Chapter 7
Embracing the Scrum Master Role

A passive Scrum master is one consistent factor of a failed sprint. Ryan once had this conversation:

Scrum Master:

I’m having trouble staying busy. I go to the daily scrum and help facilitate it. I also plan out the refinement meetings and prepare retrospective formats, but toward the end of the week, I really don’t have much to do. I’m honestly kind of bored.

Ryan:

Interesting. Has the team delivered any features yet?

Scrum Master:

No. They’re having trouble with code merges and integration testing. It’s been three sprints since we’ve been able to get to production.

Ryan:

Are the team members getting along? How are the retrospectives going?

Scrum Master:

Actually, there are a few personality conflicts that really bog down the team with drama. The last retrospective was a total dumpster fire. The team can’t seem to agree on what to do next. One of the developers stormed out midway through and we haven’t seen another all week.

Ryan:

Seems like you have plenty to do! Let’s capture a few ideas and see if we can put a plan together to help your team get back on track.

The Scrum master role requires continual introspection as you navigate the choppy waters of organizational, individual, and team dynamics. When you, the Scrum Master, lose sight of your responsibility to act as a servant leader, that’s when bad Scrum can happen.

Joe asks:

What does it mean to be a servant leader?

The servant-leader philosophy means that, above all else, service to others is the most important aspect of leadership. A servant leader puts others’ needs first. The primary interest of a servant leader is to enable and support others to grow and prosper because that’s the best way to foster both individual and team success. This is in stark contrast to traditional leadership, where accumulating power and authority are the primary concerns.

The Scrum master’s role is to:

• Make sure the team and organization understand and enact Scrum by applying the Scrum principles and practices to interactions between the team members, stakeholders, and others in the organization.

• Facilitate Scrum events as needed to help everyone adhere to the Scrum roles and rules.

• Infuse life into the Scrum framework by coaching team members on how to embrace and live the Scrum values.

• Act as servant leader for the team, not as the team boss.

• Lead with influence and empathy while focusing on the needs of the Scrum team members and the customers they serve.

• Spark change that aims to improve product quality and project outcomes.

• Embody the Scrum values to the organization.

Your goal as Scrum master is to help the team maximize value, reduce risk, and deliver outcomes that align to the organization’s product vision through the effective use of Scrum. The Scrum master role is both rewarding and a full-time commitment. It’s a difficult job for which Ryan and Todd have made many mistakes. We’re writing this book so that you can learn from our failures and successes as Scrum masters.

Joe asks:

What’s the difference between a Scrum master and an Agile coach?

About $50 per hour.

Seriously though, there isn’t a hierarchy that starts at Scrum Master and ends at Enterprise Agile Coach. The difference between the two roles comes down to where the work is focused. An Agile coach is focused on the organization and then works inward to teams and individuals. The Scrum master is focused on the Scrum team and works outward toward the organization. While it’s possible—and part of the role—for a Scrum master to act as an Agile coach to the organization, not all Agile coaches have the skills and knowledge to act as a Scrum master. In fact, in organizations where the Scrum master is fully empowered to fulfill their role, Agile coaches are often unnecessary.

Let’s explore the common anti-patterns of the Scrum master role. A Scrum master should have a low tolerance for impediments. Many of these anti-patterns happen when that’s not the case. Don’t be that Scrum master. If the anti-patterns we describe in this chapter are present on your team, it’s time to jump into action and resolve them quickly. Otherwise, you’re an impediment to your Scrum team’s success.