Category around blogs pertaining to scrum masters
I recently had the honor of meeting and learning from Jeff Sutherland, the co-creator of Scrum. He was teaching a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) course in Palo Alto here in Silicon Valley. Granted, I’ve had my CSM for many years, but it was an excellent opportunity to learn from one of the titans in the Scrum […]
Techniques for Better Learning Read More »
Two months ago, my 91 year-old grandmother asked me what I did for a living. On the surface, it seems like an easy question to answer, but it wasn’t. I struggled. The role of the scrum master was difficult to put into words, especially with someone unfamiliar with the complex world of software development. Since then,
Describing the Role of the Scrum Master Read More »
Many months ago, I wrote my top 10 tips to be a successful Scrum Master. That blog post resonated with many of you, but it was missing something. It focused entirely on mindset and behavior, and while valuable, I thought some practical advice for Scrum Masters might also be helpful. So let’s talk practical with
Tools of Successful Scrum Masters Read More »
Great scrum masters and great agile coaches are a rare and special breed. They often do their best work behind the scenes, and they seldom want credit for a job well done. Instead, they’re most satisfied when they see their teams grow and succeed. In many ways, it’s like watching our kids grow up. They
Qualities of Great Agile Coaches Read More »
In my previous blog post, I wrote about data-driven experiments. Unfortunately, it lacked any practical application, and today I want to do something about that. But let’s get one thing straight first. This isn’t my favorite topic. Why? It focuses so heavily on data and so little on humans. When we get too wrapped up
Practical Experiments In An Agile World Read More »
It’s not often enough that I see teams experimenting. Well, that’s not entirely true. Most teams experiment by trying new techniques, by adjusting their process, or simply by trying something different. I’d call these anecdotal experiments, and they’re very valuable. However, it’s not these kinds of experiments that I want to talk about today. I’m
A Data-Driven Approach To Team Evolution Read More »
Influence. It’s a powerful tool, and it’s a point of honor that a scrum master has no control, only influence, within a team. I prefer it that way, and I hope you do too. I recently reflected on how I conceptualize influence, and I realize that I operate in one of three contexts. Before I share those contexts,
How Military Tactics Made Me a Better Scrum Master Read More »
In my last blog post, I wrote about why it is important to keep the sprint backlog static after leaving sprint planning. Unfortunately, much of my previous blog involved a great deal of arm waving (or possibly flailing) as I hoped to highlight the problem of disrupting your sprint. What it didn’t offer up was concrete ways each of
About To Disrupt Your Sprint? Think Again. Read More »
If I could go back in time and give my younger scrum master self only 10 tips, it would be this: Questions over statements. Use questions as a tool to enforce process, make a point, or to gain understanding of another point of view. It also makes for a less confrontational situation: Frank, instead of
Tips To Be a Successful Scrum Master Read More »
