Erik's Scrum Journey

scrum

Why Scrum helps resolve conflicts before they turn into shitstorms

As Scrum Masters, we are constantly moderating conflicts and deliberately bringing them to the fore, because the Scrum framework is designed to promote conflict resolution. Constantly.

If you take a closer look at Scrum events, you'll see that they regularly address all areas of teamwork where conflicts can arise. – negotiating what and how much will be done/achieved (planning); – negotiating what has been achieved and how to move forward (review). – Negotiating how the team will work together (retrospective).

I think this is smart on many levels, but the best thing about it is that teams learn to deal with small issues as they arise, so that at some point there isn't a huge pile of shit in the room that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

#Scrum #ScrumMaster #Conflicts

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

I just stumbled across the question on LinkedIn:

“How can you tell if your organization is ready for Scrum adoption?”

– and responded, inspired by Jan Fischbach:

Or: When should I seriously consider Scrum?

If any of these problems occur in your company, you should take the agile route: 1. Our company does not understand customer requirements. 2. Errors are found too late in the development process. (Possibly regularly by the customer) 3. Management interferes in operational work. 4. Too many projects at the same time. 5. Employees are burning out. 6. Poor communication.

(“Fun fact”: this is a list of the most important product management problems from 1996)

My collab on LinkedIn 📑 https://lnkd.in/e_GA2Kzr

#Scrum #Company #Management #Agile

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

TL;DR: It is acceptable, but a poor idea!

Celina, a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, posted on LinkedIn that she would skip the daily stand-up meeting if the team consistently failed to see its value.

'I would even go so far as to cancel the entire series if the team did not see the value of the daily.'

I wouldn't!

In fact, I consider the daily Scrum event to be one of the most important events in Scrum.

It is the central control tool for the development team during the sprint, enabling them to: – communicate their current status; – discuss the day's work; and – most importantly, align with the sprint goal.

Scrum Masters are servant leaders who also hold 'domain leadership', meaning they can – and, in my opinion, should – mark important events in their Scrum domain as mandatory and enforce them.

If absences become the norm, we Scrum Masters must intervene. At the very latest, we must intervene when the team simply stops doing Scrum, despite all the love for self-organisation.

'A line must be drawn here,' to quote Jean-Luc Picard, one of the greatest servant leaders of all time.

#Daily #Scrum #ScrumMaster

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

What do you do as a Scrum Master when servant leadership no longer gets you anywhere?

There’s a deeply underestimated aspect of the Scrum Master’s role — that of the Domain Leader. Alongside the Servant Leader, it’s one of Scrum’s essential leadership modes — only this one plays offense.

When Servant Leadership Reaches Its Limits

The Domain Leader ensures that the ethical fabric of discussion within — and around — the Scrum Team stays intact.

If, for example, there are recurring problems with disruptive personalities — or even outright saboteurs — this leadership stance steps in. It may mean temporarily excluding people from events or setting clear behavioral conditions that are defined and agreed upon within the team’s domain.

At times, it can even mean removing someone from the team altogether.

As a practical tool, I often use Team Agreements — documents that define shared expectations and, importantly, include the possibility of consequences when those agreements are violated.

Leadership, after all, isn’t just about serving others. Sometimes it’s about protecting the field so the team can grow.

#Scrum #ScrumMaster #Leadership

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

I often describe the work of a Scrum Master with the image of a gardener—or a farmer. It fits perfectly, really. As with every true leadership role, it’s less about control and more about cultivation.

The Best Leaders Think Like Farmers 👩‍🌾

(7 practices to help you do the same)

1) Don’t yell at the plants → Lead with understanding, not pressure.

2) Don’t blame the plants → Recognize effort and support growth.

3) Don’t pull the plants out by the roots → Be patient. Let progress unfold in its own rhythm.

4) Match the right plants to the right soil → Pair people thoughtfully with challenges, and embrace diversity.

5) Water and nourish → Invest in development, and praise generously.

6) Pull the weeds → Confront negativity—and remove toxicity before it spreads.

7) Remember: there are seasons—good and bad → Anticipate change, and prepare your people for it.

A heartfelt nod to Eric Partaker for these timeless insights.

Start planting the seeds of success today. Leadership may seem complex, but often it’s the simple, steady practices that make all the difference.

(via LinkedIn)

#Leadership #Scrum #ScrumMaster

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

Kill your Definition of Ready (DoR)

Ich habe kaum ein Scrum-Team getroffen, das in der Lage war, eine DoR selbstmotiviert als lebendiges Artefakt zu erhalten (mea culpa). Im Gegenteil; die DoR wird wahlweise immer größer, immer abwehrender; am Ende hast du einen Schutzschild gegen Aufgaben – denn erfüllen wird die Vorgaben der Defintion of Ready keine Story mehr.

Ich bin inzwischen davon überzeugt: Die Standardisierung von “Readyness” tötet zwei der wichtigsten agilen Werkzeuge: 1. Das Bauchgefühl 2. Die Diskussion

Vor allem in Deutschland diskutiert man am Ende eher über Semantik als über das Problem, das Feature, das Issue...

Ich unterstütze diese Idee wirklich: kill your DoRs ;)

#Scrum #ScrumMaster #DoR

PS Ich denke, es gibt einen Grund, warum es keine DoR im #ScrumGuide gibt

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

Scrum Master sind “Farmer”

Ich beschreibe die Tätigkeiten eines Scum Masters ja auch gerne mit dem Bild des Gärtners oder Farmers. Und es passt gut, wie für alle Führungsrollen ...

***

Die besten Führungskräfte denken wie Farmer 👩‍🌾

(7 Praktiken, die Ihnen helfen, dasselbe zu tun):

1) Brüllen Sie die Pflanzen nicht an –> Verstehe und führe ohne Druck

2) Geben Sie den Pflanzen nicht die Schuld –> Anstrengung anerkennen & Wachstum unterstützen

3) Entwurzeln Sie die Pflanzen nicht –> Sei geduldig mit den Fortschritten und gib ihnen Zeit, sich zu entwickeln

4) Wähle die besten Pflanzen für den Boden –> Bringen Sie Menschen mit Problemen zusammen & begrüßen Sie die Vielfalt

5) Bewässere und dünge –> Investiere in ihre Entwicklung & lobe großzügig

6) Unkraut entfernen –> Negativität ansprechen & giftige Menschen loswerden

7) Denken Sie daran, dass es Jahreszeiten geben wird (gute + schlecht) –> Antizipieren Sie Veränderungen und bereiten Sie sie auf Herausforderungen vor

Ein großes Lob an Eric Partaker für diese Tipps.

Beginnen Sie noch heute damit, die Saat des Erfolgs zu pflanzen. Führung mag komplex erscheinen. Aber in Wirklichkeit, einige einfache Praktiken können viel bewirken.

Via Linkedin

#Leadership #Scrum #ScrumMaster

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

Darf man das Daily in Scrum ausfallen lassen?

tl;dr: Man darf, allerdings eine echte Schietidee!

Celina, Scrum Masterin und Agile Coach, postete auf LinkedIn, dass Sie das Daily ausfallen lassen würde, wenn das Team nachhaltig keinen Sinn darin sieht.

“Ich würde auch so weit gehen, wenn das Team den Wert des Dailys nicht sieht auch die komplette Serie abzusagen”

– ich nicht!

Ich halte das Daily Scrum Event sogar für eines der wichtigsten Events in Scrum überhaupt.

Es ist das zentrale Steuerungsinstrument des Development Team im Sprint; – um den aktuellen Status zu kommunizieren, – die Arbeit des Tages zu besprechen und – imho am wichtigsten - – den Abgleich zum Sprintziel zu leisten.

Scrum Master sind nicht nur Servant Leader, sondern haben auch die “Domain Leadership” inne, was heißt, dass sie wichtige Events in ihrer Scrum-Domain eben auch als obligatorisch markieren und durchsetzen können – imho sollten.

Bleibt das Ausfallen keine Ausnahme, müssen wir Scrum Master sogar intervenieren. Spätestens immer dann, wenn das Team einfach kein Scrum mehr macht – bei aller Liebe zur Selbstorganisation.

“A line must be drawn here”, um mal Jean-Luc Picard, einen der größten Servant Leader aller Zukünfte zu zitieren ...

#Daily #Scrum #ScrumMaster

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

Scrum – Framework vs. Pattern

Ich bin heute über einen Blogpost von Bob Galen gestolpert, der den Shift weg von “Frameworks” (wie Scrum), hin zu “Patterns” (wie unFIX oder Holocracy) propagiert. Er reiht sich ein in den lauten Abgesang an Scrum und den Einsatz von ScrumMaster:innen – und ich habe damit ein Problem: ich verstehe diese Diskussion nicht.

Sie klingt akademisch, hilflos (wie so manche Marketing-Sau, die wir durchs Dorf haben reiten sehen) und tief selbstreferenziell.

Eines kann ich zur Diskussion aber beisteuern, wenn ich darf (und vielleicht erklärt mir ja jemand von euch, wozu diese Diskussionen gut sind ;)):

  1. Ich habe den Effekt erlebt, wenn Scrum Master in agilen Teams fehlen, womöglich über längere Zeit. Das ist wie mit jedem gepflegten und gehegten Sociotop; man merkt es anfangs nicht, aber nach sechs Monaten gerät fast alles aus den Fugen – und dann wirds anstrengend. Wie eine Farm, auf der die Farmerin fehlt.

  2. Grundsätzliche Eigenschaften von agilen Teams, wie das “Pull-Prinzip”, die Selbstorganisation, das Delegieren von Macht top-down und das regelmäßige “Inspect and Adapt” bleiben wichtig und finden sich in jedem Konstrukt, ob nun Pattern oder nicht ;)

#Scrum #Framework #ScrumMaster

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.

Re: Scrum Metrics

Meine Lieblingsmetriken als Scrum Master sind von Kanban ausgeliehen ;)

Ich habe bspw. gute Erfahrungen damit gemacht, Metriken von anderen Frameworks in Scrum zu integrieren. So sagt bspw. die “Cycle Time” von Aufgaben manchmal mehr über Schwierigkeiten aus, als Zuckungen der “Velocity” des Teams.

Die “Cycle Time” bezeichnet die Zeit, die ein Issue braucht, um von einem Status in den anderen zu gelangen (oder von 2do zu done, je nach Betrachtung). In Jira gibt es einen Standard-Report, der das zeigt: das Control Chart.

Eine Analyse der Issues, die bspw. im Testing feststecken oder Issues, die Sprint-über-Sprint in der To-do-Spalte Moos ansetzen, kann sehr hilfreich sein.

Teams in Retros Muster erkennen zu lassen und gemeinsam zu besprechen, zählt zu den effektivsten Tools, die ich kenne.

#Scrum #Kanban #Jira #Metriken #Velocity

Find me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ehauth/ Mastodon: norden.social/@ring2

Me: As a Senior Scrum Master, I lead agile teams to deliver innovative and user-centric digital products and services for the media industry. With over 25 years of work experience in various roles and sectors, I have developed a diverse and versatile skill set that includes Scrumban, Scrum, Facilitation, Product Management, and Project Leadership.

I hold a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) credential from Scrum Alliance and a Facilitator badge. I also write as a columnist for ZEIT ONLINE, sharing my insights and perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, innovation, and culture.