I have completed reading 2 parts of "Succeeding with
Agile: Software Development Using Scrum - By Mike Cohn" and its explaining
some of the fantastic attributes of Scrum Master. I am pretty impressed with
the attributes of scrum master explained by Mike Cohn.
Responsible
A good ScrumMaster is able and willing to assume
responsibility. That is not to say that ScrumMasters are responsible for the
success of the project; that is shared by the team as a whole. However, the
ScrumMaster is responsible for maximizing the throughput of the team and for
assisting team members in adopting and using Scrum. As noted earlier, the
ScrumMaster takes on this responsibility without assuming any of the authority
that might be useful in achieving it.
Humble
A good ScrumMaster is not in it for her ego. She may take
pride (often immense pride) in her achievements, but the feeling will be “look
what I helped accomplish” rather than the more self-centered “look what I
accomplished.” A humble ScrumMaster is one who realizes the job does not come
with a company car or parking spot near the building entrance. Rather than putting
her own needs first, a humble ScrumMaster is willing to do whatever is
necessary to help the team achieve its goal. Humble ScrumMasters recognize the
value in all team members and by example lead others to the same opinion.
Collaborative
A good ScrumMaster works to ensure a collaborative culture
exists within the team. The ScrumMaster needs to make sure team members feel
able to raise issues for open discussion and that they feel supported in doing
so. The right ScrumMaster helps create a collaborative atmosphere for the team
through words and actions. When disputes arise, collaborative ScrumMasters
encourage teams to think in terms of solutions that benefit all involved rather
than in terms of winners and losers.
Committed
Although being a ScrumMaster is not always a full-time job,
it does require someone who is fully committed to doing it. The ScrumMaster
must feel the same high level of commitment to the project and the goals of the
current sprint as the team members do. As part of that commitment, a good
ScrumMaster does not end very many days with impediments left unaddressed.
There will, of course, be times when this is inevitable, as not all impediments
can be removed in a day.
Influential
A successful ScrumMaster influences others, both on the team
and outside it. Initially, team members might need to be persuaded to give
Scrum a fair trial or to behave more collaboratively; later, a ScrumMaster may
need to convince a team to try a new technical practice, such as test-driven
development or pair programming. A ScrumMaster should know how to exert
influence without resorting to a dictatorial “because I say so” style.
Knowledgeable
Beyond having a solid understanding of and experience with
Scrum, the best ScrumMasters also have the technical, market, or other
specialized knowledge to help the team pursue its goal. LaFasto and Larson have
studied successful teams and their leaders and have concluded that “an intimate
and detailed knowledge of how something works increases the chance of the
leader helping the team surface the more subtle technical issues that must be
addressed” (2001, 133). Although ScrumMasters do not necessarily need to be
marketing gurus or programming experts, they should know enough about both to
be effective in leading the team.
