about an individual’s contributions to the team’s overall health.
• Enterprise Business Agility (EBA) Assessment
  The EBA Assessment focuses on measuring an organization’s agility and maturity across various dimensions, such as leadership, culture, and customer-centricity. This tool is particularly useful for agile coaches and change agents seeking to understand their organization’s strengths and weaknesses in adopting agile practices. While not tailored for individual self-discovery, EBA can help professionals identify areas for growth and improvement at the organizational level.
• Emotional Quotient-Inventory 2.0 (EQ-i 2.0) and Emotional Quotient 360 (EQ 360)
  The EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 are assessment tools designed to measure an individual’s emotional intelligence. The EQ-i 2.0 evaluates 15 key components of emotional intelligence, such as self-awareness, empathy, and stress tolerance, while the EQ 360 provides a comprehensive view of an individual’s emotional intelligence from multiple perspectives, including self-assessment, peers, and supervisors. Both assessments are valuable for self-discovery, as they help individuals better understand and manage their emotions in the workplace.
• The Five Behaviors
  The Five Behaviors assessment is based on Patrick Lencioni’s best-selling book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” This tool helps teams identify the root causes of dysfunction and provides actionable steps for improvement. By understanding the five key behaviors (trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results), team members can engage in self-discovery and better understand how their actions contribute to the team’s overall success.
• Everything DiSC
  Everything DiSC is a popular personality assessment tool that helps individuals understand their behavior and communication style. By uncovering one’s DiSC style (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, or Conscientiousness), individuals can improve their interpersonal relationships and enhance teamwork. This tool is particularly valuable for self-discovery, as it sheds light on how an individual’s personality influences their professional interactions and decision-making.

Each of these professional assessment tools provides unique insights into various aspects of personal and professional development. While some assessments, such as Gallup StrengthsFinder, EQ-i 2.0, and Everything DiSC, focus primarily on self-discovery, others like TeamHealth Radar, EBA, and The Five Behaviors emphasize team dynamics and organizational agility. By utilizing a combination of these tools, individuals and organizations can foster self-discovery, enhance professional growth, and ultimately improve overall performance.

If you’re wondering which of these assessments (or combinations thereof) would be right for you to use a tool as self-discovery, reach out! I offer customized packages that can begin with assessment (formal or informal) and then progress into highly personalized combinations of both coaching and mentoring, depending on your specific needs.