Developing People and Teams [P2]: Leadership Styles - The 28 characteristics of a great scrum master

Question 1

What does the SM act as? (7)

Answer 1

Servant Leader

Facilitator

Coach

Conflict navigator

Manager

Mentor

Teacher

Question 2

Explain the “Servant leader” part of an SM

Answer 2

Facilitator- by setting the stage and providing clear boundaries in which the team can collaborate;

Question 3

Explain the “Facilitator” part of an SM

Answer 3

Facilitator- by setting the stage and providing clear boundaries in which the team can collaborate;

Question 4

Explain the “Coach” part of an SM

Answer 4

Coach- coaching the individual with a focus on mindset and behaviour, the team in continuous improvement and the organization in truly collaborating with the Scrum team;

Question 5

Explain the “Conflict navigator” part of an SM

Answer 5

Conflict navigator- to address unproductive attitudes and dysfunctional behaviors;

Question 6

Explain the “manager” part of an SM

Answer 6

Manager- responsible for managing impediments, eliminate waste, managing the process, managing the team’s health, managing the boundaries of self-organization, and managing the culture;

Question 7

Explain the “mentor” part of an SM

Answer 7

Mentor- that transfers agile knowledge and experience to the team;

Question 8

Explain the “teacher” part of an SM

Answer 8

Teacher- to ensure Scrum is understood and enacted.

Question 9

What does a great SM do?

Answer 9

(1) Involves the team with setting up to process
(2) Understands team development
(3) Understands principles are more important than practices
(4) Recognizes and acts on team conflict
(5) Dares to be disruptive
(6) Is aware of the smell of the place
(7) Is both dispensable and wanted
(8) Let his team fail (occasionally)
(9) Encourages ownership
(10) Well read
(11) Well studied
(12) Is RE-TRAINED
(13) Has faith in self-organization
(14) Values rhythm
(15) Knows the power of silence
(16) Observes
(17) Share experiences
(18) Has a backpack full of different retrospective formats.
(19) Can coach professionally
(20) Has influence at organizational level
(21) Prevent impediments
(22) Isn’t noticed
(23) Forms a great duo with the Product Owner
(24) Allows leadership to thrive
(25) Is familiar with gamification
(26) Understands there’s more than just Scrum
(27) Leads by example
(28) Is a born facilitator.

Question 10

Explain the SM aspect of “Involves the team with setting up to process”

Answer 10

ensures the entire team supports the implemented Scrum process

Question 11

Explain the SM aspect of “Understands team development “

Answer 11

Tuckman’sdifferent stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning

Question 12

Explain the SM aspect of “Dares to be disruptive “

Answer 12

understands some changes will only occur by being disruptive. Knows when it’s necessary and is capable to be disruptive enough to enforce a change, but without causing irreparable damage

Question 13

Explain the SM aspect of “Is both dispensable and wanted”

Answer 13

supported the growth of teams in such a manner they don’t need him anymore on daily basis. But due his proven contribution he will get asked for advice frequently. His role has changed from a daily coach and teacher to a periodical mentor and advisor.

Question 14

Explain the SM aspect of “Let his team fail (occasionally)”

Answer 14

A great Scrum Master knows when to prevent the team from failing but also understands when he shouldn’t prevent it. The lessons learned after a mistake might be more valuable than some good advice beforehand.

Question 15

Explain the SM aspect of “well read”

Answer 15

Has read…stuff produced by e.g. Geoff Watts, Lyssa Adkins, Tobias Mayer, Henrik Kniberg, Growing Agile and Gunther Verheyen. Basically he knows whom to follow in his area of study

Question 16

Explain the SM aspect of “well studied”

Answer 16

Has studied… theTrelloboard[4]that Growing Agile has published. The Shu-Ha-Ri levels offer a very useful structure to a knowledge base for every Scrum Master.

Question 17

Explain the SM aspect of “Is RE-TRAINED”

Answer 17

A great Scrum Master recognizes himself in the acronym made up byGeoff Watts

Question 18

Explain the SM aspect of “Has faith in self-organization”

Answer 18

• “Bring it to the team” is his daily motto
• increase ownership of the work
  • Some examples are: they make their own decisions about their work, estimate their own work, have a strong willingness to cooperate and team members feel they are coming together to achieve a common purpose through release goals, sprint goals and team goals

Question 19

Explain the SM aspect of “Values rhythm”

Answer 19

does everything to create and maintain it. The sprint rhythm should become the team’s heartbeat, which doesn’t cost any energy. Everyone knows the date, time and purpose of every Scrum event. They know what is expected and how to prepare. Therefore a complete focus on the content is possible.

Question 20

Explain the SM aspect of “Observes”

Answer 20

• He doesn’t have an active role within every session. The daily Scrum for example is done by the team itself
• clearer outside perspective

Question 21

Explain the SM aspect of “Share experiences”

Answer 21

• This might be within the organization, but also seminars and conferences are a great way to share experiences and gather knowledge.
• writing down your lessons learned

Question 22

Explain the SM aspect of “Share experiences”

Answer 22

• This might be within the organization, but also seminars and conferences are a great way to share experiences and gather knowledge.
• writing down your lessons learned

Question 23

Explain the SM aspect of “Has a backpack full of different retrospective formats.”

Answer 23

• ensures the retrospective will be a fun and useful event for the team.
• knows what format is most suitable given the team’s situation.
• supports the team by hosting their own retrospective. To improve involvement this is an absolute winner!

Question 24

Explain the SM aspect of “Has influence at organizational level”

Answer 24

• knows how to motivate and influence at tactic and strategic level.
• Some of the most difficult impediments a team will face occur at these levels; therefore it’s important a Scrum Master knows how to act at the different levels within an organization.

Question 25

Explain the SM aspect of “Prevent impediments”

Answer 25

• not only resolves impediments, he prevents them
• ‘read’ situations and hereby act on them proactively.

Question 26

Explain the SM aspect of “Isn’t noticed”

Answer 26

• isn’t always actively present
• He doesn’t disturb the team unnecessary and supports the team in getting into the desired ‘flow’. But when the team needs him, he’s always directly available.

Question 27

Explain the SM aspect of “Forms a great duo with the Product Owner”

Answer 27

has an outstanding partnership with the Product Owner. Although their interest are different, the Product Owner ‘pushes’ the team, the Scrum Master protects the team. A solid partnership is extremely valuable for the Development Team.

Question 28

Explain the SM aspect of “Allows leadership to thrive”

Answer 28

sees this as a success of their coaching style. They believe in the motto “leadership isn’t just a title, it’s an attitude”. And it’s an attitude everyone in the team can apply.

Question 29

Explain the SM aspect of “Is familiar with gamification”

Answer 29

use the concepts of game thinking and game mechanics to engage users in solving problems and increase users’ contribution.

Question 30

Explain the SM aspect of “Understands there’s more than just Scrum”

Answer 30

also competent with XP, Kanban and Lean. He knows the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks of every method/framework/principle and how & when to use them. He tries to understand what a team wants to achieve and helps them become more effective in an agile context.

Question 31

Explain the SM aspect of “Leads by example”

Answer 31

someone that team members want to follow. He does this by inspiring them to unleash their inner potential and showing them the desired behavior. At difficult times, he shows them how to act on it; he doesn’t panic, stays calm and helps the team find the solution. Therefore a great Scrum Master should have some resemblance of Gandalf

Question 32

Explain the SM aspect of “Is a born facilitator.”

Answer 32

A great Scrum Master has facilitation as his second nature. All the Scrum events are a joy to attend, and every other meeting is well prepared, useful and fun, and has a clear outcome and purpose.

Question 33

What is the RE-TRAINED acronym?

Answer 33

Resourceful
Enabling
Tactful
Respected
Alternative
Inspiring
Nurturing
Empathic
Disruptive

Question 34

Elaborate on the “Resourceful” part of the RE-TRAINED acronynm

Answer 34

Resourceful, is creative in removing impediments

Question 35

Elaborate on the “Enabling” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 35

Enabling, is passionate about helping others

Question 36

Elaborate on the “Tactful” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 36

Tactful, is diplomacy personified

Question 37

Elaborate on the “Respected” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 37

Respected, has a reputation for integrity

Question 38

Elaborate on the “Alternative” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 38

Alternative, is prepared to promote a counter-culture

Question 39

Elaborate on the “Inspiring” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 39

Inspiring, generates enthusiasm and energy in others

Question 40

Elaborate on the “Nurturing” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 40

Nurturing, enjoys helping teams and individuals develop and grow

Question 41

Elaborate on the “Empathic” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 41

Empathic, is sensitive to those around them

Question 42

Elaborate on the “Disruptive” part of the RE-TRAINED acronym

Answer 42

Disruptive, breaks the status quo, help create a new way of working