Scrummasters: The Hero of the Product Team

What is a Scrummaster's Role in an Agile Team?

Scrummasters play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of agile teams. They facilitate the team’s agile processes, ensure that the team adheres to agile values and principles, and remove any impediments that may be blocking the team’s progress. Our favorite term for Scrummasters is they "box out" and protect the team from any of the unnecessary things that don't enable successful development and release.

Does a Scrummaster Need to be Technical?

While technical knowledge is helpful for Scrummasters, it is not the most important attribute that they need to possess. And just like the age old battle of whether Product Managers need to be technical or not, there are plenty of pathways to be team dynamic changing Scrummaster without having the ability to code. In our experience, some of the most amazing and successful Scrummasters do not have a background in technology. In fact, many of them come from education and healthcare. They pursued those industries in the first place because of a desire to help people, and that passion lends well to the SM role.

How Does a Scrummaster Support Their Team?

🔸 Successful Scrummasters have a teaching heart. They understand that their role is to guide and coach the team, and they take that responsibility seriously. They lead by example, demonstrate the agile mindset and principles, and encourage team members to do the same. They are not afraid to ask questions and challenge team members to think critically about their work, and they are not afraid to step in to protect the values the team has aligned on.

🔸 Protecting the team is another important aspect of the SM role. They make sure that the team is not distracted by external factors and that they are not overburdened with tasks that are not part of the sprint backlog. They also act as a buffer between the team and the outside world, shielding the team from any negative feedback or pressure that may arise. Pulling out the best basketball defense skills!

🔸 Creating an environment for growth is another crucial element of the SM role. They foster an environment of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. They encourage experimentation and risk-taking, and they celebrate both successes and failures.

🔸 Recognizing that everyone learns and adapts differently is another essential attribute of a successful Scrummaster. They understand that different team members have different learning styles, and they adapt their coaching and teaching styles accordingly. They also recognize that the team’s needs may change over time, and they are flexible and adaptable in their approach.

🔸 Finally, a successful Scrummaster sets people up for success. They work with the team to define clear sprint goals, and they ensure that the team has the resources and support they need to achieve those goals. They also encourage team members to take ownership of their work and to collaborate with each other to achieve shared goals.

Conclusion

If you have a passion for helping people and a desire to learn, you have the foundation for a successful career as a Scrummaster. You can be a total career changer or moving into a new role in the same industry - the technical skills will come over time. Your soft skills will set you apart. Keep pushing forward. Rely on the soft skills that you know you are good at. Those are things that can't be taught!