Just been assigned as a new scrum master on an already established scrum team? Joined a new company as a scrum master? Here are a few tips to understanding the team dynamics and quickly transitioning into your servant leader role.
Schedule a 15-minute get acquainted with all scrum team members
- Ask them to tell you about themselves, their challenges and their hobbies/interests. This will give you an overview of where the blockers lie and give you ideas on how to serve the team best
- Find out about their current ceremonies, adherence to cadences and how agile the team truly is
- Remind them you are not their boss, not their PM, but rather there to empower them as team members and ensure the agile framework is adopted
Armed with this info, not only did you build rapport, created an icebreaker with each team member, you understand the team needs and dynamics and can come up with your road map on how to serve the team.
Team name/rules
- Find out if the team has a name. If not, nothing is more fun than to have the team come up with a name. Have them submit their nominations then have everyone vote.
- Find out if the team has rules of engagement, set up a meeting and have them come up with a list.
- Do they have a Definition of Done for their sprints? No, then schedule a meeting to define the DoD.
Inject fun into the daily scrum
- We’ve all heard about tossing the ball around in daily stand up. But take it to the next level. If the team members are sports fanatics, toss a different sports ball around depending on the season. If the NFL is in season, toss a tiny football. If the US tennis open is in full swing, toss a tennis ball. Start each sprint with a a sports trivia question. This injects fun and unpredictability to a monotonous ceremony.
Retrospectives:
- Find out if the team start their retrospective with an icebreaker, If not, introduce retrospectives at every icebreaker. It brings the team closer and encourages transparency. One of my favorite icebreakers can be found at Tasty Cupcakes.
- After a few retrospectives, ask team members to take turns coming up with a fun icebreaker.
Backlog refinement:
- Consider using planning poker for story sizing. It is a fun way to vote on points in lieu of cards.
Start by serving before leading
- It is important to start being a servant to the team before leading. Earn their respect and trust FIRST.
Roula Lombardi – Principal
Agile at Best – Bardo WebTeks