Teams solving complex problems need creativity to figure out how to deliver value.  Traditional “command and control’ techniques are less impactful in this environment and can even harm the team’s ability to deliver value. 

In this video, Martin 🎥 breaks down the common misconceptions about Scrum Masters. He sheds light on the actual role and responsibilities, challenging the popular myths with practical insights. Discover the true essence of being a Scrum Master and how it impacts team dynamics. 🚀🤔

The Scrum Master is the “Scrum Police.” They enforce Scrum rules.Why is this a myth? There are very few “Scrum rules.” Scrum is designed to be a framework for helping teams execute complex work. When Scrum Masters guide teams in understanding the principles of Scrum and purpose of its elements, the ...

The following resources provide more commentary on characteristics and skills necessary to be a Scrum Master: Search all Resources About Scrum Masters

Scrum Masters support their colleagues in many different ways. The Scrum Guide outlines some of the service that Scrum Masters provide to others:The Scrum Master serves the Scrum Team in several ways, including:Coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality;Helping the Scrum Te...

A Scrum Master is the member of the Scrum Team that is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness and for establishing Scrum as it is defined in the Scrum Guide.They help the team improve their practices and effectiveness primarily by advancing the adoption of Scrum among individuals, teams and ...

Scrum has become quite popular in software development. Over the years, Scrum has become popular in many environments. But can you really use Scrum in non-technical work? In this Lightning Round, Professional Scrum Trainers Jason Malmstadt, Robb Pieper, and Greg Crown have some ideas to share about ...

In a significant shift from their previous stance, Ryan Ripley and Todd Miller, hosts of "Your Daily Scrum," now advocate for integrating the role of Scrum Master with delivery managers and directors, countering their earlier advice to avoid this practice.

Does it make sense to have a project manager and a Scrum Master on your Scrum Team? Can they be the same person? What would happen if you have both on your Scrum Team? How is delivery on a Scrum Team handled if you don’t have a project manager? PST's Jason Malmstadt, Robb Pieper, and Greg Crown have...

Some quick thoughts on Managers taking on the Scrum Master accountability.

If you don’t have direct authority over your Scrum Team, is it possible to lead them anyway? What does “Leadership” in the context of a Scrum Team? In this video, PST's Jason Malmstadt, Robb Pieper, and Greg Crown discuss leadership, management, and how to navigate them both as a Scrum Master.

In this video, Martin 🎥 unravels the intricate role of a Scrum Master in facilitating team dynamics and ensuring effective decision-making within the Agile framework. 🗝️📈

We all make mistakes in life and there are many mistakes Scrum Masters make when new in their role. What are they and what can be done about it? PST's Jason Malmstadt, Robb Pieper, and Greg Crown have some ideas to share about common Scrum Master mistakes in this Scrum Lightning Round.

This case study highlights how a guided immersive learning experience works and how it benefits practitioners.

When we uncover the truth, we arm ourselves with valuable insights, and that's truly empowering. In this article, we will dispel 3 Scrum myths.

Many organizations are striving to become more adaptive a means not just to survive, but to thrive.  The success of an adaptive organization hinges significantly on the capabilities of its people, which often raises the question of how to select people for agile teams.

Scrum Masters are often skilled facilitators, and use that skill to help their Scrum teams make decisions and conduct discussions an a positive, productive manner. But does that mean all the facilitation belongs to the Scrum Master? Can others step in as facilitators? And if so, how does a Scrum Mas...

In this video, Martin tackles the oft-misunderstood concept of Sprint Goals within the Scrum framework. 🎯 With a wealth of experience and a dash of Scottish grit, I guide you through setting Sprint Goals that are not just achievable but also meaningful and aligned with your project's needs.

If you or your team are new to Scrum, you can use this as a starting point to answer, “what should we be doing and why?” for each Scrum Event. If your team is more experienced but you feel like you’re drifting away from healthy behaviors and patterns and you’re not sure how to course correct - you c...

Scrum Teams often take the items of their Product Backlog and divide them into smaller tasks to help them better understand and keep track of their work. But how long should those tasks be? A few hours? A day? A few days? Are week-long tasks ok? What’s the rule of thumb when it comes to tasks for th...

In this article, we delve into common anti-patterns at the Scrum Team level: from planning and process breakdown to conflict avoidance and miscommunication to inattention to quality and commitment.

How can you help increase engagement in your team — or can you? Is engagement something you can support, influence, or force? PST's Gregory Crown, Jason Malmstadt, and Robert Pieper tackle this frequently-asked question in today’s Scrum Lightning Round.

Whether it’s questioning assumptions, coaching in agility, or helping to resolve impediments, effective Scrum Masters drive change. But far too often, Scrum Masters are so focused on change at the team level, that the broader changes required at the organization level go unsupported. How can a Scrum...

In this video, Martin delves deep into the challenges of working with a new Scrum Team, emphasising the importance of understanding the core principles over mere mechanics. 🛠️🔄

How do experts and specialists who are used to working alone fit on a Scrum Team? What should be considered with getting started with a new Scrum Team? In this video, Professional Scrum Trainers Greg Crown and Robb Pieper address these questions about the “lone wolf” developer that may just not want...

Scrum Values make the use of Scrum successful. How can these values bring more Transparency to your Increment? Check it out!

Have you ever joined an organization as a Scrum Master, Coach or Trainer with a smile on your face, good intentions in your mind and love in your heart, only to be received with inexplicable levels of hostility, contempt and aggression? Were you surprised about what was happening to you, why and wha...

The Scrum framework describes Scrum Master, Product Owner and Developers as “accountabilities” and not “roles.” This puts emphasis on the fact that Scrum Teams are results-oriented, with clear accountabilities among team members, rather than an organizational construct. Product Owner, Scrum Maste...

The Scrum Team is a small unit of professionals focused on attaining the Product Goal. Scrum Teams consist of a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Developers. Each has a clear set of accountabilities. Learn more about the Scrum Team, accountabilities, responsibilities and why these aren’t called “roles.”

An experiment that encourages teams to select their own metrics

In this live session of the Ask a Professional Scrum Trainer webcast, PSTs Todd Miller and Ryan Ripley will answer your burning questions on the topic of Product Backlog Management. (58:17 Minutes)

Patricia Kong joins as guest host with guests Professional Scrum Trainer Ravi Verma and Agile for Patriots graduates Brittny Snyder, Chris Cole and Jeremy Thomas to talk about their journey through the Agile for Patriots program and using the Nexus framework. (31:10 Minutes)

Or is it a sacrilege to tweak the ‘immutable’ framework to accommodate our teams’ and organizations’ needs?

Here is a remote-friendly exercise that has helped dozens of my teams find and implement tangible, actionable ideas to stop starting and start finishing. The exercise is quick, doesn’t need much preparation, and lets participants experience the downsides of multitasking very directly on a physical l...

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Dave West is joined by Marjolein Pilon, a Scrum Master based in the Netherlands to talk about the very important topic of Climate Change. (25:43 Minutes)

In this video, Joanna explores the intriguing parallels between the world of mushroom foraging and agility. From choosing the right environment to the importance of patience and focus, we uncover how these seemingly disparate activities share core principles.

We teach the most awesome courses, but is a certification really needed to be a great Scrum Master?

The Daily Scrum can be reduced to a status meeting where likely a Scrum Board or a Burn Down chart is referenced perhaps… but do these tools help with transparency? They certainly can, but how are you using them? If your stakeholders and other product participants could know what the progress is at ...

In this article, we'll explore some popular tools and apps, including Jira, Team Foundation Server, Rally, and others, that Scrum Masters can leverage to help teams visualize their work, increase Transparency and increase team efficiency.

Embarking on a journey as a Scrum Master is a challenging and rewarding endeavor. As you step into this accountability within a Scrum Team, you'll find yourself at the crossroads of collaboration, leadership, and continuous improvement - a position that is necessary to deliver value effectively. ...

Determining whether a Scrum Master is effective can be challenging, as their impact is often indirect and not always easy to measure quantitatively. In this article, we will explore key indicators that can help you evaluate the effectiveness of a Scrum Master.

A lot of Scrum Teams are struggling to get stakeholder engagement in their Sprint Reviews. Without the proper engagement from stakeholders, Product Owners run the risk of not properly adapting the Product Backlog. There are many different ways to spawn better stakeholder engagement. This article is ...

In this video, I, Martin, delve deep into the pivotal role of a Scrum Master or Agile Coach in motivating a Scrum Team. 📈🤝 I emphasise the importance of empathy, connection, and understanding the essence of a team's purpose. 🎯

Does your Scrum Team find itself locked into destructive conflicts where each team member is convinced that their way is the only way, the best way and that everybody else who dares to disagree is crazy? Are you interested in shifting the dynamic from an "us vs. them" adversarial conflict to an "...

🚀 Dive into the world of empiricism in Agile development! 🌍 Discover how inspecting and adapting, deeply rooted in Agile practices like Scrum, ensures organisations stay ahead of the curve. 🔄 Join me on this journey through the Scottish Highlands of Agile development 🏞️, where change is the only con...

Scrum Values make the use of Scrum successful. How can you and your Team live these values during the Daily Scrum? Check it out!

In this recording of a live session of Ask a Professional Scrum Trainer, PST Ciprian Banica answers questions about the Scrum Master accountability, Product Ownership, measurement, how to improve your Sprint Retrospective and more!

When we talk about desired stances of a Scrum Master - Change Agent is one of them and we emphasize that a Professional Scrum Master should be an effective Agent of Change. However, in my subjective point of view, we rarely mention the domain of Change Management explicitly and we do not emphasize t...

In a world marked by constant change and complexity, effective facilitation has become a critical skill for individuals and organizations alike. Whether you're leading a Sprint Planning event, a brainstorming session, or a strategic planning workshop, the ability to guide conversations, foster inclu...

In this vlog, join your hosts Andreanna Marshall, a professional Scrum Trainer at scrum.org, and the fantastic Scrum Master, Scott, as they dive deep into the Sprint Retrospective and provide several facilitation techniques to improve the event.