When any
organization plans to implement scrum methodology, it first decides about two individuals who play a crucial part
in scrum implementation – the product
owner and the scrum master. While the role of the product owner is more or
less adjudged by the principles and guidelines specified in the scrum guide, it
is the scrum master’s role which
needs to be decided upon, as to which person can best satisfy the requirements
of a scrum master. Generally, people taking up the role of a scrum master
belong to a managerial class. It is generally believed that managerial
personnel have the experience required to handle teams successfully and come up
with positive results. However, this is not always the case, and non-managerial
individuals can also take up the responsibilities if they are properly trained
for it, and have the potential to deliver positive results. Ideally, the main
question asked by the management and the stakeholders should be “Which person
can best act as a scrum master and deliver results while supporting the
inherent principles of scrum?” rather than ”Which scrum master can function as
an ideal manager and deliver the results out of scrum implementation?” It is a
fact most scrum master struggle while handling their teams when they start with
their careers. Being a scrum master is not an easy task. It is important for a
scrum master to follow some principles other than those laid down by scrum to
win people and successfully deliver the project. Scrum is all about sharing and
collaboration. It is important to know what the scrum master can do to be
effective.
1.
Work on a single project
There is a Russian proverb which says if you chase two
rabbits simultaneously, you will succeed in catching neither of them. If you
are required to handle two projects simultaneously, and if you are putting in one
hundred percent towards your work, in reality you are contributing only fifty
percent to each project. It means you are not doing hundred percent justice to
your projects. This is an important point which every scrum master should know
and follow. Working on a single project would mean that you remain dedicated to
only one project, and you can put in cent percent of your efforts in the
project. One of the reasons why scrum master handle multiple projects is they
fear if one of the project fails to deliver or work out, they can still
successfully complete the other one, and somewhat save their reputation as
successful scrum masters. Successful scrum master get invited to handle new
projects, not failed ones. It is important to have confidence in one’s ability
to succeed, and put in everything to make the project a distinct success.
2.
Focus upon improving the team effectiveness
Scrum is about teamwork. Scrum framework promotes
overall participation and contribution of all team members rather than
individual contributions from team members. When scrum is implemented, it
creates transparency. Members are supposed to act together as a team and
deliver the results out of collaborative efforts. This is what scrum advocates.
For a successful implementation of scrum, it is very important for team members
to collaborate and share their findings with others. When people start focusing
upon individual efforts and contributions, the “we” attitude is replaced by “I”
attitude, and the person stops communicating his or her findings to others, and
desires to take the credit for the development carried out. This is where scum
would fail. Scrum does not require contribution from one particular
“individual”, rather it desires an overall output from the entire team. Scrum
masters should ensure the team members ought to collaborate and contribute in a
collective manner, and should focus upon improving the team effectiveness to
function as a whole unit.
3.
Facilitate rather than manage
Traditional managers and scrum master who believe in
delegating their authority to a great extent may find it difficult to mould
their thoughts and behavior to suit the role of an ideal scrum master. Scrum is
based upon the principles of self-organization and team collaboration. One of
the best ways to achieve this is to “facilitate” rather than “manage” the teams
in what they do. A few pointers my help
you decide what to do and what to avoid:
What should
be avoided:
-
Avoid taking
decisions on behalf of the team members
-
Avoid assigning
work directly to the team members
-
Avoid tracking
individual team member’s performance
-
Avoid taking
credit for the work done by the team
-
Avoid engaging
the team during status meetings
What should
be done:
-
Aid in removing
the impediments
-
Set up special one-on-one
mentoring sessions for each team member
-
Provide
suggestions and inputs regarding how to improve upon the features
-
Participate in a
collective manner while hiring additional or new team members
-
Help each team
member to plan about career development activities
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