What are the most asymmetrical problems for a new Scrum Master?

Dejan Majkic, MA in CS & IT
4 min readJan 21, 2023

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Hello and welcome to a new lecture about Scrum.

We are going to be talking about the most asymmetrical problem for new Scrum Masters, and how to overcome them, in just a second.

But first, let me share why Scrum Masters are a vital part of many organizations…

They play a critical role in guiding teams through the Scrum process.

Scrum is designed to help teams work together more effectively and deliver products and services faster and with higher quality.

If you follow my work then you already know that Scrum Masters serve as the facilitators of the Scrum process, helping teams to follow the framework and ensuring that they are adhering to the principles of Scrum.

They also act as coaches for the team, helping them to identify and address any issues or challenges that arise.

But now only that, Scrum Masters also work to remove any obstacles that may impede the progress of the team and help to ensure that the team is working towards the goal of delivering value to the customer.

They also help to create a culture of continuous improvement within the team, which helps teams to become more efficient and effective over time.

Another important aspect of the scrum master role is acting as a liaison between the developers and the stakeholders.

They help to ensure that the stakeholders understand the progress of the project and that the developers understand the stakeholders’ needs.

And now, it’s time for the most asymmetrical problem for the new Scrum Master.

  • I believe that one of the most asymmetric problems for new Scrum Masters is balancing the role of servant-leader and enforcer of Scrum principles.

Because as a servant leader, the Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating the team’s progress and removing obstacles, Right?

But they must also ensure that the team is following Scrum’s defined processes and practices.

This can be challenging, as the Scrum Master must be able to effectively lead the team while also holding them accountable to the framework. Right?

  • Now, let me share one more asymmetrical problem, and after that, I will share a combined solution. OK?

Scrum Masters may also have trouble getting team members to buy in and follow the process because people don’t like the change.

As a scrum master, it’s your role to educate, coach, and facilitate the team to follow the scrum process, but it takes time and patience to make this happen.

Now, from my experience I want to share 9 practices for Scrum Masters in resolving these 2 problems:

  1. Clearly communicate the benefits of Scrum, such as increased transparency, better collaboration, and faster delivery of value, to the team. This will help them understand why the framework is important and how it can benefit them.
  2. Provide training and education on Scrum principles and practices to the team, and even to the stakeholders. This will help them understand the framework and how to work within it.
  3. Act as a coach for the team, helping them to identify and address any issues or challenges that arise. This will help build a culture of continuous improvement within the team.
  4. Encourage collaboration among team members and build a culture of trust. This will help the team understand the importance of working together effectively.
  5. Empower the team to take ownership of the process and make decisions about how to best implement Scrum. This will help create a sense of ownership and commitment among the team members.
  6. Celebrate the team’s successes and progress, this will help team members feel valued and motivated to continue working together.
  7. Provide regular feedback to the team on their progress and how they are implementing Scrum. This will help them understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve.
  8. Leading by example in terms of transparency and openness will create a culture of trust and respect, and team members will be more willing to follow the process.
  9. And finally, Be patient and understand that change takes time, it takes time for the team to understand, adopt and adapt to the new process, so be persistent in your efforts to educate and coach the team through the process.

And that’s it, I hope these practices will help you in your role. If you find something else that needs to be added to this list, please live your comment.

Improve your Scrum Master skills with Agile and Scrum Masterclass

Thank you.

Dejan

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Dejan Majkic, MA in CS & IT
Dejan Majkic, MA in CS & IT

Written by Dejan Majkic, MA in CS & IT

Hi. My name is Dejan Majkic. I am a Master of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Product Owner, Scrum Master, Trainer. https://www.whatisscrum.org/

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