kpis Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Terry Haayema: When Scrum Practices Aren’t Enough – Learning to Sense the System

“I didn’t know how to ‘sense’ the system. I was focused on the scrum practices, I thought when practices were there all would be fine.”

Terry shares a powerful failure story from his second engagement as a Scrum Master, where he discovered that implementing Scrum practices isn’t enough if you don’t understand the underlying system driving team behaviors. He describes how individual KPIs were causing conflict between developers and testers – developers were measured on fewer defects while testers were measured on finding more defects. This systemic issue created dysfunction that no amount of daily standups or retrospectives could fix. Terry learned the hard lesson that Scrum Masters must be coaches for both the team and the organization, understanding how metrics and structures shape behavior before trying to implement agile practices.

Self-reflection Question: What systemic forces in your organization might be working against the collaborative behaviors you’re trying to foster in your teams?

Transform Your Agile Teams with Hard-Earned Lessons from Super-Experienced Scrum Masters

Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! The Tips from the Trenches – Scrum Master edition audiobook includes hours of audio interviews with SM’s that have decades of experience: from Mike Cohn to Linda Rising, Christopher Avery, and many more. Super-experienced Scrum Masters share their hard-earned lessons with you. Learn those today, make your teams awesome!

About Terry Haayema

Terry is an international Author, Speaker, Conference Host, Trainer, Facilitator, Mentor and Transformative Coach whose personal purpose is to help people see differently, so they find joy.

You can link with Terry Haayema on LinkedIn, or visit his website to learn more about his book.

CTO Series: From Team Lead to CEO, Leadership Challenges and Growth with Alex Schladebeck

In this CTO-Series interview, we hear from Alex Schladebeck, CEO and Quality Advocate at BREDEX GmbH. Alex shares her journey from testing and consultancy to becoming a CEO, offering valuable insights into agile leadership, the importance of communication, and the evolving landscape of technology and quality in software development.

The Power of Communication in Leadership

“Communication isn’t just part of the work; it is the work.”

Alex reflects on her career, emphasizing that her approach to leadership isn’t defined by a single moment but by recurring patterns where communication played a crucial role. She shares how continuous conversation is vital for navigating changes and resolving conflicts, underscoring the importance of keeping communication channels open to manage the evolving demands of the tech industry.

“Effective leadership hinges on continuous conversations. Make communication the core of your leadership practice.”

Aligning Tech Strategy with Business Goals

Continue reading CTO Series: From Team Lead to CEO, Leadership Challenges and Growth with Alex Schladebeck

CTO Series: The Red-Pen Apology, Tricia Broderick on Transformative Tech Leadership

In this CTO Series interview, we sit down with Tricia Broderick, a seasoned tech leader and co-author of Lead Without Blame. With over 25 years in software development leadership, Tricia shares her journey from an individual contributor to a transformative leader. The conversation touches on the challenges of giving up control, the importance of psychological safety, and how to foster resilient and empowered teams.

The Red-Pen Apology: A Leadership Awakening

“Leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself; it’s about empowering others to excel.”

Tricia reflects on a pivotal moment early in her career when she realized that her meticulous attention to detail was sending the wrong message to her team. She shares how this realization led to her “red-pen apology,” where she acknowledged her need to step up as a leader rather than continuing to act as an individual contributor. This was the beginning of her journey toward understanding the importance of giving up control to create a healthier, more scalable work environment.

Overcoming the Challenge of Letting Go

Continue reading CTO Series: The Red-Pen Apology, Tricia Broderick on Transformative Tech Leadership

Dominic Krimmer warns about confusing the Project Manager with the Scrum Master role

Confusing the Project Manager with the Scrum Master role can be very dangerous. Project Managers have had a certain historical focus, Dominic discusses the project management focus and how it differs from the Scrum Master focus. “Not everything that counts can be measured, and not everything that can be measured counts.”

About Dominic Krimmer

Dominic has worked as a Software Developer since 2001, being a Scrum Master since 2009. He has collected many cool experiences in agile methods in different companies like CHIP, Sixt, mydriver.com and HolidayCheck. And has a small Kanban implementation at a manufacturing site in Latin America is also under his belt! 🙂 You can connect with Dominic Krimmer on twitter and visit Dominic Krimmer’s blog.