Adopting Agile and Scrum specifically is no easy feat. In fact there’s a lot of failed Scrum adoptions out there. What are those problems that prevent our Scrum adoption from succeeding? And most importantly, where should we start when working with a new team or organization? In this episode we discuss the best way to get started with Scrum. Vasco shares with us the 2 steps that every Scrum Master should start with in a new team or organization.
About Gunther Verheyen
Gunther left consulting in 2013 to partner with Ken Schwaber, Scrum co-creator, atScrum.org. He represented Ken andScrum.org in Europe. Gunther leftScrum.org in 2016 to continue his journey of Scrum as an independent Scrum Caretaker. Gunther believes that Scrum – the most applied software development framework – will not only increase the value that software delivers to organizations but is also a way to re-humanise the workplace for people.
Start with the team! Paru asks us to consider the team when looking at the overall system. We can use the Squad Health Check (also the Atlassian version) survey or some other similar tool to understand how the system is influencing the performance of the team. As we go through the questions, then consider how the external (to the team) factors may be influencing the team. Listen in to learn how Paru uses these tools and other tools to help understand the system around the team.
About Paru Madhavan
Paru works as Scrum Master across two squads at OFX. She’s worked in Agile teams and in various roles such as Business Analyst, Product Owner and Scrum Master since 2011. To her, Agile and software development just go hand in hand!
Nonviolent communication is a method of a communication process developed by Marshall Rosenberg beginning in the 1960s. It focuses on three aspects of communication: self-empathy (defined as a deep and compassionate awareness of one’s own inner experience), empathy (defined as an understanding of the heart in which we see the beauty in the other person), and honest self-expression (defined as expressing oneself authentically in a way that is likely to inspire compassion in others).
But how can we, as Scrum Masters benefit from this method?
A simple context where NVC may be useful is when teams and team members want to get and give feedback. NVC can be very useful to phrase our feedback in a way that highlights what we are looking for (our needs being met) without expressing judgement over others (our opinions of them). But that’s only one of the contexts where NVC may be useful. There are many others.
I bet your team has a lot of written communication with stakeholders and within the team. Is that right? Well, then you know that written communication has a lot of potential for misunderstandings and to generate conflicts. How can we avoid that? By using better approaches to communicate. Melissa also explains how we can use NVC ideas to make written communication less conflictuous and more likely to have the impact we hope.
What we need to be able to communicate effectively
NVC is a good method to structure our communication, but before we can use that method we need to understand how we feel. NVC, being a needs/emotions driven communication method requires us to be aware of our own emotions and feelings. So we need to learn about emotions and needs. And especially we need to enlarge our vocabulary about needs and feelings so that we can communicate them in a way that is understandable by others. This is especially important if you are not a native speaker of the language you use at work.
Where should I get started if I want to know more about NVC?
In this episode Melissa also shares simple practices you can take into use immediately to help you practice NVC and help your team learn about, and maybe even get started with NVC.
About Melissa Lang
Melissa has worked in many diverse jobs over the last 20 years: ethnomusicologist, cook, IT project manager, agile coach. In all of those jobs, her main focus has been on strengthening team work and facilitating communication. As a dedicated agilist for 10+ years Melissa has worked at a range of companies, from start-up to multi-national corporation. Currently she is coaching teams from Barcelona and Hamburg at Xing AG where she has been employed since December 2011.
There are many factors to take into account in a change process. When many teams are involved this becomes an even more important realization. Victor explains his experience with a large Entreprise change management process.
About Victor Bonnacci
Vic coaches software teams at Bio-Rad Laboratories using Scrum and XP practices. He’s worked in IT for twenty years; first as a webmaster, programmer, project manager and currently as a scrum master and coach. Vic lives in Southern California where he is very active in the local community, and he hosts the Agile Coffee podcast. You can link with Victor Bonnacci on LinkedIn, and connect with Victor Bonnacci on Twitter. Be sure to follow Victor Bonnacci’s podcast: Agile Coffee.
Although it is tempting to “see” patterns in the teams we work with, the fact is that every team is different. Even the same team is different from project to project, and from day to today. Victor shares his journey from focusing on the process to focus on the team, and how important that is for all Scrum Masters.
About Victor Bonnacci
Vic coaches software teams at Bio-Rad Laboratories using Scrum and XP practices. He’s worked in IT for twenty years; first as a webmaster, programmer, project manager and currently as a scrum master and coach. Vic lives in Southern California where he is very active in the local community, and he hosts the Agile Coffee podcast. You can link with Victor Bonnacci on LinkedIn, and connect with Victor Bonnacci on Twitter. Be sure to follow Victor Bonnacci’s podcast: Agile Coffee.
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Down-to-earth, hard-earned Scrum Masters lessons and the Tips from the Trenches e-book table of contents, delivered by email
Enter e-mail to download a clickable PO Cheat Sheet
This handy Coach Your PO cheat-sheet includes questions to help you define the problem, and links to handy, easy techniques to help you coach your Product Owner
Enter e-mail to download a clickable PO Cheat Sheet
This handy Coach Your PO cheat-sheet includes questions to help you define the problem, and links to handy, easy techniques to help you coach your Product Owner
Enter e-mail to download a checklist to help your PO manage their time
This simple checklist and calendar handout, with a coaching article will help you define the minimum enagement your PO must have with the team
Enter e-mail to download a checklist to help your PO manage their time
This simple checklist and calendar handout, with a coaching article will help you define the minimum enagement your PO must have with the team
Internal Conference
Checklist
Internal Conference
Checklist
Download a detailed How-To to help measure success for your team
Motivate your team with the right metrics, and the right way to visualize and track them. Marcus presents a detailed How-To document based on his experience at The Bungsu Hospital
Download a detailed How-To to help measure success for your team
Read about Visualization and
TRANSFORM
The way your team works
A moving story of how work at the Bungsu Hospital was transformed by a simple tool that you can use to help your team.
Read about Visualization and
TRANSFORM
The way your team works
Gunther left consulting in 2013 to partner with Ken Schwaber, Scrum co-creator, at Scrum.org. He represented Ken and Scrum.org in Europe. Gunther left Scrum.org in 2016 to continue his journey of Scrum as an independent Scrum Caretaker. Gunther believes that Scrum – the most applied software development framework – will not only increase the value that software delivers to organizations but is also a way to re-humanise the workplace for people.
Melissa has worked in many diverse jobs over the last 20 years: ethnomusicologist, cook, IT project manager, agile coach. In all of those jobs, her main focus has been on strengthening team work and facilitating communication. As a dedicated agilist for 10+ years Melissa has worked at a range of companies, from start-up to multi-national corporation. Currently she is coaching teams from Barcelona and Hamburg at Xing AG where she has been employed since December 2011.