Feb 11, 2022
This week, Dan Neumann is joined by two of his colleagues, Adam Ulery and Kris Chavious.
In this episode, Dan, Adam, and Kris are answering a listener who asked about the Dos and Don’ts of a Scrum Master. They cover topics such as culture, how to handle time boxes, meetings, and the challenging role of a Scrum Master removing impediments, among others.
Key Takeaways
● Dos for a Scrum Master:
○ As a Scrum Master, you bring the culture to the team. People share more when they are comfortable; a light and energetic atmosphere is important.
○ Get to know the people on your team.
○ A Scrum Master needs to be the positive force to the team.
○ Joke around! Make work fun.
○ How do you level down the stress in teams? Incorporate personal stories to lighten things up or play music (instrumental if there are activities to be done).
● Dos and Don’ts related to time boxes:
○ Some people may not understand what that means.
○ Time boxes are a maximum point but if you finish earlier it’s just fine.
○ Don’t be authoritarian about the time box.
○ Be mindful of the time box, but make sure to leave some time for people to share if something is pending or needs to be addressed in a future meeting.
● The Role of a Scrum Master removing impediments:
○ Enabling and facilitating are roles of the Scrum Master but he is not responsible for solving all the problems.
○ A Scrum Master needs to bring thinking tools to the team and know how to ask questions in order to achieve a solution.
● Don’t unnecessarily schedule meetings!
● Scrum Masters shouldn’t be an extreme micromanager.
○ You don’t have to be on your team every day, we are all professionals. There are mechanisms set to see the progress of the work every day.
● As a Scrum Master, you sometimes have to have uncomfortable conversations.
○ Don’t tolerate damaging behavior, address it right away!
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