Sprints fail. Far too many sprints fail
Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2025 8:03 am
The coffee is out. Thursday afternoon, in the middle of a sprint that is about to fail. The coffee is out. The Scrum Master runs to get some and, if this happens a lot, talks to the people in management to make it clear that you can't run programmers without enough coffee.
Argument. Two team members simply do not get along. The Scrum Master can act as a contact and mediator and suggest solutions (for example, a discussion or reassigning seats and tasks).
(sprints are never extended in Scrum. Either the goals are achieved or not). The Scrum Master should be able to identify the causes and develop solution strategies. For example, the team could always be too enthusiastic and over-motivated at the start of the sprint and set unrealistic goals. Then the Scrum Master intervenes when extremely ambitious sprint goals are set again. Or the team is chronically understaffed and the Scrum Master argues vehemently to management for the hiring of more employees.
What makes a good Scrum Master?
The Scrum Master faces a special challenge: He carries out all of his tasks without germany telegram data direct authority or the ability to sanction team members. The Scrum Master does not lead the team in the sense of a classic manager, but serves it. Scrum Masters are therefore also referred to as "servant leaders". Good Scrum Masters must have the right personality to cope with this. People who go on a power trip when they are appointed Scrum Master and think they can finally tell others how things should be done are completely(!) unsuitable for the role.
Argument. Two team members simply do not get along. The Scrum Master can act as a contact and mediator and suggest solutions (for example, a discussion or reassigning seats and tasks).
(sprints are never extended in Scrum. Either the goals are achieved or not). The Scrum Master should be able to identify the causes and develop solution strategies. For example, the team could always be too enthusiastic and over-motivated at the start of the sprint and set unrealistic goals. Then the Scrum Master intervenes when extremely ambitious sprint goals are set again. Or the team is chronically understaffed and the Scrum Master argues vehemently to management for the hiring of more employees.
What makes a good Scrum Master?
The Scrum Master faces a special challenge: He carries out all of his tasks without germany telegram data direct authority or the ability to sanction team members. The Scrum Master does not lead the team in the sense of a classic manager, but serves it. Scrum Masters are therefore also referred to as "servant leaders". Good Scrum Masters must have the right personality to cope with this. People who go on a power trip when they are appointed Scrum Master and think they can finally tell others how things should be done are completely(!) unsuitable for the role.