Part 4: When and Why to Fire a Scrum Master? – Process and Responsibility

Last post was covering Planning and Analysis. Before conclusion I want to cover two key areas from my point of view. It’s about process and level of responsibility.

Process

In most definitions Scrum Master is the person who helps the team to achieve best results: this can involve removing any impediments to progress, facilitating meetings, and doing things like working with the product owner to make sure the product backlog is in good shape and ready for the next sprint.

trophy celebration

Unfortunately everybody focuses mainly on process and completely forgets about the real purpose of team – create value for the customer, build great product. The real value of Scrum Master is that he has other skills and knowledge that can help the team to do that.

Have you seen Football Coach that doesn’t care about the Trophy? It’s not even a discussion. It’s weird. Both the Coach and the Team have exactly the same target! Why do we have Scum Masters who only cares about the process than? Don’t forget - Scrum is only the tool. Are you the fool with the tool?

Responsibility

Soccer Euro 2012 Spain FranceWhen team doesn’t win no one cares what the Coach thinks he takes responsibility and leaves (or fired). There is a saying in football:

Team wins the game, but coach loses the game

What do you often see in organizations? It’s so easy to find whom we should blame, but not the Scrum Master: Developers, POs, Other teams, Culture, whole organization, stupid users…

p.s. full presentation is available here