Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Johannes Andersen: The Critical Role of the Leap of Faith in Organizational Change Programs Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Johannes discusses leading a small business unit through a change process to improve project flow and efficiency. Initially working in silos, the team aimed to reorganize around customer-focused products. Despite considering an outside-in model, they chose an inside-out approach for practicality. An off-site session helped visualize the workflow under the new structure, but progress in the change was slow due to overplanning. Johannes learned that successful change requires adaptability and a leap of faith, emphasizing the importance of navigating between complicated and complex models as reality shifts. In this episode, we talk about the importance of being able to differentiate between complex and complicated types of

Johannes Andersen: Disjoint Silos, The Illusion of Teamwork and How it Affects Agile Coaches’ Work Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this segment, Johannes reflects on his transition from a business unit to an HR position, which initially seemed promising due to the team-based approach they embraced in HR. However, he soon discovered that the HR team lacked unity, with various small roles not functioning cohesively as a team. Tasked by his manager to enhance the HR team's effectiveness, Johannes found himself dedicating much of his time to internal issues rather than organizational improvement. The core issue was the absence of a shared goal, leading to misalignment and lack of collaboration within the team, effectively making them "disjoint silos" rather than a unified force. We discuss Vasco’s mnemonic of “One Team, One Goal” andthe importance of aligning

Johannes Andersen: Collaboration Over Isolated Performance, Lessons Learned as a Scrum Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Johannes shares a personal story of his struggles as a Product Owner (PO). In his early career, Johannes believed he needed to have all the answers and provide detailed requirements alone; but he quickly found that it was not so easy to define all the features by himself. This experience taught him the importance of involving the entire team in writing user stories, highlighting that collaboration, not individual effort, leads to success. Johannes emphasizes focusing on outcomes, encouraging POs to ask goal-oriented questions and to view technical solutions through the lens of their importance. He recommends resources like Mike Burrows' list of questions to foster effective communication and collaboration.   [I

BONUS: Beyond Profit, How Happy Office Is Redefining Success in the Workplace, with Maartje Jansen and Fennande van der Meulen Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Maartje and Fennande's journey into the realm of happiness at work began with a blend of personal insight and professional evolution.  A conversation with a neighbor about the  innovative step of hiring the Netherlands' first Chief Happiness Officer, led them to the realization that prioritizing worker happiness is not just beneficial but essential for business success.  This revelation was the cornerstone for founding Happy Office, the consultancy they work for. Both had always valued engagement and purpose in their work, but now they were seeing the business world through a new lens: one that focuses on harnessing the full potential of employees, beyond just profit generation.  Their early skept

Freddie Brown Jr: Inspiring Excellence, How the Commitment and Clarity Transforms the Performance of the Scrum Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Inspiring Excellence, How the Commitment and Clarity Transforms the Performance of the Scrum PO In this segment, Freddie highlights the exceptional qualities of a great Product Owner (PO), Sara. She exhibited visionary leadership, with a clear and effectively communicated product vision. Her ability to inspire the team and her commitment to the product's success were some of the most important qualities highlighted by Freddie. Sara's enthusiasm for the work, skill in defining and explaining requirements, and prompt feedback to the development team set her apart as an exemplary PO. The Bad Product Owner: Collaboration Over Dictation, Tackling the Micro-Manager Scrum PO Challenge

Freddie Brown Jr: Beyond Project Completion Metrics, The Key Metrics For Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. When it comes to defining success for Scrum Masters, Freddie invites us to go beyond conventional metrics like project completion. Key aspects include fostering collaboration, building high-performing teams, and enhancing organizational agility. Success encompasses team happiness and morale, creating a psychologically safe environment, encouraging innovation and efficiency, stakeholder feedback satisfaction, and effectively removing team impediments. Featured Retrospective Format For The Week: Simplifying Retrospectives for Impact When it comes to Agile retrospectives, Freddie emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness. He advocates for a straightforward approach, asking the team to reflect on what went well, what didn't, and potential improve

Freddie Brown Jr: From Assessment to Action, How Scrum Masters Can Start Their Engagement With A New Team Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Freddie shares a story from his role as a change agent in a team engagement. He begins with 'CCC' - coffee, conversation, and candidness - to understand the team's dynamics. Following this, he conducts a thorough team and technical assessment to identify gaps. In one case, while noticing a lack of SAFe knowledge, Freddie designed a Scaled Scrum Master workshop and implemented a skill improvement plan. The process concluded with a retrospective on the training, emphasizing the importance of celebrating changes and achievements, guided by metrics.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working

Freddie Brown Jr: Self-Organizing For Success, How Agile Teams Need to Define and Accept Roles and Responsibilities Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. This segment features Freddie discussing challenges faced by a team with undefined roles and blurred responsibilities. He recalls an experience where QA personnel doubled as Scrum Masters, leading to role confusion. Freddie emphasizes the effectiveness of the RACI matrix in clarifying roles and responsibilities. He advises fostering discussions where teams define their own roles, thereby encouraging self-organization and clear understanding of each member's duties. Featured Book of the Week: Whiteboard: Business Models That Inspire Action by Daren Martin In this segment, Freddie discusses how "Whiteboard" by Derrin Martin profoundly influenced his approach as a Scrum Master. The book, renowned for its models

Freddie Brown Jr: From Chaos to Clarity, How A Process To Manage The Inflow Of Work to an Agile Team Transformed Their Performance Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode with Freddie, we explore the story of a team that was grappling with conflicting priorities. Freddie stepped in to shield the team and initiated a dialogue with the leadership, who were familiar with agile methodologies. The root cause of the problem seemed to be the absence of a structured process to integrate and prioritize new work that led to shifting priorities. Freddie worked with the stakeholders to create a clear process for leaders to introduce and manage new priorities effectively, without disrupting the team. This story highlights the need for clear processes that manage the “inflow” of work to the team.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a cr

Viktor Didenchuk: Effective, Protective, Result-Oriented, The Traits of a Successful Scrum Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Effective, Protective, Result-Oriented, The Traits of a Successful PO When describing a great Product Owner and how they work, Viktor focuses first on effective communication; a great PO must clearly articulate what's working and what isn't to the team and stakeholders while fostering a reflective environment. Secondly, protection is essential; they must safeguard the team and product vision amidst constantly evolving technology, resisting the urge to chase every new trend. Finally, being result-oriented is vital; a great PO has a clear understanding of the desired outcomes and end state of the product. Viktor encapsulates this with the mantra, "It's always the leader who is wrong, and it's always th

Viktor Didenchuk: Reflect, Review, Succeed, How To Develop Your Own Success Routine As A Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Viktor discusses the definition of success for Scrum Masters, emphasizing the goal of making oneself redundant. For Viktor, success involves the team being self-sufficient in facilitating conversations and functioning effectively without constant guidance. He advocates for regular self-evaluation through 360 feedback and daily journaling to aid in self-development. Assessing team success and reviewing metrics in the scrum of scrums are crucial. Viktor encourages Scrum Masters to develop a personalized success routine, ensuring continuous improvement and effective team leadership. Featured Retrospective For The Week: The Battle Between Two Movies, Finding Relatable Metaphors For Retrospectives In this segment, Viktor discu

Viktor Didenchuk: Behind the Scenes, Helping A Company Pivot From Enterprise To SaaS, And How To Help Agile Teams Change Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Viktor discusses the transition of his company's focus from an enterprise-centric product to a SaaS offering. The main challenge was establishing an incident management process for the new product. The team sought inspiration from industry giants like Google and Netflix, creating a rulebook and testing the process in real-time. They used OKRs for regular review, gradually involving more staff. Stress factors for users were identified and addressed, including establishing a dedicated Slack channel. A critical hurdle was motivating people to participate, recognizing that incentives vary across individuals. The solution included designing benefits for those managing incidents, acknowledging that

Viktor Didenchuk: Leadership Lessons, Managing Agile Team Anxiety Sparked by Rumors Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this segment, Viktor shares his experience with a team affected by a rumor about organizational changes. The rumor, lacking official communication, grew and significantly impacted the team's dynamics. Team members felt different and became fearful for their jobs, leading to a decline in Agile values. Over months, the situation worsened, with anxiety amplifying the issue. Viktor emphasizes the importance of addressing rumors promptly, encouraging escalation to leadership for proper handling and making clear the consequences of neglecting such rumors. Featured Book Of the Week: The Swordless Samurai, by Kitami Masao Viktor discusses the impact of "The Swordless Samurai," a book detailing the leadership of a historic Japanese ruler. This tru

Viktor Didenchuk: Breaking the Ice, How To Turn a Tough Agile Retrospective Around Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Viktor, shares a challenging experience in conducting retrospectives. He faced difficulty in initiating conversations among engineers, who prefer concrete specifics over discussing feelings. Despite his facilitation skills, Viktor struggled to engage the team. Eventually, by openly admitting his uncertainty and holding space for silence, he encouraged team participation. Viktor shares tips like holding weekly retrospectives, setting up a retro board at the sprint's start, and using current events as facilitation tools, emphasizing that metaphors can significantly aid dialogue.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, an

BONUS: Beyond Frameworks, A Vision for Agile Coaching Excellence with Rahul Bhattacharya Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, we explore Rahul’s experience with Agile Coaching and how he developed his coaching approach systematically and beyond any frameworks. His latest book is: Coaching Agile: A guide for Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters to build and scale their coach approach, and now available on Amazon.  The Agile Coach's Toolbox: Beyond Frameworks  Rahul's journey from startup co-founder to Agile Coach is a story of evolution and adaptability. His experience in the corporate world, starting as a product manager, led him to realize the power of Agile methodologies. Rahul emphasizes the importance of a broad perspective, advocating for a framework-agnostic approach in Agile coaching. He shares invaluable lessons about what works and what doe

Kulsoom Pervez: From Interference to Empowerment, Overcoming Micromanagement Tendencies in a Scrum Product Owner Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Customer-Centric Product Owner, Focused On Clear Prioritization And Collaboration With The Scrum Team Kulsoom shares insights on the traits of a great Product Owner (PO), that excelled by staying close to the customer, understanding market needs, and bringing valuable insights to the team. This PO consistently communicated the vision and roadmap, while also being receptive to suggestions from the team. Notably, the PO’s ability to prioritize work effectively involved mastering the art of saying "no." This PO’s strengths included building strong relationships with the team and maintaining an open-minded approach, which facilitated a smooth and productive partnership, making the Scrum Master's

Kulsoom Pervez: Fostering Team Collaboration in Scrum, The Essence of Agile Leadership For Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. When it comes to success for Scrum Masters, Kulsoom focuses on team empowerment and collective success. She questions whether team members are happy and engaged in their work. Kulsoom emphasizes the importance of reminding teams to distinguish between what they can and cannot influence, especially when venting frustrations. She also touches upon the significance of team members owning their responsibilities instead of blaming others. The episode delves into whether team members assist each other collaboratively or try to individually stand out as heroes, underscoring the essence of teamwork in the realm of Scrum Mastery. Featured Retrospective Format For The Week: The Values Retrospectives, Helping Teams Find Purpose And Ali

Kulsoom Pervez: Creating Confident Teams, A Change Process To Tackle Agile Team Performance And Removing Impediments Continuously Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Kulsoom shares her experience as a Scrum Master tasked with improving a team. She identified key issues like the team's size and unaddressed impediments to delivering stories. Her approach involved building relationships with the team, innovating retrospective methods for a safe space, and partnering with middle management. Key lessons included running impediment surveys to highlight issues to leadership, prioritizing impediments with management, and preparing data for leadership conversations. These strategies led to a more confident team, unafraid to raise impediments, teaching her the importance of assuming positive intent, understanding leadership goals, and making leadership her allies.   [IMAGE

Kulsoom Pervez: The Struggle for Team Unity, And How To Recognize Our Limits As Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Kulsoom shares her experience with a group of skilled individuals who struggled to function as a team. As their Scrum Master, she noticed a lack of accountability and ownership, issues with completing sprint stories, and a blame culture during retrospectives. The team, marred by tension between developers and QA, created an unhealthy environment. Despite her efforts to revitalize retrospectives and foster change, progress was slow and draining. Eventually, Kulsoom and several team members left the company, leading her to understand the limits of her influence and the importance of self-care and mental health for Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches. Featured Book Of The Week: Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When St

Kulsoom Pervez: Building Trust, Not Agendas, And Learning To Be A Better Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Kulsoom discusses her challenging experience as a Scrum Master with a team new to agile in a scaled agile environment. Facing the departure of the previous Scrum Master, she steps in with determination but quickly adopts an overly directive approach. This causes change fatigue among team members, who were already struggling with a steep learning curve and significant changes in their work methods. Reflecting on this, Kulsoom advises new Scrum Masters to observe and understand a team's dynamics without a pre-set agenda, emphasizing the importance of building comfort and trust, and embracing curiosity over the need to "fix" the team.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Mast