How can I get to know my team?

Your colleagues on your team will want to get to know you and also find out what you as a Scrum Master can bring to the team. When joining a team, ask them how you can help the team. What are their challenges? What does the team expect you to do? What value can you bring to the team? These questions will start conversations that will give you insight into where you can add value, while also providing perspective on the team’s understanding and use of Scrum. For example, you may uncover that the team’s expectations of a Scrum Master are not aligned to the actual accountability at all which may drive your immediate actions when joining the team.

There are many ways to get to know your team. Here are a few that can help you connect with them:

• Join informal team engagements or team activities. Go out with the team for lunch or grab a cup of coffee and get to know each other.
• Create personal maps for yourself to get to know more about your team members. Personal maps are also great to build empathy with each other. 
• Bring people together in a more formal session. For example, arrange an expectation workshop, which defines expectations and responsibilities, with your team and stakeholders.