Maximilian Fritzsche Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Maximilian Fritzsche on the rule-driven culture and its impact on Scrum adoption

How would Scrum apply to a culture where the rule is to set more rules. To cover all angles, and to be prepared even for very unlikely scenarios?

In this episode we discuss how Scrum can survive in a culture like the German culture, where people want to have rules for many reasons, and want to prevent all possible mistakes with those rules.

We discuss what might be the impact, and how to adapt, and learn from that cultural perspective.

Rules are good, but how much should we focus on rule-setting vs adapting to the unknown?

About Maximilian Fritzsche

Maximilian worked as a Scrum Master for several years and believes that the way to look at the role is to always have in mind the following quote: “Keep moving forward” – his favorite quote, and what he tries to do every day. “One step at a time!”

You can link with Maximilian Fritzsche on LinkedIn.

Maximilian Fritzsche defines how we can measure our progress towards success

“Don’t get frustrated, progress takes time”, that’s a line Max wants you to remember when you start looking into more detail to what it means to be successful as a Scrum Master.

Set aside a time, and follow Max’s approach to evaluating your progress, as well as the team’s progress. In this episode we discuss some of the aspects you may want to consider when evaluating your work, and success as Scrum Master.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Identify Boring Stories

This Retrospective format helps the team find the not-so-obvious problems that they often face when implementing stories. By identifying boring stories they are finding problems in collaboration as well as the enabling practices that are missing, and would make work more fun if they were there.

About Maximilian Fritzsche

You can link with Maximilian Fritzsche on LinkedIn.

Maximilian Fritzsche: the middle-management gate in many change processes

In this episode Max shares with us the often seen anti-pattern when change gets stuck when middle-management is involved. We explore the reasons for that, and discuss what we can do – as Scrum Masters – to help middle-management understand, adapt and continue the change process.

In this episode we refer to Peter Kruse’s talk about the 8 rules for total gridlock in organizations (see video below)

About Maximilian Fritzsche

You can link with Maximilian Fritzsche on LinkedIn.

Maximilian Fritzsche on why teams stop improving, and resist change

The biggest enemy of a team is stagnation. Lack of change or progress in a way a team works is a sure symptom of larger problems, but it is also an indication that the team does not feel secure enough to take risks, fail, learn and eventually progress in their abilities.

In this episode we talk about what might be the reasons for teams to seek security in the lack of change and progress.

Featured Book for the Week: The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

The loyal Scrum Master Toolbox podcast listener will have seen this book be mentioned often. The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni is a seminal work on the team dynamics that can cause a team to fail or thrive, and therefore it is mandatory reading for all Scrum Masters out there. For Max this is the book we must read to understand Trust and how to start our work on that key ingredient for successful teams.

About Maximilian Fritzsche

You can link with Maximilian Fritzsche on LinkedIn.

Maximilian Fritzsche: from minute-level plans for Retrospectives, to being more open to what is really needed

Max’s first Retrospective was an exercise in the limits of planning. He shares with us how he prepared for that, and ultimate how it all failed. From that failure, however, came an important lesson that he still applies today.

Listen in to learn what Max learned about effective retrospectives after the failure despite the detailed plan for his first retrospective.

About Maximilian Fritzsche

You can link with Maximilian Fritzsche on LinkedIn.