Sara Caldwell: Agile Retrospectives and Critical Team Insights With the Spotify Squad Health Check

Success as a Scrum Master, according to Sara, is about fostering self-regulating teams that thrive even in the Scrum Master’s absence. By reducing her “air time” and encouraging self-reflection, she helps teams solve problems independently. Sara highlights strategies like NPS feedback and enabling constraints to continuously evaluate and improve her own impact.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Spotify Squad Health Check

Sara recommends this retrospective for its focus on assessing team health across multiple dimensions. The Squad Health Check fosters meaningful conversations, encourages team-driven improvements, and provides valuable insights for leaders. Its versatility makes it a go-to for improving team dynamics and driving sustainable change. Listen to the episode to learn how Sara uses this retrospective format.

The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends…

🔥 In the ruthless world of fintech, success isn’t just about innovation—it’s about coaching! 🔥

Shift: From Product to People Cover

Angela thought she was just there to coach a team. But now, she’s caught in the middle of a corporate espionage drama that could make or break the future of digital banking. Can she help the team regain their mojo and outwit their rivals, or will the competition crush their ambitions? As alliances shift and the pressure builds, one thing becomes clear: this isn’t just about the product—it’s about the people.

🚨 Will Angela’s coaching be enough? Find out in Shift: From Product to People—the gripping story of high-stakes innovation and corporate intrigue.

Buy Now on Amazon
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About Sara Caldwell

Sara is an organizational anthropologist passionate about human-centered change. She helps organizations tackle tough problems, all while keeping things fun and engaging. Sara blends strategic thinking with empathy, turning challenges into opportunities. Agile values guide her—whether helping teams flow, wrangling her rescue pets, or navigating the complexities of everyday life.

You can link with Sara Caldwell on LinkedIn.

Jeff Kosciejew and recipe for recruiting success: trust your gut and list your skills

Jeff Kosciejew shares his own, hard-earned, experience on how to hire great people. Including how to know in advance what skills you need, using conversation as a way to filter out candidates that are a bad fit and the Agile Coaching Competency framework. His most important question in recruiting interviews is one he asks himself: “will this Scrum Master fit our culture?”

Agile Coaching Competency Framework

Lysa Adkins from the Agile Coaching Institute has been developing an Agile Coaching Competency framework. Read more about it at the Agile Coaching Institute site.

Using NPS to evaluate your work as an Agile Coach

Jeff, also refers to Jason Little’s personal Agile Coach NPS, a way to evaluate your own impact in the team and organization you work for.

About Jeff Kosciejew

scrum_master_toolbox_podcast_jeff_kosciejewJeff is a consummate generalist, with experience in a wide variety of industries in a wide variety of roles. Throughout all of his experience, Jeff has had enjoyed success through a single focus on enabling and empowering those he works with, even before being introduced to Agile and Scrum.
You can find Jeff Kosciejew on twitter, and reach Jeff on LinkedIn.

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
Overcome Team Resistance and Gain Leadership Buy-In
Discover practical, real-world solutions from leading Agile practitioners. Download three free chapters from 'Tips from the Trenches Scrum Master Edition' and start transforming your Agile practices today!
Overcome Team Resistance and Gain Leadership Buy-In
Discover practical, real-world solutions from leading Agile practitioners. Access three free chapters from 'Tips from the Trenches Scrum Master Edition' and start transforming your Agile practices today!
Overcome Team Resistance and Gain Leadership Buy-In
Discover practical, real-world solutions from leading Agile practitioners. Download three free chapters from 'Tips from the Trenches Scrum Master Edition' and start transforming your Agile practices today!
FREE! Audiobook Chapters: Overcome Team Resistance and Gain Leadership Buy-In
Download three free chapters from 'Tips from the Trenches Scrum Master Edition' and start transforming your Agile practices today!
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