Becoming a better ScrumMaster

A few short words to help you on your way.

Introduction

Lots of people have taken the ScrumMaster course.

But I don't think we (we agile people) have helped the ScrumMasters impress all the right people with how valuable they are (or can be).

Hence, these words today.

What is effective?

First, what does your company value? What do the managers value? What does your Team value?

You can try to define the value or effectiveness of the ScrumMaster, so that they accept your definition. And you might convince them.

But you are likely to make a faster impression if you start with something they already value. Today we will start with the managers.

The business managers value business success, and those things that immediately contribute to that. Or so I think. (What matters most is what your particular manager or managers value. Ask them.)

Do things that lead to success.

Yes, there are lots of things that people say you are supposed to do as a ScrumMaster.

Focus and prioritize! (HT to Mike Vizdos.) Which ones will lead to the most success for the Team? Do those!

Fix Impediments that Increase Velocity

Our guess is this: Focus on impediments that lead to better long-term Velocity for the Team. Aka Team Effectiveness.

Help the Team make a Top 20 Impediments List. Help the Team prioritize it. Anything that we can fix, mitigate or add is an "impediment." (Call it a continuous improvement list if you prefer.)

And get someone to always be working on the top impediment. (Who? You. Or the Scrum Team (or part of one, as part of the Sprint Backlog). Or some people outside the team, maybe outside the company. Be creative!)

Anything that can be fixed or mitigated or added is an "impediment". The only question is, of all the things that are imperfect, which ones to fix to get the most improvement quickly. You mainly want to maximize the ROI on fixing impediments (a high ratio of benefit for each unit of cost).

Two Words

Fun. Help the Team have fun in their work.

Many benefits from that, one being the increased willingness to change and try new things.

Morale. The ScrumMaster is responsible for team morale. (The PO for Motivation, at least as much as anyone can be.) Fun of course increases morale. Winning each Sprint will also. Building trust will also increase morale. Just do it!

(You can not make people be someone you want, but you can help people become someone they have not realized yet.)

Sell

You have to "sell" what you are doing for the Team to the Team and to the managers.

Sorry!

They are not assuming you are valuable. They will not recognize it if you do not provide the information for them to go "oh, geez, the SM really is valuable."

Show them numbers. That you worked (or got others to work) on the TOP impediment. The Top Impediment that THEY picked. Show how many impediments you helped fix. How much the Velocity increased. Other numbers about how things are better.

Find out how much Business Value is normally expected from a team. (I would assume in the $3 million / year range.) So, if you increase the Velocity 20% in a year, that should translate, on average, to a $600,000 improvement (on a go-forward basis).

Tell the manager to tell their boss about X improvement (let the manager take the credit). Any half-way good manager will also give you some of the credit.

One advantage: As the managers see that the added value is rather significant, they will release money to fix impediments. They will "invest" more in fixing impediments.

Also, demand a reasonable (good) raise and/or bonus as you start to show your value. If you bring in the bacon, they should reward you. Not with 100% of the value of the benefit you caused to happen, but with a meaningful portion of it.

Other things

People have probably told you that a SM is supposed to do 20 different things (in any case, a long list). Those are all probably good ideas at one point or another.

Again I say: Focus. Focus on the top impediment on the list now. Mostly. (If someone really demands that you facilitate a meeting -- well, do that sometimes. But when done, get back to the biggest impediment.)

No person (aka no SM) is good at everything. No person is good at fixing every kind of impediment. So, do not expect that you are. Get the right person (or people) for each impediment. Spend reasonable $ on fixing (or mitigating) it. Even if you did not get your hands dirty in the fixing, you still deserve credit for your role in getting it done sooner (or done at all).

Conclusion

1. Help the Team identify the impediments
2. Help the Team order them (mainly using ROI)
3. Get them fixed (by yourself or by others)
4. Sell the value
5. Help them understand
6. Get your recognition (for yourself and for all good ScrumMasters)

It's ok to dribble some in the NCAA Tournament, as long as it leads to a score.