Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Stella Ihenacho: Breaking the Blame Cycle in Agile Teams With Coaching and Customer Collaboration Stella shates the story of a high-stakes project team plagued by blame-shifting and management interference. The project’s tight deadlines and high complexity led to fear and blame culture in the team. Upon investigation, Stella became aware of some customer agreements made without team input. To overcome these anti-patterns, Stella’s strategy involved separate retrospectives for different groups and resetting customer expectations. Listen in to learn about fostering a blame-free culture and aligning team and customer expectations. Featured Book of the Week: Atomic Habits by James Clear Stella shows how transformative power of small, incremental changes helped her. She found out about that approach from the book "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. She explains how these principles apply to agile transformations, emphasizing that success is built over time, not through quick fixes. Stella shares tips on focus

Stella Ihenacho: From Project Manager to Scrum Master, The Critical Agile Ideas we Need to Adopt Stella talks about her journey from project manager to Scrum Master, revealing how she struggled to balance both roles. She learned the critical difference between the two, focusing on trust and empowerment for her teams. When it comes to a critical lesson she learned in the process, Stella talks about a developer who resisted support, highlighting the importance of early intervention and effective 1:1s. What can we learn from her transition and the lessons on team support?   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The Bungsu Story, is an inspiring story by Marcus Hammarberg which shows how a Coach can help organizations recover even from the most disastrous situations! Learn how Marcus

Esther Schmit: The Power of a Positive Product Owner in Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Power of a Positive Product Owner in Agile Teams In this segment, Esther shares an inspiring story about a Product Owner who truly excelled in his role. This PO was a student who brought enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and a supportive attitude to the team. Esther discusses how his positive energy and eagerness to help had a ripple effect, boosting the team's morale and performance.  The Bad Product Owner: Customer First, How to Avoid PO’s from Focusing on Technical Details In this segment, Esther shares how Product Owners who come from a technical background can become micro-managers for the team. She explains how these POs can sometimes get too involved in technical decisions, which can negatively affect the team's autonom

Esther Schmit: Setting and Achieving Goals with an Agile Approach to the Scrum Master Role Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. When it comes to defining Scrum Master success, Esther talks about the importance of setting personal goals and regularly checking in on them. She offers practical tips, such as defining your own success criteria, making your goals visible, and asking for feedback from teams and stakeholders. Esther also talks about the value of reflecting on each ceremony and how you can use metrics like Return on Time Invested (ROTI) to gauge effectiveness.  Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Story Cubes Retrospective When it comes to retrospectives, Esther believes that varying retrospective formats helps to keep team members engaged. She shares practical tips, such as using Story Cubes and encouraging team members to talk about themselves t

Esther Schmit: Tips for Effective SAFe Implementation, Even if Teams are Already Using Agile Processes Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, we discuss scaling in Agile, and the challenges of transitioning teams from Scrum or other team-level Agile processes, to SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework). Esther describes common anti-patterns and resistance to change. She also shares insights on how to support teams, managers, and Scrum Masters through Agile coaching and other support groups, like community of practice.    [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Le

Esther Schmit: Bridging Communication Gaps Between Agile Teams, The Communication Challenge Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Esther shares a challenging experience with two teams that struggled due to poor communication and unwillingness to collaborate. She provides tips on facilitating retrospectives and one-on-one conversations to address communication issues and set clear expectations. Listen to learn a method to improve communication in your teams. Featured Book of the Week: Mister Mindset by Michael Pilarczyk Esther discusses "Master your Mindset, Live a Meaningful Life: A book about mental health and personal success" by Michael Pilarczyk, a book focused on changing your mindset to improve the quality of life. She explains how understanding and altering one's mindset can positively influence professional and personal lives, especially

Esther Schmit: The Power of Feedback, Lessons from a New Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Esther talks about her initial experiences as a Scrum Master, feeling overwhelmed when her colleagues sought her guidance even if she only had a few months on the job. She discusses the importance of seeking feedback and asking for help, even when feeling uncertain. Esther emphasizes starting our work from a place of curiosity and validating understanding among team members. How do you overcome the fear of asking for help and ensure effective communication within your team?   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with will also face these moments! We need inspiring stories to help them, and ourselves! The B

Milica Lubinic: Product Owner Anti-Pattern, The Renamed Project Manager Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Balancing Involvement and Authority in Product Ownership Milica highlights how great Product Owners involve their teams in decision-making while maintaining responsibility for final decisions. She discusses tools for prioritization and the importance of structured approaches to processing team input. Scrum Masters can help PO’s balance ownership and shared decision making with the teams and stakeholders. The Bad Product Owner: The Renamed Project Manager Milica discusses a common anti-pattern in Product Ownership: simply renaming project managers as Product Owners, without role clarity or team involvement. She shares tips for distributing cognition between PO’s and their teams. She also emphasizes the importance of clear role de

Milica Lubinic: Measuring Psychological Safety in Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Milica emphasizes the importance of team trust and psychological safety, which are difficult to measure. She suggests using surveys to initiate meaningful conversations and reflections about these critical aspects.  Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Solution-Focused Retrospectives Milica introduces her favorite retrospective format, focusing on future goals and leveraging existing strengths. This approach contrasts with the root cause analysis engineers often prefer, offering more actionable solutions and a variety of choices. This approach is based on insights from Solutions-focused Coaching.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn about how to collaborate in practic

Milica Lubinic: Consent-based Decision-making for Agile Organizations Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Milica shares insights from her experience in a company undergoing Agile transformation. She highlights the misalignment in decision-making processes and the need for consent-based decision-making. By facilitating retrospectives with leadership and creating guides for new decision-making approaches, she navigated through various challenges.    [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone of any change process! You can buy Lean Change Management the book at Amazon. Also available in French, Spanish,

Milica Lubinic: How to Foster Long-lasting Change for Agile Teams Without Micromanagement Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Milica tells the story of a team’s struggle with sustainable change. Despite good intentions, the team lead’s constant reminders about incomplete actions led to a lack of ownership. She emphasizes the importance of developing habits for sustainable improvement and allowing teams to maintain ownership of changes. How can teams foster long-lasting change without micromanagement? Featured Book of the Week: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown Milica discusses Brené Brown’s "The Power of Vulnerability" (audiobook) and how it transformed her understanding of belonging versus fitting in. This distinction helped her foster true belonging in her teams, where members felt safe to be themselves and contribute their best. This book addresses

Milica Lubinic: Curiosity Over Assumption, How to Enter a New Agile Team or Company Without Triggering Resistance Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Milica tells the story of a pivotal failure from the start of her career. She entered a company that, at first sight, already practicing scaled Scrum and aligned with Agile values. Milica was eager to contribute. However, she quickly discovered underlying taboos and a lack of true transparency. Her push for more openness led to unexpected resistance, teaching her the importance of curiosity and avoiding assumptions. Listen to learn how we can navigate the current status of Agile adoption without making premature judgments.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work w

BONUS: Agile Mindsets in Tech Entrepreneurship With Bao Tran In this BONUS episode, we explore the world of technology, innovation, and intellectual property with Bao Tran, a seasoned tech entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of PowerPatent, Inc., and co-founder of Azpire Health, Bao shares his journey and offers advice for aspiring tech entrepreneurs and established businesses alike. The Journey into Technology and Entrepreneurship "You need very good people on the engineering side who can iterate quickly."  Bao Tran started his career with ambitions of entering investment banking but ultimately found his calling as a patent lawyer. This shift led him to explore the tech industry deeply, where he recognized the importance of having a strong engineering team and maintaining exclusivity for products. He highlights the pitfalls of using platforms like Kickstarter, where competitors can easily copy innovative ideas, emphasizing the necessity of strong IP protection. Structuring Teams for Flexibility

Avipaul Bhandari: The Impact on Agile Teams of Poor PO Leadership Skills Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: How the Scrum Master’s Feedback Transformed a Product Owner What key changes transformed this PO from a liability to an asset? In this segment, Avipaul shares a success story of a PO who, after receiving feedback, improved collaboration and team engagement. By connecting with team members and understanding the domain deeply, this PO bridged gaps between the team and customers, and ultimately became a great PO! The Bad Product Owner: The Impact of Poor PO Leadership Skills How can Product Owners avoid these pitfalls to foster a healthier team dynamic? In this segment, Avipaul outlines common anti-patterns of Product Owners who try to act as team leads, micromanage, and interfere in technical discussions. We also discuss how thes

Avipaul Bhandari: Measuring Scrum Master Impact Beyond the Lean and Agile Metrics Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Avipaul explores the the many sides of success for Scrum Masters. Beyond metrics like cycle time and throughput, he emphasizes the importance of team smiles and voluntary contributions.  Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Timeline Retrospective In this segment, Avipaul introduces the Timeline Retrospective, ideal for reflecting on the end of a phase. This format connects team members' emotions to their journey, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their shared experiences. The timeline retrospective can highlight the human sides projects, and enhance the team’s ability to reflect and learn.   [IMAGE HERE] Retrospectives, planning sessions, vision workshops, we are continuously helping teams learn

Avipaul Bhandari: How to Introduce Agile to Teams That Resist Adoption, and Make Friends Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Avipaul shares his experience leading change in a group of three teams. Facing issues like missing retrospectives and poor team dynamics, he used 1:1 sessions and training to introduce Agile concepts. We also explore how "pain point" sessions led to effective retrospectives and how collaboration with HR improved team dynamics. Listen in to explore some strategies that can enhance Agile implementation in resistant teams.   [IMAGE HERE] As Scrum Master we work with change continuously! Do you have your own change framework that provides the guidance, and queues you need when working with change? The Lean Change Management framework is a fully defined, lean-startup inspired change framework that can be used as the backbone o

Avipaul Bhandari: Why Agile Processes Matter, And Help Avoid Deathmarch Projects Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Avipaul shares the story of a team working on an iPad app under tight deadlines. They skipped Scrum events, leading to chaos and missed deadlines. In this episode, we explore some of the most common anti-patterns that come from skipping or avoiding Agile processes and the importance of structure for teams, especially when under tight deadlines.  Featured Book of the Week: The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier In this segment, Avipaul shares how "The Coaching Habit" by Michael Bungay Stanier,  transformed his approach as a Scrum Master. The book's seven powerful coaching questions, especially "And what else?", helped him enhance his coaching skills and deepen his 1:1 interactions.    [IMAGE HERE] Do you wish you had decades of experience

Avipaul Bhandari: Turning Conflict into Collaboration, An Agile Coach’s Hard-earned lesson Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Avipaul shares a deeply personal failure story as an Agile coach. Reporting to the VP of Engineering, he clashed with a condescending product director. This tension escalated until a senior leader intervened, prompting Avipaul to change his approach. Discover how understanding the director’s perspective and focusing on what the organization needed at the time helped Avipaul overcome anger and frustration. In this episode we also explore the crucial lessons that Avipaul learned about aligning personal values with professional interactions.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scrum Masters. Not only because of us, but also because the teams, and stakeholders we work with wil

Jaques Smit: How to Help Product Owners Manage Many Stakeholders Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: How Saying “No” Helps PO’s Succeed What makes a Product Owner successful in managing large teams? In this episode, Jaques shares an example of a Product Owner who managed a large team successfully by setting clear boundaries and saying "no" unless convinced otherwise. This approach led to a well-functioning team and better innovation. Jaques emphasizes the importance of clear communication and structured leadership. The Bad Product Owner: Helping Product Owners Manage Many Stakeholders How can Product Owners manage stakeholder expectations effectively? Jaques shares his experience with a Product Owner (PO) working with an unmanageable number of stakeholders and communication lines. The PO's habit of saying "yes" to everyone led to over

Jaques Smit: Mastering Team Dynamics, Tips for Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. How can Scrum Masters harness conflict to drive team success? In this episode, Jaques explores the concept of conflict in teams and its role in growth. He emphasizes the need for Scrum Masters to manage team dynamics, facilitate decision-making, and promote effective feedback. Jaques shares tips on conflict resolution and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation for Scrum Masters. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Team Coaching Conversation Jaques introWhat retrospective techniques can enhance team understanding and growth? duces his favorite Agile Retrospective format: the Team Coaching Conversation. He explains the steps, starting with silent writing, followed by dot-voting and a coaching conversation led by team members. This format fosters