Today we re-read Chapter 19 of Badass Agile Coaching: The Journey from Beginner to Mastery and Beyond. I have strong opinions about Communities of Practice (CoP). They can be a very valuable tool, when done well, for supporting movements within an organization. As Mr. Galen points out, a CoP, is a place for learning and feedback. Done poorly they are invasive and harmful. CoPs will get like-minded people together to learn, support each other, interact, and become a community. If all CoPs fit that definition this chapter would be superfluous. Unfortunately, as with everything else in life, what happens in the real world runs the gamut from wonderful to train wrecks. Chapter 19 Extraordinary Badass Agile Coaching tackles Communities of Practice.

A good CoP requires developing a community. A community is a group of people that feel fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Just shoving people together or requiring people to get together does not generate fellowship. Issuing attendance edicts will not create community. The need for a CoP to have a mix of common attitudes, interests, and goals is often overlooked. Start with a firm foundation by establishing a core rationale for the CoP. The goal is learning and support – both of which require an interest. An interest in the topic and an interest in the other members. If the goals run to mandating and homogenizing processes and approaches you have entered the realm of Centers of Excellence (CoE). These are two very different entities and generate different behaviors. Many CoPs are Centers of Excellence under a different name. Running a CoE and expecting the community’s behavior is probably going to lead to disappointment.

I am a member of a small CoP (until my engagement is done) that works even though there is pressure to attend. Why? Because the people involved are interested in learning, feel safe discussing their issues, and are interested in each other. The group feels safe asking for and giving advice and opinions. All of them have roughly the same level of experience and more importantly an interest in growing. 

One of the prerequisites Galen suggests is a dynamic leader for the CoP. I agree and would up the ante by suggesting that someone needs solid logistical skills. I can’t tell you how many great CoP ideas I have seen (and participated in) that have gone down in flames because Teams had a bad day and nobody had a backup Zoom account — just an example, For those that have the luxury of getting together in person, what would you do if no one booked a meeting room? Having someone that can logistically make lemonade out of lemons pays for itself. Several years ago I was asked to be a guest speaker at a metrics CoP. At the appointed time my sponsor was informed that his group had been booted from the room by a Director (the Director also commandeered the refreshments). We pivoted, moved to the lunchroom, played a DevOps card game, and ate potato chips that we all chipped in to buy (pun intended). Bob is right you need a dynamic leader to attract and hold a group together, but you also need someone to make the group function.

CoPs are useful; I suggest having one or several. Recognize that when they become compulsory their nature will shift to something more akin to a compliance vehicle. I have seen several large consulting firms go down that path – good riddance. Any individual CoP will run its course. When the ideas and the passion fades don’t be afraid to kill it and start a new CoP with a different focus and a different constituency. The root goal of all CoPs is to keep learning, and getting together to share, converse, and commiserate. 

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Previous Installments

Week 17: Dojo Practices – http://bit.ly/3FlftW7 

Week 16: Badass Agile Coach’s Guide to Starting Your Day – http://bit.ly/3Y4Kcgy 

Week 15: Situational Awareness as a Badass Agile Coach – http://bit.ly/3KnoJMv