success Archives - Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Toby Rao: Success Metrics for Scrum Masters Which You Can Observe In The Daily Meeting

In this episode, we discuss how to achieve true self-organization within the team. Toby’s perspective is that success is measured by several key factors, including active participation and engagement in daily standup meetings. Toby suggests we assess our success by observing if team members are paying attention, interacting with one another, and openly sharing solutions during these meetings.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The 4 L’s and generating learning opportunities

Toby’s favorite retrospective format is the “4 L’s retrospective,” which stands for Liked, Learned, Lacked, and Longed for. In this segment, he highlights its effectiveness in generating ideas, with a particular emphasis on the “learned” component. Toby stressed the importance of continuous learning for both himself and his team, making it a central theme in his retrospectives. The format encourages sharing valuable learning moments and contributes to the team’s growth and improvement.

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About Toby Rao

Toby is an ICF-credentialed Coach and accredited IC Agile trainer, and practices as a certified Executive coach. With a dynamic Agile journey beginning in 2007, he’s an active contributor to the global Agile community. He is based in Washington DC Metro, and speaks at Agile events worldwide and co-founded the A20 Agile conference. Toby also co-founded two thriving Agile meetups in the Washington DC area, with a combined 1300 members.

You can link with Toby Rao on LinkedIn and connect with Toby Rao on Twitter.

Seye Kuyinu: From Working Software to Human Flourishing, A Holistic Approach to Scrum Master Success

In this episode, Seye delves into his multi-layered perspective on success as a Scrum Master. Firstly, he emphasizes understanding success from the perspective of those he serves, suggesting collaboration to define it. He also sees success in terms of “working software” and advises teams to contextualize its meaning. Seye underscores the human aspect of product development and references the concept of “making people awesome” from Modern Agile. He encourages Scrum Masters to align with their personal values and live them out, adding depth to their success definition in the agile context.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Temperature Mapping

In this episode, Seye introduces his preferred retrospective formats, starting with “temperature mapping.” Using tools like MURAL, this format encourages team members to share their emotions throughout the sprint. Another favorite is the “Sailboat retrospective,” employing visuals to stimulate discussion. Seye also advocates for a “futurespective” using storytelling, where teams envision the future. These formats foster open communication, engagement, and forward thinking, enhancing the retrospective experience and driving improvements in the team’s agile process.

How can I, as a Scrum Master, supercharge my facilitation?

About Seye Kuyinu

Seye has been a Scrum Master for about a decade now. He first connected to Agile, frustrated with the lack of adequate communication that plagues traditional complex projects. He finds People and Interactions over Processes & Tools cannot be overstated, while seeing that everything is a fractal- our individual, team, organization and societal challenges are the very same. The solution in every layer is the same- an understanding of ONENESS!

You can link with Seye Kuyinu on LinkedIn and connect with Seye Kuyinu on Twitter.

Khwezi Mputa: Visualizing Success And Coaching With Impact, With The Help Of A Coaching Backlog

In this episode, Khwezi emphasizes empowering teams over personal recognition. She highlights the importance of informing and involving stakeholders and sponsors, using a coaching backlog as a valuable tool. This backlog aids in feedback provision, achievement tracking, and maintaining focus. It also visually represents the team’s journey. Khwezi acknowledges the challenge of conveying intangible scrum master efforts to sponsors and recommends visual tools like MURAL for clarity. Her insights encourage fostering empowerment and sharing impact beyond tangible metrics, reflecting her holistic approach to effective scrum mastering.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Movie Critic Retrospective

In the episode, Khwezi introduces “The Movie Critic” retrospective, a creative approach to retrospectives using movies. By asking the team to liken their experience to a movie genre, such as action or drama, they delve into struggles and reasons behind their choices. The question “do you recommend this movie?” prompts reflection. Utilizing tools like MURAL enhances the process, and Khwezi advises encouraging additional sharing to ensure comprehensive insights are captured. This cinematic retrospective technique offers an engaging way to explore team challenges and insights collaboratively.

How can I, as a Scrum Master, supercharge my facilitation?

About Khwezi Mputa

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.

You can link with Khwezi Mputa on LinkedIn.

Zach Stone: Evolving Our Perspective On Scrum Master Success With Experience

In this episode, Zach discusses his evolving perspective on success as a Scrum Master. Initially valuing predictability, he now prioritizes the impact of Scrum events over strict adherence. He acknowledges the risk of losing sight of purpose when fixating on predictability and velocity. Shifting from an adherence mindset to a goal-oriented, customer-centric approach, Zach emphasizes the importance of clear product goals in boosting team motivation. Success, for him, is now defined by the meaningful impact achieved through Scrum events, aligning teams with overarching objectives and driving tangible results.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Rosebud and Thorn Retrospective Format

In this episode, Zach shares his preferred retrospective format, the “Rosebud and Thorn.” He appreciates its simplicity and authenticity, as it prompts participants to share both positive and challenging aspects. The retrospective serves as a communication gauge for the team, revealing their dynamics and communication quality. Zach emphasizes the format’s value in assessing team functioning throughout the sprint. Additionally, he advises adapting facilitation strategies for remote sessions, especially those lacking camera visibility, ensuring effective retrospectives regardless of the setting. The “Rosebud and Thorn” emerges as a powerful tool for insightful and meaningful reflections.

How can I, as a Scrum Master, supercharge my facilitation?

About Zach Stone

Zach has worked as a process facilitator for over 17 years, as a specialist in behavioral science. He co-founded a firm that uses techniques to rebuild war zones for organizational dynamics. He has been an agilist for the past 7 years and was recently a speaker at the Global Scrum Conference. He lives in Santa Fe with his Wife and spends his time exploring canyons and trails.

You can link with Zach Stone on LinkedIn.

Danielle Braun: The Art of Active Listening, A Scrum Master’s Success Strategy

In this episode, Danielle emphasizes her approach as a Scrum Master to keenly listen and observe. Key points include assessing team autonomy, understanding and embodiment of Agile principles, delivery of results, customer satisfaction, and collaboration. Challenges arise when new team members struggle with Agile adaptation, prompting her to focus on aiding their transition. By prioritizing individual integration into Agile methodologies, Danielle fosters a cohesive and effective team dynamic. Her dedication to attentive listening and targeted support underscores the role of a Scrum Master in facilitating successful Agile implementation.

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Amazon Retrospective

In this episode, Danielle describes the “Amazon Retrospective“, where the team approaches their last sprint like reviewing an Amazon product. They give titles, rate it with stars, and write replies from the seller’s perspective. This unique perspective enhances reflection and understanding of the sprint’s outcomes. However, Danielle cautions against using this approach during conflicts. Another technique, the “Marie Kondo Retrospective,” involves evaluating team processes by asking if they “spark joy.” Inspired by the decluttering philosophy, it aims to streamline and optimize processes. These inventive retrospective methods offer fresh ways to assess and improve team performance.

How can I, as a Scrum Master, supercharge my facilitation?

About Danielle Braun

Danielle is a Scrum Master and systemic coach. She strongly believes in the power of teams and that we carry the solution to all challenges within us.

You can link with Danielle Braun on LinkedIn