What powers does a Scrum Master need to have

[Nirmaljeet M]

The role of a Scrum Master is looked as that of a facilitator and problem solver (hope no disagreements there). However, Scrum Masters are at a receiving end whenever a team is unable to meet its commitments or the code coverage is not within acceptable limit or in case of any negative scenarios.

I would like to know thoughts about the kind of powers that the Scrum Master should have to be able to take tough decisions when it comes to taking corrective actions? Or do you think the Scrum Master should just continue to be a facilitator and just hope that the team will continue to meet their project commitments.

Thank you.

[Yves Hanoulle]

Scrambled by my Yphone

Op 10-feb.-2013 om 14:35 heeft Nirmaljeet M <mnirm...@gmail.com> het volgende geschreven:

The role of a Scrum Master is looked as that of a facilitator and problem solver (hope no disagreements there). However, Scrum Masters are at a receiving end whenever a team is unable to meet its commitments or the code coverage is not within acceptable limit or in case of any negative scenarios.

I would like to know thoughts about the kind of powers that the Scrum Master should have to be able to take tough decisions when it comes to taking corrective actions?

Could you give me an idea what kind of actions you talk about?

Or do you think the Scrum Master should just continue to be a facilitator and just hope

a facilitator is not about just hope.

You have visual management that can help a team lot To understand where they stand.

that the team will continue to meet their project commitments.

Thank you.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to scruma...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

[Pierre Neis]

- coaching knowledge

- ears to listen

- patience

- bowls to make things happen

but never ever bee a co-worker (ie developer). it's a fulltime job!

Kind regards, cordialement, mit freundliche Grüsse,

Pierre E. Neis 
Scrum/Lean Coach - Senior Management Consultant


12, rue Hiehl | L-7597 Reckange | Luxembourg
M: +352 661 727 867

email:  pierr...@we-and-co.com
web:    http://wecompany.wordpress.com/
Meet with me: http://meetwith.me/pierreneis
 

Contact me: pierre.neis

Get a signature like this. CLICK HERE.  

[Mark Levison]

Replying from my phone please excuse brevity.

The ScrumMaster acts in part as a mirror helping the team see how they look. A mirror has no power. Instead the team change because they see the issues and are motivated to get better. Self organization doesn't take root overnight, it takes time and the team needs room to grow.

Power in the ScrumMaster destroys self organization and effectively brings us back to the role of the Project Manager.

Cheers
Mark

--

[Nirmaljeet Malhotra]

Thanks all for your thoughts.

I am referring to a setup where a Scrum Master is running a scrum team, however; all team members report to their respective line/project managers. For example developers report into dev managers and testers report into test managers. So if the Scrum Master is facing challenges with any of the team members, after he has done enough to sort the problem, the  last resort is to escalate to the respective managers to explore options. The Scrum Master is unable to ask for something like letting a team member go from the team. Basically Scrum Master does not have the power to take any hard decisions since the scrum team members do not report into him.

This might sound too basic a question to ask, but I will still ask. Learning never stops.

--
Nirmaljeet Malhotra, PMP

[John Miller]

Hi,

 Scrum Master is running a scrum team, 

A Scrum Master does not "run" a Scrum team. Not sure if this is what you really mean.

The Scrum master must lead from influence, not authority. But most of all, helps build the capacity of all members of the team to be leaders, truly operating as servant leader that is challenges the team to improve and be more self-organization and self-leadership. It is a tough role since there is no position of authority to hide behind, she must harness all her strengths constantly : )

Thanks,

John Miller

http://theagileschool.blogspot.com/

[LESLIE SCANTLING]

I echo John's comments.  I always wince when I hear people search for 'power' or 'authority' elements of the scrummaster role.  I team and coach that Agile is a series of 'citirical conversations' about scope, requirements, effort, team hitting goals, sustainable pace, etc....and then the why or why not.  The fine skill is to facilitate the team in all these conversations and helping the team address their 'exposed disfunction' ...and encourage the team to have the strength to change..
 

---

From: agiles...@gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Scrum] What powers does a Scrum Master need to have
Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 09:34:21 -0700
To: scruma...@googlegroups.com

-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to scruma...@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

 REGISTER NOW for the Scrum Gathering Las Vegas 2013 

[Yves Hanoulle]

2013/2/10 Nirmaljeet Malhotra <mnirm...@gmail.com>

Thanks all for your thoughts.

I am referring to a setup where a Scrum Master is running a scrum team,

as said before a sm does not run a team.

 

however; all team members report to their respective line/project managers.

 

For example developers report into dev managers and testers report into test managers. So if the Scrum Master is facing challenges with any of the team members, after he has done enough to sort the problem, the  last resort is to escalate to the respective managers to explore options.

the team members should report this

 

The Scrum Master is unable to ask for something like letting a team member go from the team. Basically Scrum Master does not have the power to take any hard decisions since the scrum team members do not report into him.

no one ever reports to a scrum master

 

This might sound too basic a question to ask, but I will still ask. Learning never stops.

these are not basic questions these are fundamental questions

and yiou are right to ask them.

too many companies have these problems

[John Miller]

Oy, I need to start proof reading my emails : (

Thank You,

John 

Sent from my iPhone. It likes to sabotage my grammar. 

[Michael James]

On Feb 10, 2013, at 8:27 AM, Nirmaljeet Malhotra <mnirm...@gmail.com> wrote:

The Scrum Master is unable to ask for something like letting a team member go from the team.

I'm looking for Scrum Masters to create environments that give teams what they need, rather than direct management.  For example, a team having no say over who joins them (or stays with them) is an organizational impediment the Scrum Master would use his persuasive influence to resolve in the outer organization.

--mj

http://ScrumTrainingSeries.com

[George Dinwiddie]

Nirmaljeet,

On 2/10/13 8:35 AM, Nirmaljeet M wrote:
> The role of a Scrum Master is looked as that of a facilitator and
> problem solver (hope no disagreements there). However, Scrum Masters are
> at a receiving end whenever a team is unable to meet its commitments or
> the code coverage is not within acceptable limit or in case of
> any negative scenarios.

Before I can offer any advice on your questions, below, I need to know
what you mean by the above. What do you mean by being "at a receiving
end?" Receiving what? From whom? And why is the Scrum Master receiving this?

> I would like to know thoughts about the kind of powers that the Scrum
> Master should have to be able to take tough decisions when it comes to
> taking corrective actions? Or do you think the Scrum Master should just
> continue to be a facilitator and just hope that the team will continue
> to meet their project commitments.

- George

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
* George Dinwiddie * http://blog.gdinwiddie.com
Software Development http://www.idiacomputing.com
Consultant and Coach http://www.agilemaryland.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Alan Dayley]

I agree with George. There are indicators here of things happening outside the immediate team that probably will render ineffective any change to accomodate inside the team.

Alan

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to scrumalliance+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

[Michael Vizdos]

And.

If this is actually happening it is an impediment that needs to be worked on.

The Scrum Master is not the person outside stakeholders or even the team can use as a focus of blame or shame or even reward.

It's easy to say that here. It's easy to read that in a book or even learn it in a class or workshop.

Real Life. It exposes the dysfunctional happenings that exist in most organizations that people want to blame on Scrum but exist with or without Scrum being in place.

Keep listening. Keep learning.

At the end of the day something probably has to change and this can totally suck. Doing the same thing is also a choice you can make (and people may call that insanity while others may call it real life).

Mike Vizdos
Implementingscrum.com

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com.

[George Dinwiddie]

Yes, and the specifics of the "real life" situation affects the advice I
would give.

- George

On 2/11/13 10:53 AM, Michael Vizdos wrote:
> And.
>
> If this is actually happening it is an impediment that needs to be
> worked on.
>
> The Scrum Master is not the person outside stakeholders or even the team
> can use as a focus of blame or shame or even reward.
>
> It's easy to say that here. It's easy to read that in a book or even
> learn it in a class or workshop.
>
> Real Life. It exposes the dysfunctional happenings that exist in most
> organizations that people want to blame on Scrum but exist with or
> without Scrum being in place.
>
> Keep listening. Keep learning.
>
> At the end of the day something probably has to change and this can
> totally suck. Doing the same thing is also a choice you can make (and
> people may call that insanity while others may call it real life).
>
> Mike Vizdos
> Implementingscrum.com
>
> On Feb 10, 2013 10:40 PM, "Alan Dayley" <ada...@gmail.com

> ------------------------------__------------------------------__----------

> * George Dinwiddie * http://blog.gdinwiddie.com
> Software Development http://www.idiacomputing.com
> Consultant and Coach http://www.agilemaryland.org

> ------------------------------__------------------------------__----------

>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the
> Google Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work."
> group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from
> it, send an email to

> scrumalliance+unsubscribe@__googlegroups.com
> <mailto:scrumalliance%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>.

> To post to this group, send email to
> scruma...@googlegroups.com

> <mailto:scruma...@googlegroups.com>__.
> Visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/__group/scrumalliance?hl=en
> <http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en>.
> For more options, visit
> https://groups.google.com/__groups/opt_out
> <https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out>.

>
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,

> send an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:scrumalliance%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>.

> To post to this group, send email to scruma...@googlegroups.com

> <mailto:scruma...@googlegroups.com>.

> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com.
> To post to this group, send email to scruma...@googlegroups.com.
> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
>
>

[Abhilash c]

I have seen this pain in few places.This is a problem seen in companies who are transitioning to agile methodologies from the traditional methods. Its very difficult for the management to let go the power hierarchy. They still want one single neck to catch. ScrumMasters in such an environment  has to do a critical job in the transition. You will have to use all your patience & wisdom to convince the management. 

Scrum is a collective team approach. If it succeeds everyone succeeds  if it fails everyone fails. Show the power of collective thinking & responsibility. Once the management observes the success, once that trust is established you will get more help from management and other stakeholders. 

If the team is unable to meet the commitment, do a retrospective  to find the root cause, once the root cause is identified make the necessary changes so that it is not repeated. Provide this analysis to the management also. Take them into confidence. 

Keep the communication channel open to educate the PO, team & other stakeholders about the technical debts. 

If you take a pro-active approach then sure management will support you.

As a ScrumMaster you might need the three most important powers  :)

• Patience
• Scrum Process knowledge
• Passion & commitment to improve the team

Regards

Abhilash

--

[Yves Hanoulle]

Scrambled by my Yphone

Op 27-feb.-2013 om 18:29 heeft Carlton Nettleton <car...@lookforwardconsulting.com> het volgende geschreven:

The role of a Scrum Master is looked as that of a facilitator and problem solver (hope no disagreements there). However, Scrum Masters are at a receiving end whenever a team is unable to meet its commitments or the code coverage is not within acceptable limit or in case of any negative scenarios.

I believe in this scenario, if someone were to ask me about this as an SM, I would remind them that it was the Team who made the commitment to meet a certain level of code coverage not the ScrumMaster and the proper people to ask is the Team.  Now, if the Team was unaware of this commitment or someone else made that commitment for them, then it is appropriate for the ScrumMaster to facilitate a conversation about what is the Team's commitment to code coverage. 

As for other negative scenarios, I would like to understand what those are before commenting.

I would like to know thoughts about the kind of powers that the Scrum Master should have to be able to take tough decisions when it comes to taking corrective actions? Or do you think the Scrum Master should just continue to be a facilitator and just hope that the team will continue to meet their project commitments.

If the Team, or any member of the Team, makes a commitment to one another, the Product Owner, the ScrumMaster or the organization, the ScrumMaster has the authority to hold people accountable to follow through on their commitments.  This is not a power that comes with the role, but authority the Team gives the ScrumMaster.  

For me anyone could and should do this.

It starts with the teammembers itself.

And after that the scrum master and PO. But first team members themselves.

When the SM brings it up, it should go along the lines of: I noticed you made a commitment and I have the feeling you do not hold your commitment. 

A) any idea about what I am talking

B) do you agree?

C) what will you ( as a team member and as a team) will do about it?

If the Team fails to follow through on their commitments, then (as Mark says) the ScrumMaster acts as the mirror to the Team and shows the difference between the Team's current behavior and their commitment.

Of course, people have the right to alter, change or renegotiate their commitments as they learn more and it would be appropriate for the ScrumMaster to help people understand the impact of that change. 

Carlton

[Ron Jeffries]

Hi Peter,

On Mar 1, 2013, at 5:53 AM, Peter Jetter <peter.j...@gmail.com> wrote:

We discussed this a lot in the linkedIn Scrum Practitioner group.

Conclusion: It is the SMs responsibility to remove impediments. Metaphor = Bulldozer.

In principle this might include "fire the CEO".

In practical terms, most SM lack effective influence on organisational change. Many agreed, that Scrum Coaches are typically more effective to introduce changes at strategic level, including organisational change.

That must be an interesting group.

The ScrumMaster's responsibility, as I understand it, is to "see that impediments are removed", not necessarily to remove them him or herself.

I am aware of no particular reason why a coach would be more (or less) effective. Can you perhaps explain why the ScrumMaster is different from a coach in that regard?

Ron Jeffries

www.XProgramming.com 

Before you contradict an old man, my fair friend, you should endeavor to understand him. - George Santayana

[Daniel James Gullo]

"What powers does a Scrum Master need?"  What an awesome question.  It is inspiring me to develop something related to superheros:  Invisibility, first and foremost.  Parting massive bodies of water.  Telekinesis.  The ability to read minds.  Flying over red tape....  

The bulldozer metaphor gives me a nervous twitch, though.  There is already a negative connotation when alpha personalities in the organization are steered toward the Scrum Master role.  The dynamics of the role are far more nuanced than most realize.  It's a precarious balance between assertiveness, servitude, resourcefulness, counselor, coach, mentor, friend, cheerleader, domain expert, etc.

Ganbarimasu-

Daniel Gullo

CSC, ACP, PMP, CSP, CSM, CSPO

Trinacria Consulting

daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com
302-276-4454

See you at:

REGISTER NOW for  2013 Scrum Gathering Las Vegas - #sglas

For more information on how to sponsor a Gathering, download the information packet or contact Yvonne at yde...@scrumalliance.org  or (905) 281-0555 ext 111.

On Mar 1, 2013, at 5:53 , Peter Jetter <peter.j...@gmail.com> wrote:

We discussed this a lot in the linkedIn Scrum Practitioner group.

Conclusion: It is the SMs responsibility to remove impediments. Metaphor = Bulldozer.

In principle this might include "fire the CEO".

In practical terms, most SM lack effective influence on organisational change. Many agreed, that Scrum Coaches are typically more effective to introduce changes at strategic level, including organisational change.

[Ron Jeffries]

Hi Daniel,

On Mar 1, 2013, at 7:11 AM, Daniel James Gullo <daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com> wrote:

"What powers does a Scrum Master need?"  What an awesome question.  It is inspiring me to develop something related to superheros:  Invisibility, first and foremost.  Parting massive bodies of water.  Telekinesis.  The ability to read minds.  Flying over red tape....  

The bulldozer metaphor gives me a nervous twitch, though.  There is already a negative connotation when alpha personalities in the organization are steered toward the Scrum Master role.  The dynamics of the role are far more nuanced than most realize.  It's a precarious balance between assertiveness, servitude, resourcefulness, counselor, coach, mentor, friend, cheerleader, domain expert, etc.

Yes. I think zero powers is the right answer. It's an influencing position not a powering one, IMO.

Ron Jeffries

www.XProgramming.com

I know we always like to say it'll be easier to do it now than it

will be to do it later. Not likely. I plan to be smarter later than

I am now, so I think it'll be just as easy later, maybe even easier.

Why pay now when we can pay later?

[Daniel James Gullo]

Well put, Ron.  You captured the essence of my meaning.  :)

Peace of Christ and blessings of our Lord be unto you, from my iPhone...

[Yves Hanoulle]

The power to inspire people that are separated ( by role, company, country etc) to work together

Scrambled by my Yphone

Op 1-mrt.-2013 om 13:11 heeft Daniel James Gullo <daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com> het volgende geschreven:

"What powers does a Scrum Master need?"  What an awesome question.  It is inspiring me to develop something related to superheros:  Invisibility, first and foremost.  Parting massive bodies of water.  Telekinesis.  The ability to read minds.  Flying over red tape....  

The bulldozer metaphor gives me a nervous twitch, though.  There is already a negative connotation when alpha personalities in the organization are steered toward the Scrum Master role.  The dynamics of the role are far more nuanced than most realize.  It's a precarious balance between assertiveness, servitude, resourcefulness, counselor, coach, mentor, friend, cheerleader, domain expert, etc.

Ganbarimasu-

Daniel Gullo

CSC, ACP, PMP, CSP, CSM, CSPO

Trinacria Consulting

daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com
302-276-4454

See you at:

<Las_Vegas_logo-smaller.jpg>

REGISTER NOW for  2013 Scrum Gathering Las Vegas - #sglas

For more information on how to sponsor a Gathering, download the information packet or contact Yvonne at yde...@scrumalliance.org  or (905) 281-0555 ext 111.

On Mar 1, 2013, at 5:53 , Peter Jetter <peter.j...@gmail.com> wrote:

We discussed this a lot in the linkedIn Scrum Practitioner group.

Conclusion: It is the SMs responsibility to remove impediments. Metaphor = Bulldozer.

In principle this might include "fire the CEO".

In practical terms, most SM lack effective influence on organisational change. Many agreed, that Scrum Coaches are typically more effective to introduce changes at strategic level, including organisational change.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Scrum Alliance - transforming the world of work." group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to scrumallianc...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to scruma...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/scrumalliance?hl=en.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
 
 

[Carlton Nettleton]

On Friday, March 1, 2013 6:13:55 AM UTC-8, YvesHanoulle wrote:

The power to inspire people that are separated ( by role, company, country etc) to work together

That is an AMAZING description!!! 

Carlton

[Yves Hanoulle]

Thank you. It's my answer to the question, what super power do you wish to have.

Scrambled by my Yphone

--

[George Dinwiddie]

Ron,

On 3/1/13 7:17 AM, Ron Jeffries wrote:
> Hi Daniel,
>
> On Mar 1, 2013, at 7:11 AM, Daniel James Gullo
> <daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com

> <mailto:daniel...@trinacria-consulting.com>> wrote:
>
>> "What powers does a Scrum Master need?" What an awesome question. It
>> is inspiring me to develop something related to superheros:
>> Invisibility, first and foremost. Parting massive bodies of water.
>> Telekinesis. The ability to read minds. Flying over red tape....
>>
>> The bulldozer metaphor gives me a nervous twitch, though. There is
>> already a negative connotation when alpha personalities in the
>> organization are steered toward the Scrum Master role. The dynamics
>> of the role are far more nuanced than most realize. It's a precarious
>> balance between assertiveness, servitude, resourcefulness, counselor,
>> coach, mentor, friend, cheerleader, domain expert, etc.
>
> Yes. I think zero powers is the right answer. It's an influencing
> position not a powering one, IMO.

Perhaps the power over oneself. It sometimes takes a lot of self-control
to not exert (or attempt to exert) power over others, or to de-power
others by taking things into your own hands.

- George

[Ron Jeffries]

Hi George,

On Mar 1, 2013, at 5:20 PM, George Dinwiddie <li...@iDIAcomputing.com> wrote:

Yes. I think zero powers is the right answer. It's an influencing
position not a powering one, IMO.

Perhaps the power over oneself. It sometimes takes a lot of self-control to not exert (or attempt to exert) power over others, or to de-power others by taking things into your own hands.

I suppose one could think of "power over oneself". That's not a phrase I'd use, since the math doesn't work out.

Ron Jeffries

www.XProgramming.com

Impossible is not a fact. It is an opinion.  -- Muhammad Ali

[joseph....@gmail.com]

Hi Nirmaljeet,

As you can see, you have asked a controversial question.

First, the whole Team (meaning the Scrum Team of course) is responsible jointly for success.
This is the way we want management to play it. Looks like they have a different view at your place.

Second, the SM is a member of the Team. The SM has several goals. One is to remove impediments. Another is to have the Team understand and use Scrum effectively. Another is to help the Team (the full Team) self-organize.

Now, often the SM was a former project manager. And the rest of the Team knows that.  So, we are very very leery of having the SM person return to his/her former habits.  Hence (at least in part) Ron's expression 'The SM has zero power.'

Perhaps it is better to say, that power is not helpful with knowledge creation.  And it is knowledge creation that is our job.

Sun Tze: The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

That is, if you use power, you have already failed.

Now, as a member of the Team, the SM has the power to talk. As every team member does. He does not take a vow of silence.

OK, so it is maybe useful to say that the SM has the power (if he/she really knows Scrum) to define Scrum for the Team. Not to make them do it, but to define it. Now, honestly, plenty of SMs do not know Scrum yet. So, watch out for this one.

What is most remarkable is: Even if you are being held individually accountable for success, they best thing you can do is not use power.  Tell the Team the truth, and let them help you.

Well, my best guesses and advice from a distance. I hope it helps you.

Regards, Joe