Open discussion for all things Scrum and Agile.
Starting a new engagement next week with a team that has explicitly said they don't need a Scrum Master. They've been self-managing for 6 months and leadership brought me in because delivery has slowed. My approach: 1. Don't come in trying to change everything 2. Observe for the first sprint — attend ceremonies, look at metrics 3. Build trust through individual conversations 4. Find ONE area where I can add clear value 5. Let results speak But I'm nervous. Anyone been in this situation? What worked?
I'll probably get heat for this, but hear me out. I've worked with dozens of Scrum Masters across multiple organizations, and the pattern I see is: - They manage the Jira board instead of coaching the team - They report status to management instead of protecting the team - They assign work instead of letting the team self-organize - They run ceremonies as checkbox exercises True Scrum Mastery is about servant leadership, coaching, and organizational change. How many of us are actually doing that vs. being glorified project managers? I'm not trying to gatekeep — I'm trying to start a conversation about how we elevate the role.
Hey everyone! Welcome to Scrum Island, the community built by and for Scrum Masters. Whether you're a seasoned CSM or just starting your agile journey, this is your space. Drop a comment below and tell us: - Your name and where you're based - How long you've been a Scrum Master - One thing you're hoping to learn or share here Let's build something great together! 🏝️