Manager as scrum master
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The document is a discussion led by Brad Swanson on whether a manager can effectively serve as a scrum master, highlighting both potential benefits and pitfalls. Key challenges include management style, authority inconsistencies, and workload, while the successful integration requires a servant leadership mindset and transparent feedback processes. The document also addresses the impact of combining roles on organizational dynamics and team trust.
Manager as scrum master
- 1. CAN YOUR MANAGER BE YOUR SCRUM MASTER? BRAD SWANSON, AGILE COACH & TRAINER @ AGILITY 11
- 2. BRAD SWANSON Brad Swanson started building software at age 10 on the Apple IIe and has worked as a developer, manager, consultant, and coach for 24 years. He was an early adopter of Agile practices, starting with XP in 1999. As a Coach, Brad has led successful Agile transformations at multi-national enterprises, startups, and everything in between. As a trainer, he has taught thousands of people across the globe. Brad is also a Certified Scrum Trainer® (CST) and Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC) with expertise in XP, Scrum, Lean and Kanban. 2 @bradswanson LinkedIn.com/in/bradswanson
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- 4. POLL: CAN IT WORK WELL FOR A MANAGER TO ALSO BE A SCRUM MASTER? 4
- 5. 5 Manager $ Scrum Master 1. Facilitate 2. Coach 3. Remove impediments 1. Typical ‘Manager’ responsibilities 2. ?
- 6. PITFALLS OF MANAGER AS SM? 6
- 7. PITFALLS OF MANAGER AS SM? 7 1. Management style: Manager lacks the mindset & skills to be a good Scrum Master 2. Fear of salary consequences when team members interact with Manager+Scrum Master 3. Inconsistent authority: The Manager manages only part of the Scrum team (matrix structure) 4. Workload: Too much work?
- 8. PITFALLS OF SEPARATE MGR & SM? 8
- 9. PITFALLS OF SEPARATE MGR & SM? 9 1. Redundant responsibilities 2. SM lacks authority to remove impediments & affect changes 3. Weakened, less respected Scrum Master role: ‘Scrum Secretary’ 4. Higher cost: more salaries to pay 5. Manager lacks real insight into team & individual issues
- 10. VALUABLE LEADERSHIP TRAITS 10 ✓ Facilitation skills ✓ ✓ Coaching skills ✓ ✓ Influencer / change agent ✓ ✓ Trust ✓ ✓ Persistence ✓ ✓ Interpersonal skills ✓ ✓ Planning & organization skills ✓ ✓ Servant leadership style ✓ ✓ Positional Authority +- ✓ Compensation decision authority ?
- 11. 2 CONDITIONS FOR MANAGER TO SUCCEED AS SCRUM MASTER 11 1. Servant leadership mindset to gain team trust 2. Remove fear of unfair salary decisions $
- 12. JOB PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK • Frequent ! • Actionable & specific !" • Less Formal ! • From peers ! • Transparent !#" • Manager as feedback facilitator vs. sole decision maker on compensation ! 12
- 13. PEER-BASED REVIEWS Job Level 1: Salary range $80 - $100k* • Expectations A, B, C Job Level 2: Salary range $100 - $120k • Higher Expectations C, D, E Job Level 3: Salary range $120 - $140k • Highest Expectations F, G, H 13 !👍! !👍! #👎! *Salary ranges & expectations are transparent to everyone
- 14. THE ART OF LEADERSHIP “The art of leadership is not to spend your time measuring, evaluating. It’s all about selecting the person. And if you believe you selected the right person, then you give that person the freedom, the authority, the delegation to innovate and to lead with some very simple measure.” -- Peter Nanterme, Accenture CEO 14
- 15. UN-MATRIX 15 Graphic © 2012 Kenneth S. Rubin & Innolution LLC. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission. Product Owner Mgr + SM
- 16. COULD THIS WORK? 16 $ Responsibilities: 1. Facilitate 2. Coach 3. Remove impediments 4. + other typical manager duties?
- 17. OVERCOMING PITFALLS 1. Choose one pitfall of Managers as Scrum Masters from the first activity 2. Form a small group to explore it & appoint a facilitator 3. How would the manager need to adjust to overcome this pitfall? 4. How would the organization need to adjust to overcome this pitfall? 5. Write down your ideas. 17
- 18. COULD THIS WORK? 18 $ Responsibilities: 1. Facilitate 2. Coach 3. Remove impediments 4. + other typical manager duties?
- 19. THANK YOU! 19 @bradswanson LinkedIn.com/in/bradswanson 10% off Brad’s CSPO or CSM training in Denver with discount code: AgileDenverMeetup goo.gl/HdUrvw www.scrumalliance.org