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First, we need to understand that the Scrum Master role is a formal role, defined by a framework called Scrum.
The Agile Coach role, on the other hand, was created as a market dysfunction.
Therefore, today it is an oversimplification to think that an Agile Coach is a Scrum Master with a lot of experience.
It is equally incorrect to think that the Agile Coach role is broader than the Scrum Master role. They are simply different positions, without hierarchy.
The Origin of the Agile Coach
Initially, the Agile Coach role was defined as that of an experienced Scrum Master, dedicated to supporting other beginner SMs in the profession. This is how the first Agile Coaches emerged.
However, that definition quickly moved toward other approaches — for two main reasons.
First: agile methods gained ground in other areas of the company, such as marketing and HR. The Scrum Master, with a background centered on development teams, was not the most suitable profile for those contexts.
Second: there was great interest in conducting agile transformations at the organizational level. A different type of Agile Coach entered the scene — generally a professional coming from change management careers.
Worth noting: even this profile did not escape empiricism. They had to immerse themselves in agile thinking, try to apply the techniques, make mistakes, get it right, improve — and carved out a new profession that simply did not exist before.
There Is No Universal Agile Coach
Therefore, it is advisable to observe what type of work needs to be done before defining which Agile Coach will execute it.
If the goal is coaching the legal department’s leadership, perhaps an agilist coming from organizational strategy — a specialist in game storming and facilitation — will work better. An Agile Coach full of technical concepts may simply not connect with that group.
On the other hand, if you are in a software development company in a highly volatile market, the technical agilist will thrive — they will need to apply the frameworks by the book. Most of these companies use Scrum, and an Agile Coach who has never been a Scrum Master under extreme conditions will not work. In fact, they will not get past the first question in a situational interview.
So, Which Agile Coach Are You Looking For?
The answer depends on your context — not on a generic market title.
Before hiring or positioning yourself as an Agile Coach, it is worth asking the right questions:
- What is the organization’s agile maturity level? A team that has never seen Kanban needs different guidance than one already operating with OKRs and flow metrics. The Kanban Maturity Model offers a structured reference for making that diagnosis.
- What is the nature of the work? Software, product, operations, HR — each context has its own dynamics.
- Is the focus the team or the organization? Working with a squad of five people is different from facilitating a cultural transformation involving hundreds of people across multiple departments.
Scrum Master and Agile Coach are not steps on the same ladder. They are distinct paths that sometimes cross — but that start from different origins and serve different purposes.
Knowing this difference is the first step toward making the right choice. And regardless of the role, one common question persists: does mindset need to come before the framework, or is it the other way around? The answer in Mindset or Framework: What Comes First? may change your perspective on agile transformations. To facilitate meetings and conversations with greater quality along this journey, Liberating Structures are a practical and accessible resource.