Scrum is a different way to do work. The Scrum Master is not a project manager - yet so many organizations try to force this square peg into a round hole. Check out this presentation to learn how Scrum Mastery is all about teaching, facilitating and guiding others and not about being their adult daycare provider.

1. GetYour Hands Off theTeam’sWork!
#REALCHANGE
http://collaborativeleadershipteam.com
@CoLeadTeam

2. Author
Certified LeSS Practitioner
Certified ScrumTrainer
• 25+ years InformationTechnology with
traditional SDLC and Scrum/Agile
• Chief Change Officer, CoLeadTeam
• Mom, Wife,Teammate and Lifelong
Learner based in Minneapolis, MN
Angela Johnson, CLP, CST
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Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
@AgileAngela
/angelajohnsonscrumtrainer
https://thescrummasterfiles.com/

3. Scrum Masters aren’t
Secretaries…
and there is no Project Manager in Scrum…
there is no Business Analyst either
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Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team

4. “Note taking is a valuable form of processing
information to increase the likelihood of understanding
and remembering”
“Learning is born from interactions”
Jay Cross, Informal Learning
copyright 2007 JohnWiley & Sons, Inc.
Learning to Learn
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Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team

5. “They [the ScrumTeam] usually acquire this degree of
transparency after refining activities.”
The Scrum Guide
copyright 2020 Ken Schwaber & Jeff Sutherland
Product Backlog Refinement
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Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team

6. Misuse of the User Story
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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“Just tell stories, don’t bury lessons in Jira”
“Stories are told, they are not written”
@KentBeck
“A story is a placeholder to have a conversation.”
@RonJeffries
Continue the conversation until we achieve
confirmation…understanding of acceptance.

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Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team

8. • Human beings are experiential learners
• Scrum Masters help facilitate conversations but are
not intended to take learning opportunities away from
people who will be doing the work
• Scrum Masters coach the ScrumTeam on working
together in a “rugby-like” approach - but don’t take the
ball away from the players
• Do we want people building the product to be the ones
who understand it the least?
Experiential Learning
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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9. • Product Owner: is accountable for maximizing the value
of the product resulting from the work of the Scrum
Team
• Scrum Master: is accountable for establishing Scrum as
defined in the Scrum Guide
• Developers are always accountable for:
– Creating a plan for the Sprint, the Sprint Backlog
– Instilling quality by adhering to a Definition of Done
– Adapting their plan each day toward the Sprint Goal
– Holding each other accountable as professionals
Accountability
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10. Pop Quiz: who decides
sizing techniques?
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11. • The Developers!
• The Developers who will be doing the work are
responsible for the sizing.
• Are you disempowering the Developers by
prescriptively telling them that they have to use
story points?That they have to use some sort of
poker game to reach consensus instead of
determining their own decision-making process?
Sizing
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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12. Pop Quiz: who conducts
the Daily Scrum?
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13. • The Developers!
• They select any structure and techniques they want
as long as their Daily Scrum focuses on progress
toward the Sprint Goal and produces an actionable
plan on the next day of work
• Are you disempowering the Developers by calling on
people, telling them they have to stand or adhere to
certain questions that have nothing to do with the
Sprint Goal?
Daily Scrum
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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14. • Scrum Masters are true leaders who serve the Scrum
Team and the larger Organization
• Teaching isn’t doing something for someone; it’s
about enabling them to do for themselves
• Coaching isn’t “fixing” anyone
• It’s not about tool administration or prescribing
templates either
• Coaches make observations, provide actionable
feedback and ask powerful questions
What to Do Instead:Teach, Coach & Guide
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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15. • Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines facilitation as
“to make easier” and to “help bring about”
• The Scrum Master facilitates Scrum Events as
requested or as needed and also facilitates
conversations or activities outside of Scrum Events as
necessary
• Facilitating takes preparation and focus
• It’s not about writing on a whiteboard or taking notes
• It requires paying attention to many non-verbal cues
such as facial expressions, body language and actively
listening
What to Do Instead: Facilitate
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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16. • Literally
• Stop taking away Developers’ accountability by
updating a Sprint Burndown or a Sprint Backlog for
them
• Teach them the purpose of the Sprint Backlog as a
Transparency, Inspect and Adapt mechanism about
the Sprint Goal
• Teach them their role in Refinement and objectively
facilitate conversations
GetYour Hands Off theTeam’sWork…
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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17. • Stop taking away the Product Owner’s
accountability by updating Release Burndown charts
or Product Forecasts – teach them how to do it
• Understand that the majority of your job will happen
outside of Scrum events and will involve making
observations, asking questions and facilitating
conversations
• Coaching doesn’t necessarily take place in group
settings; you will need to invest in 1:1 time and
demonstrate versatility in your coaching style based
on the person you are working with
GetYour Hands Off theTeam’sWork…
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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18. To learn more about becoming an
exceptional Scrum Master or Coach,
check out:
“The Scrum Master Files”!
The Scrum Master Files
Copyright 2023 Collaborative Leadership Team
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For a signed copy, visit:
https://coleadteam.info/scrummasterfiles
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