collaboration Archives - Page 2 of 33 - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Armin Mandara: Breaking Change Resistance with Dialogue and Collaboration, A New Scrum Master Story

Armin shares a story from his early days as a Scrum Master, leading a team in developing an ecommerce platform for a major corporation. Despite initial challenges, he sought to introduce project retrospectives for broader learning. However, faced with resistance from project managers, he reflected on the experience and found strength in seeking support and open communication. Armin emphasizes the inevitability of resistance and advocates for transparent, honest conversations in the workplace, acknowledging the power of addressing concerns openly.

The inspiring story of how a failing hospital turned things around with Agile and Lean

Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus helped The Bungsu, a hospital in Indonesia, recover from near-bankruptcy, twice! Using Lean and Agile methods to rebuild an organization and a team! An inspiring story you need to know about! Buy the book on Amazon: The Bungsu Story – How Lean and Kanban Saved a Small Hospital in Indonesia. Twice. and Can Help You Reshape Work in Your Company.

About Armin Mandara

Armin is the Head of Scrum Masters at IBM iX, a leading digital agency. With a career spanning seven years as a Scrum Master, Armin has partnered with numerous teams to successfully deliver top-notch digital products. His passion lies in enabling agile teams to achieve their goals and unleash their true potential.

You can link with Armin Mandara on LinkedIn.

Aria Omidvar: Rebuilding Trust In Your Scrum Team, After A Big Disappointment

Aria, a Scrum Master, recounts a challenging situation where his team faced significant changes, including losing key members and transitioning to remote work. He attempted to address the issues through a retrospective but faced resistance in setting up follow-up sessions. This led to a team member deeming the retro “useless,” which left Aria feeling disheartened. As a developer and Scrum Master, Aria reflects on the importance of open communication and acknowledges his loss of faith in the team at that time. Ultimately, he grapples with regaining faith in his team, highlighting the complexity of his role in this critical juncture.

The inspiring story of how a failing hospital turned things around with Agile and Lean

About Aria Omidvar

Aria has 4+ years of experience serving as Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Agile Coach (CSM, A-CSM, CSPO) from single teams to multiple teams and the whole software organization. He’s a Software Engineer turned Software Developer turned Peopleware Developer and Agilist.

You can link with and connect with Aria Omidvar on Twitter.

BONUS: Embracing Change, A Conversation with Change Leader Susanne Taylor

In this episode, Susanne Taylor shares her profound experiences that have shaped her approach to change leadership. From navigating different environments to choosing change willingly, Susanne’s life has been a testament to the inevitability and transformative power of embracing change.

Embracing Change: A Natural State of Being

Susanne enlightens us on the essence of change: it’s not something we choose, but how we choose to react to it. By reframing our perspective on change, we can shift from a mindset of control and fear to one of adaptability and growth. This change in mindset holds the key to thriving in a world of constant transformation.

As Scrum Masters and coaches, it’s imperative to develop certain capabilities that allow us to navigate change effortlessly. Susanne imparts wisdom on slowing down, building trust, setting boundaries, and honing our ability to sense the subtle shifts in a room. Recognizing our own worth and understanding our interconnectedness are pivotal steps in mastering change.

Change Leadership

Continue reading BONUS: Embracing Change, A Conversation with Change Leader Susanne Taylor

Chris Garvey: A Great Collaboration Between PO and Scrum Master, The Enabler For Agile Greatness

The Great Product Owner: A Great Collaboration Between PO and Scrum Master, The Enabler For Agile Greatness

Chris reflects on a remarkable Product Owner who previously served as a Scrum Master. Their collaboration was marked by mutual support and a keen understanding of when to lead and when to step back. The Product Owner fostered team involvement in story definition and ownership of implementation. This environment allowed for reciprocal coaching, accountability, and a harmonious working dynamic. Chris emphasizes the delicate balance of knowing when to be present and when to provide space for others in Agile teams.

The Bad Product Owner: Overcoming PO Micromanagement Challenges

Chris discusses anti-patterns related to Product Owners (POs) who become excessively involved. He highlights a case where a PO, with a project management background, sought to micromanage and act as the team’s coordinator, hindering self-organization. This approach stemmed from the PO’s need to constantly be busy, akin to a helicopter parent. Chris also points out the danger of a PO viewing themselves as the team’s savior, even attempting to assist with testing. This situation led Chris to adopt a protective stance, resulting in conflict with the PO. He identifies these behaviors as anti-patterns and acknowledges his own attachment to problem-solving in the process.

The Ultimate Guide to Supporting Product Owners as a Scrum Master

Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We’ve put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO’s collaborate.

About Chris Garvey

Chris is passionate about people, and creating empowering spaces where people can thrive. He is a coach at heart having been a Life Coach before becoming an Agile Coach. For close to 10 years he has been working in the agile space as a Scrum Master, then Agile Coach, then trainer, and now as an Enterprise Agile Coach.

You can link with Chris Garvey on LinkedIn.

Michael Schmidt: Sustainable Agile Practice, A Success Factor For Scrum Masters

In this episode, Michael delves into the critical question of what success means for Scrum Masters. He stresses the need for individual reflection as a way to grow in that role. For him, achieving a sustainable pace for everyone involved is paramount. He emphasizes regularly assessing if the team is operating in the “green area” of sustainability. Additionally, Michael offers a valuable tip: clearly define the team’s playground and set explicit rules for both team members and external stakeholders.

Featured Retrospective Format For The Week: Fostering Conversations, The Biergarten Retro Experience

In this episode, Michael introduces the “Biergarten Retro,” a conversation focused agile retrospective. He emphasizes how this format can adapt to different team dynamics and the importance of active participation. Michael encourages using familiar methods while providing guidance through 3-4 key areas. Choosing this type of environment can foster open conversations, allowing team members to address issues they might avoid in a conventional office setting. Stepping out of routine surroundings promotes fresh perspectives and strengthens team cohesion. Ultimately, the Biergarten Retro serves as a powerful tool in nurturing the well-being and dynamics of the team.

How can I, as a Scrum Master, supercharge my facilitation?

Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practice! In this Actionable Agile Tools book, Jeff Campbell shares some of the tools he’s learned over a decade of coaching Agile Teams. The pragmatic coaching book you need, right now! Buy Actionable Agile Tools on Amazon, or directly from the author, and supercharge your facilitation toolbox!

About Michael Schmidt

Michael a Berlin-based Agile Coach for teams, roles and organisations around software based product development. Michael invented “the taskboard” on his own, which ignited his working agile by conviction some 13 years ago.

You can link with Michael Schmidt on LinkedIn and connect with Michael Schmidt on Twitter.