The Action Engineering team embraces an Agile mindset & Scrum practices in our work.
In our Agile articles, we share tips & coaching opportunities that work well for us.
Good leaders must first become good servants.”
Robert K. Greenleaf
When organizations first venture into the world of Agile, one of the first moves that management often makes is to assign the project manager to the Scrum Master role.
While the project manager might have the right skill set for the job, the responsibilities of the Scrum Master are very different than those of a traditional project manager. The responsibilities that a project manager held in a waterfall organization – such as managing budget, schedule, and scope – align better with that of the product owner.
The Scrum Master is the expert on all things Agile. They coach the team to live Agile values and principles in every aspect of their work. The Scrum Master is a resource to clearing obstacles and busting through impediments so the development team can focus on their work. As an expert on Agile and Scrum, the Scrum Master fosters an environment where the team can be effective and protected from outside interruptions and distractions.
“Servant leader” is a concept often used to describe the role of the Scrum Master. A servant leader exists to put the needs of those they serve first and help those around them develop and perform at a high level. Instead of the people working to serve the leader, the servant leader exists to serve the people. A Scrum Master is not the master of the team, but instead is the master at coaching and mentoring people to realize their full potential as a Scrum team.
Your former project manager might just be the right person for the Scrum Master role, or it could be someone you’d least expect. Send us a message if you need help identifying the right people in your organization to be Scrum Masters!
Emily Cosgrove:
Former Agile Team Lead,
Certified ScrumMaster®
Kate Hubbard:
Former CMO
Certified ScrumMaster®