Marina shares her challenging experience of being the first Scrum Master to join a company new to Agile. She describes the awkward moment of joining a team via Zoom, only to discover that no one knew she was coming or fully understood her role. Marina explains how she navigated this uncomfortable situation by being patient, transparent, and not taking people’s defensive reactions personally. She emphasizes that when people face unexpected change, their fear can manifest as resistance, making it crucial for Scrum Masters to remain calm, open, and focused on building understanding rather than reacting with frustration.
Self-reflection Question: How might you prepare yourself emotionally and strategically for joining a team that isn’t expecting you or doesn’t understand the Scrum Master role?
🚀 Global Agile Summit 2025
Join us in Tallinn, Estonia, from May 18th – 20th, 2025, for an event that will inspire, challenge, and equip you with real-world Agile success stories.
🌍 Connect with global Agile leaders.
💡 Learn practical strategies for impact.
🔥 Break free from Agile fatigue and become a Pragmatic Innovator.
About Marina Lazovic
Marina is a Scrum Master and Kanban Trainer from Belgrade, Serbia, with nearly a decade in the IT industry. Though not from a technical background, she is passionate about helping development teams and organizations optimize processes and build great products using Agile. She thrives on driving efficiency and fostering collaboration.
You can link with Marina Lazovic on LinkedIn.
