Who is your Scrum Master?
I see a scrum master is expected to do a daily chores and mundane rituals. Its a belief of some and they presume that’s what it helps the team to achieve and the project to succeed and bad to all is an assumption of that’s all he got to do it.
It’s must to follow the custom, process and bring discipline in the game. And that helps to predict the outcomes and that’s the basic and a 101. But the scrum masters are not expected to stop there. Actually that’s the start and not the end.
Scrum master can underplay, over play and even to stay out of the game. This is completely depends on what the team needs to achieve their fullest potential.
Underplay — Scrum masters should know they are not there to prove what they know. It’s absolutely alright if the team got an edge to nail it. Tone down your game and reserve your energy for the better cause.
Overplay — A premature team may struggle to get the rhythm. Don’t be hesitant to step out and give a shoulder. Don’t look deep what you are doing and just help moving. Ask them to be mindful and coach them to be on their own.
Stay out — It’s perfectly fine to stay out and do meaningful work that counts. No point in force fitting a role and be ignorant on the deadweight. Scrum master should be a whistle blower, should call out at least for his own goodness. Or else, you will mearly survive until a spot light comes on your way.
A scrum master should be creative enough to find what’s the need of the team in short term and in long term. A need can exists in 3 forms and they are
- All W(o)men — A matured team. You go chill out Mr.Scrum Master
- Short Term — Team might be struggling on basics and needs handholding from the scrum master
- Long Term — Team is good in short term perspective but not cognitive about long term needs (i.e what if one of the team member wants to quit the team in 6months for his own goodness. Nothing burning today but the scrum master is responsible to get the engine going in same throttle).
Be watchful and they may need you even to say to go chill out 😉
