The Great Product Owner: The Product Owner as a Team Player in Agile Teams
Kevin highlights the qualities of an exceptional Product Owner who excels in communication, provides clear context, and uses inclusive language like “us” and “we”. This PO effectively conveys the product vision, fosters team collaboration, and ensures everyone understands the impact of their work. Kevin underscores the importance of over-communication and listening, demonstrating how great POs drive team success.
The Bad Product Owner: From Absent to Engaged, Removing the Absent PO Dynamics
Kevin discusses the challenges of working with an absent Product Owner, which he identifies as a significant anti-pattern. He shares his experience of addressing the issue by understanding the PO’s pressures and advocating for their presence. Kevin introduced the concept of a Proxy PO, which eventually led to a successful transition and improved team dynamics. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity, understanding, and taking transition steps to manage risks.
The Ultimate Guide to Supporting Product Owners as a Scrum Master
Are you having trouble helping the team work well with their Product Owner? We’ve put together a course to help you work on the collaboration team-product owner. You can find it at bit.ly/coachyourpo. 18 modules, 8+ hours of modules with tools and techniques that you can use to help teams and PO’s collaborate.
About Kevin Hoey
Kevin is the lead scrum master at Domestic and General, with 10 years’ experience in project management before moving into scrum mastery. He now heads up a team of scrum masters, whilst continuing to support his own squads. Kevin believes scrum masters need to focus on self-improvement to turbocharge their ability to better support teams and the wider business on the journey to effectiveness.
You can link with Kevin Hoey on LinkedIn.
Do you wish you had decades of experience? Learn from the Best Scrum Masters In The World, Today! 
Khwezi is an experienced Agile coach, trainer, and IT professional since 2008. With diverse roles like Scrum Master, Agile Project Manager, and Business Analyst, she’s active in the Agile community, promoting diversity. Passionate about teaching, she empowers individuals and organizations to reach their full potential through coaching and mentoring.