Ludmila Reyter Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Ludmila Reyter: The key difference between communicating, and telling others what to do

Two contrasting examples of a PO that was in a split role of PO and Team Manager. Their different approaches had a completely different impact on the team, and the collaboration between team and PO.

The Great Product Owner: Communicating with stakeholders and team

This PO was the direct manager for the team, but that was not a problem. Additionally, this PO was able to keep everyone informed of the progress, as well as feeling involved in the decision making. This was a PO that understood that the PO role is all about communicating with stakeholders and team.

The Bad Product Owner: The all knowing, all telling PO

This PO was the direct manager for the team, and that was a challenge. The PO had a split role, which took up time, and made it hard to focus on the PO responsibilities. As the PO was pressured for time, the natural solution was to tell the team exactly what to do. This lead to a lack of collaboration and engagement between managers and team. In this segment, we also talk about the importance for Scrum Masters to create a working partnership with the Product Owner.

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About Ludmila Reyter

Ludmila started as a project manager and became a scrum master early on, and has been working with teams in the software development sector for 7 years now – but with other teams in general (basketball, studies) much longer.

She loves to see people working together successfully, which of course means going through some tough times, too. Ludmila realized that the things she once learned somehow rearrange, and has a thought for us: never be sure that what you think you know will always be true!

You can link with Ludmila Reyter on LinkedIn and connect with Ludmila Reyter on Twitter.

Ludmila Reyter: Defining success for Scrum Masters collaboratively

Success is defined collaboratively with the teams and people you work with. As you improve, you need to adapt the success definition with the team. And one of the sure signs you’ve made an impact is when ex-team members meet you and tell you that they’ve taken what they learned with you to their new teams!

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Dialogue Sheets

Ludmila describes the Dialogue Sheets game and how it can help teams by providing a simple, relaxed conversation format.

In this segment, we also refer to the “Open Day” or Internal Unconference format that Jeff Campbell and Gene Conolly described in a blog post on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website.

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About Ludmila Reyter

You can link with Ludmila Reyter on LinkedIn and connect with Ludmila Reyter on Twitter.

Ludmila Reyter: Fighting meeting fatigue in Scrum teams

In a regulated environment, where tools and processes were mandatory, Ludmila started to work with a team that was already overwhelmed with process-related meetings. How do you work with a team that wants “no meetings”… Listen to this episode, as Ludmila describes her approach and what worked for her and the team.

About Ludmila Reyter

You can link with Ludmila Reyter on LinkedIn and connect with Ludmila Reyter on Twitter.

Ludmila Reyter: Dealing with disappointment and frustration in Scrum teams

Ludmila has experienced how unhappiness and frustration with the environment can do to a team. We talk about the team member that was trapped in a cynical state of mind and discuss the consequences that can have for the individual and the team. We discuss how to prepare for those situations in which the team is in a less than perfect environment, and starts to react negatively.

Featured Book of the Week: Scrum Mastery by Geoff Watts

Ludmila found important guidance in Scrum Mastery by Geoff Watts and recommends the book for Scrum Masters getting started in their journey. In this segment, we also refer to The Coach’s Casebook by Geoff Watts and Coaching Agile Teams by Lyssa Adkins.

About Ludmila Reyter

You can link with Ludmila Reyter on LinkedIn and connect with Ludmila Reyter on Twitter.

Ludmila Reyter: Agile transition failures and how to prepare

Ludmila started in a company as an internal tool project manager. Soon after that, the company adopted Agile, and project managers were “remodeled” to be Scrum Masters. Ludmila’s journey as a Scrum Master started, and soon she was working in another organization where she was the only Scrum Master, leading to an unhappy outcome that taught Ludmila an important lesson for Scrum Masters stuck in difficult agile transitions.

About Ludmila Reyter

She loves to see people working together successfully, which of course means going through some tough times, too. Ludmila realized that the things she once learned somehow rearrange and has a thought for us: never be sure that what you think you know will always be true!

You can link with Ludmila Reyter on LinkedIn and connect with Ludmila Reyter on Twitter.