If you are a Scrum Master, you probably have asked yourself: where do I go to learn to be a better Scrum Master?
We look for Agile books, for the “best” scrum book or the “best” agile book. And sometimes even an Agile Podcast like this one right here!
If you are looking to improve your knowledge of scrum you came to the right place.
4 of the best agile books
We’ve interviewed as of October 2017 more than 150 Scrum Masters from all over the world, and based on their recommendations for books to read, we’ve collected a list of 4 must-read books for Scrum Masters. The books are:
Getting started with Agile: Succeeding with Agile by Mike Cohn
When we start our Agile Journey it is critical that we have a good understanding (and some war stories) of what the journey is likely to be. In this book, Mike Cohn presents detailed recommendations, powerful tips, and real-world case studies drawn from his unparalleled experience helping hundreds of software organizations make Scrum and agile work.
Read reviews for Succeeding with Agile by Mike Cohn.
Creating great teams: The 5 Dysfunctions of a team by Patrick Lencioni
As you start your Scrum Master and Agile adoption journey, one critical aspect of the journey is to learn to work with teams. As you work through the team development phases, you also need to take into account what are the key anti-patterns of teams and how to deal with those. In this book, Patrick Lencioni reveals the five dysfunctions of a team which go to the very heart of why teams even the best ones-often struggle. He outlines a powerful model and actionable steps that can be used to overcome these common hurdles and build a cohesive, effective team.
Read reviews of for The 5 Dysfunctions of a team by Patrick Lencioni
Beyond the dysfunctions, high-performance teams: Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins
As we learn to work with teams better and master the basics, the next challenges come up. How do we help our teams to go from Functional to high-performing? In this book, Lyssa Adkins gives agile coaches the insights they need to adopt this new mindset and to guide teams to extraordinary performance in a re-energized work environment. You’ll gain a deep view into the role of the agile coach, discover what works and what doesn’t, and learn how to adapt powerful skills from many allied disciplines, including the fields of professional coaching and mentoring.
Coverage includes
- Understanding what it takes to be a great agile coach
- Mastering all of the agile coach’s roles: teacher, mentor, problem solver, conflict navigator, and performance coach
- Creating an environment where self-organized, high-performance teams can emerge
- Coaching teams past cooperation and into full collaboration
- Evolving your leadership style as your team grows and changes
- Staying actively engaged without dominating your team and stunting its growth
- Recognizing failure, recovery, and success modes in your coaching
- Getting the most out of your own personal agile coaching journey
Whether you’re an Agile Coach or Scrum Master, this book will help you become skilled at helping others become truly great. What could possibly be more rewarding?
Read reviews for Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins
What are your personal top 4 Agile books?
I bet you have your own list. Why not share that list with us? Send us a tweet, or just write a blog post with your top 4 Agile books and we will link to that page right here! 🙂
Happy reading!
