What is understood by the
servant leader role?
There are several interpretations of the servant leader role, and many
experts have contributed their versions as to what the exact definition should include.
However, to summarize all those definitions, the role can be best defined as a
virtue, or a trait, which can put the priorities of others first, and maintain
a humane attitude towards them. While a debate can extend indefinitely as to
how the word “humane” should be understood, a person acting in the capacity of
a scrum master might exhibit certain characteristics common to the role to be
considered as an ideal servant leader.
Listening
A good listener can grasp the finer points of a discussion and make
informed decisions. It is very important to be sensitive to the team’s needs
and the problems faced by them. The scrum master should listen carefully to what the team members have to say during
the daily scrum meeting. He or she
should make efforts to pick up clues and pointers pertaining to
self-organization and try to encourage the team members to accept them. People
have different types of natures, and while some are extroverts with an ability
to express their views and opinions easily and loudly, many developers are of
introvert types and may find it difficult to vocally express their ideas. The
scrum master should be on the lookout as to what these types of individuals
want to say, and help them to open up and express their views and opinions
without any inhibitions. It is also equally important to detect any impediments
faced by the team members, and advise them how to go about them.
Awareness
The awareness concerning a particular situation ought to be gained
keeping in mind a holistic view to avail a better understanding regarding the
ethics and moral values. It is very important for the scrum master to
understand and look at situations from a much higher level than the rest of the
team to gain a complete picture associated with a particular scenario. The
person should ideally think above the role of a developer, and try to act more
as a facilitator than anything else. It is important to remain detached with
the team, yet remain close to it. The scrum master should maintain a proper
balance between the two different parts of the same role. It becomes easy to
implement scrum in a systematic manner if you remain detached, since it helps
you to observe the workings as a third person. Scrum does not support active
participation of the scrum master in leading the team directly by providing
instructions to them. At the same time, the servant leader role supports
compassion and closeness, which is only possible if you involve yourself on a
personal basis with the team member. Therefore, it is important to be aware
about both these antithetical requirements of the role, and carry it out by
balancing both the aspects.
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