Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

Keir Lumsden: How to Keep Your Agile Team Focused Despite Setbacks, A Lesson In Leading Change 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. Keir details his experience with a high-performing team that was ready to launch a new product, only to have the funding pulled at the last minute. Despite the setback, the team's dedication and focus on the product goal became a model for others in the organization. How do you lead a team through change when external factors disrupt your plans? Keir shares tips on acting as if change is needed and ensuring your team remains aligned and focused, even in the face of uncertainty.   [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 cha

Keir Lumsden: When Feedback Loops Fail, And What Scrum Masters Can Do To Help Their Teams Apply Empirical 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. Keir shares a story about a team struggling with a lack of empiricism, where feedback loops were missing, and progress was unclear. Despite having a bonus on the line, the team couldn’t grasp their situation. Keir used visual tools like a burn-up chart to create the necessary transparency, ultimately sparking the critical conversations that led to change. Are your sprint reviews providing the feedback your team needs? Keir shares tips on fostering transparency and ensuring teams can showcase tangible progress. Featured Book of the Week: "Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure" by Tim Harford Keir discusses "Adapt" by Tim Harford, a book that explores why success often starts with failure. Harford argues

Keir Lumsden: The Importance of Transparency in Assessing an Agile Team’s Progress 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. As a Scrum Master, your investment in your team can sometimes cloud your vision. Keir shares a story where his team, working with a new technology, struggled to make progress toward a deadline. Despite their best efforts, they realized they were focused on the wrong areas. Keir reflects on the importance of transparency and the dangers of not seeing the big picture. How do you ensure your focus is set correctly? Keir offers tips on recognizing weak signals, asking the right questions, and using a pre-mortem to explore risks before they derail your project.   [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

BONUS: Leadership Lessons Learned from Successful and not so Successful startups, with Martin Gonzales In this BONUS episode, Martin Gonzales, co-author of The Bonfire Moment, shares his insights on how leadership affects startup success. Drawing from his extensive experience with Google's Effective Founders Project, Martin reveals the key lessons that can help startup founders—and teams in any industry—navigate the complexities of organizational culture, leadership, and personal growth. The Bonfire Moment: Origins and Meaning "The bonfire moment is an intense opportunity for reflection—an essential pause for founders under constant pressure." Martin explains the concept behind "The Bonfire Moment," a workshop originally created within Google's accelerator program. Since its inception in 2015, this workshop has expanded globally, helping startup founders build strong teams by addressing the personal challenges and insecurities they bring into their ventures. The bonfire moment represents a c

James Gifford: Defending the Agile Team, A Product Owner's Crucial Responsibility 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: From Business Analyst to Product Visionary In this segment, James describes an exemplary Product Owner who transitioned from a business analyst role. What qualities and behaviors set this individual apart? James highlights the Product Owner's commitment to continuous learning, market understanding, and stakeholder collaboration. How did this Product Owner effectively balance customer needs with stakeholder expectations? What tip does James offer about the Product Owner's role in protecting the team? Listen in to find out! The Bad Product Owner: Avoiding Accountability in High-Stakes Environments In this segment, James shares a story of a Product Owner in a regulated medical software industry who prioritized meeting dea

James Gifford: Creating Self-Organizing Agile Teams, 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. James outlines his vision of success for Scrum Masters. How does he measure a Scrum Master's effectiveness in fostering self-organization within a team? James emphasizes the importance of engineers being invested in the product and sensitive to customer needs. What specific behaviors indicate that a team has truly internalized agile principles? How can a Scrum Master's absence reveal the team's level of self-sufficiency? Listen in to find out how James measures his own success as a Scrum Master! Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Two Truths and a Lie/Wish James discusses his approach to selecting retrospective formats, emphasizing the importance of matching the format to the team's current needs. He shares his preference for combining fun for

James Gifford: Crafting Culture, A Three-Step Approach to Agile Organizational Change 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, James shares a comprehensive approach to implementing culture change in a multi-site healthcare company. They used a simple three-step process to align values across diverse locations. And implemented an ambassador program and storytelling workshops catalyze the change. James explains the use of the ADKAR model and Lean Change Management principles in this large-scale transformation. James also shares the role that gamification played in encouraging narrative-centric sharing throughout the organization.   [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 fu

James Gifford: When Autonomy Becomes Anarchy, Navigating Agile Team Independence 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. James shares a story from a healthcare company formed through acquisitions. He explores what happens when team autonomy goes too far and becomes anarchy. James also describes how one team's culture shifted from a focus on quality to a lack of basic practices, leading to degrading product quality. What non-negotiables did James identify as crucial for balancing team autonomy with organizational standards? How can leadership play a role in setting appropriate constraints for autonomous teams? Listen to find out! Featured Book of the Week: "Turn the Ship Around" by David Marquet James discusses the profound impact of "Turn the Ship Around" by David Marquet on his approach to leadership development. How does this book's principles apply to creating

James Gifford: Letting Teams Own Their Challenges, A Scrum Master’s Journey 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, James shares a valuable lesson from his experience as a Scrum Master. How can being too helpful actually hinder a team's growth? James recounts a situation where his tendency to jump in and solve problems backfired when he took a two-week break. During his absence, the team struggled without his constant involvement, which taught James a valuable lesson about enabling teams to own their challenges. He reflects on the need for Scrum Masters to model the right behavior, set clear expectations, and allow teams the space to grow. James also discusses an effective approach he used when working with a doctor-turned-product manager in a healthcare setting. What tips does he offer for building trust and showing genuine care for others' success?

BONUS: Leading Without Blame, Building Resilient Teams with Tricia Broderick and Diana Larsen In this BONUS episode, leadership experts Tricia Broderick and Diana Larsen explore their latest book, Lead Without Blame, talking about how leaders can create high-performing teams without resorting to blaming. This conversation tackles the key themes from their book, and offers insights on how leaders can foster resilient, learning-focused teams. Understanding "Lead Without Blame" "Leadership isn't about finger-pointing; it's about creating an environment where learning and growth can flourish." Tricia and Diana kick off the conversation by breaking down what it means to lead without blame. They explore the impact of blame in the workplace, particularly how it stifles innovation, and erodes psychological safety. The authors stress the importance of making space for learning and acknowledge that many leaders, even unintentionally, perpetuate a culture of blame. "To lead without blame, focus on building

Sofi Simonyan: How Product Owner Self-organization Directly Affects Agile Team Success 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: Empowering Teams Through Effective PO Leadership In this segment, we learn about a PO that possessed market knowledge, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills. This PO's leadership and ability to empower the team highlight the critical role of Product Owners in driving product success and team collaboration. The Bad Product Owner: The Disorganized Product Owner, and the Chaos That Follows In this segment, Sofi shares the story of a disorganized Product Owner whose lack of preparation and messy backlog management negatively impacted the team. She discusses the importance of collaboration, timely preparation, and efficient time management to avoid such pitfalls.   [IMAGE HERE] Are you having trouble he

Sofi Simonyan: Growing Healthy Agile Teams with a Simple Scrum Master Success Assessment 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 segment, Sofi highlights how important it is to pay attention to moments when team members independently adhere to agreements, prioritize customer needs, and suggest improvements. She shares a KPI framework developed to measure Scrum Master effectiveness through team feedback, emphasizing the value of transparency and personal development. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: The Speedcar Retrospective Sofi's favorite retrospective format, The Speedcar Retrospective (similar to the speedboat retro), uses a simple yet effective race car image to identify what slows the team down and what drives them forward. She emphasizes the importance of varying retro formats and adapting them to the team's needs, making retrospectives e

Sofi Simonyan: Transforming Agile Team Engagement With OKRs 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. Sofi describes a project involving two Scrum teams working on the same product but struggling with engagement and alignment. By involving the team in product definition and creating a product map linked to OKRs, Sofi transformed the team's perspective. Regularly revisiting the product map and involving the team in strategic discussions led to a more motivated and cohesive team, contributing significantly to the product's success.   [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 L

Sofi Simonyan: The Dangers of Overcommitting, and How it May Lead to Agile Team Burnout 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. Sofi shares the story of a high-performing team that overcommitted. Despite their successes, and maybe because of them, the team had developed an unhealthy self-confidence that led to trouble. Initially praised for their can-do attitude and high-quality releases, the team began to struggle with burnout. Sofi highlights the dangers of overcommitment and the importance of sustainable pace, transparent stakeholder communication, and the need for fresh projects to prevent burnout. Featured Book of the Week: How to Speak Tech by Vinay Trivedi In this segment, Sofi introduces How to Speak Tech: The Non-Techie’s Guide to Key Technology Concepts by Vinay Trivedi, a must-read guide for anyone navigating the tech industry. The book simplifies compl

Sofi Simonyan: From Silos to Synergy: Building Remote Relationships With Distributed 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. Sofi assumed connecting with her remote team would be easy since she had prior experience in a distributed team environment. However, as she was starting a new job in a new country during the pandemic, Sofi quickly learned it wasn't that simple. She faced unexpected challenges, like team silos and surprising escalations during retrospectives. Sofi realized she needed to invest more in personal connections and understanding cultural backgrounds. Her journey underscores the importance of building relationships and fostering team collaboration, especially in remote settings.   [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 stakeh

Karina Margole: User-Centric Product Ownership, A Key to Agile Team engagement 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: User-Centric Product Ownership, A Key to Agile Team engagement Karina shares a success story of an engaged and technically adept Product Owner who collaborated closely with the team and stakeholders. This PO’s focus on user-centric solutions and effective communication led to a successful project outcome.  The Bad Product Owner: The Consequences of a Disengaged and Absent Product Owner In this segment, Karina tells the story of a project plagued by an absent Product Owner, leading to poor communication and integration issues between teams. This scenario highlights the importance of a PO's active involvement in the development process. What happens when a Product Owner is disengaged? Discover the pitfalls of absentee Produ

Karina Margole: The True Purpose of Scrum Ceremonies, and How They Help to Grow Self-organizing 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 segment about Scrum Master success, Karina emphasizes the importance of understanding the purpose of Scrum ceremonies and fostering a culture where team members proactively address issues. Are your teams self-correcting and collaborative? Learn the key indicators of Scrum Master success and how to cultivate them within your teams. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Silent Retrospectives  Karina introduces the "no speaking" retrospective format, where participants use written feedback to express their thoughts. This method encourages contributions from those uncomfortable with speaking out loud, fostering a safer environment for all team members. How can silent retrospectives enhance team engagement and

Karina Margole: Helping a DevOps Team Regain Focus, and More Control of Their Work 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, Karina shares a case study of leading an Agile transformation within a DevOps/Infrastructure team. By dividing responsibilities between handling immediate requests and long-term projects, the team found a balance. To help adoption of their process by their users, they introduced QR codes for request submissions, making the process engaging and user-friendly. How can you streamline incoming requests while maintaining long-term project focus for DevOps teams? Discover practical tips for managing change and improving team workflow.   [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 Managemen

Karina Margole: When Agile Teams Sprint into Burnout, and How to Avoid the Burnout Trap! 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. Karina shares her experience managing multiple teams in a high-pressure game development project. With continuous sprints and mounting technical debt, the teams faced burnout and tunnel vision. She stresses the importance of maintaining a sustainable work pace and periodically stepping back to assess long-term goals. Are your teams sprinting toward burnout? Learn how to balance productivity and sustainability in agile projects. Featured Book of the Week: System Coaching and Constellations by John Whittington Karina explores the complexities of working within systems and the significant impact of external systems on our work. Systemic Coaching and Constellations: The Principles, Practices and Application for Individuals, Teams and Groups

Karina Margole: Learning to Collect Feedback from the Right Source Instead of Listening Only to the Agile Team! 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. Early in her career, Karina tackled a challenging consultancy project. Trusting the internal team’s feedback, she proceeded without consulting the client directly, only to find out - too late - that the client had been pleased with the work and the changes she suggested had negative consequences! This taught her the importance of gathering information firsthand and considering multiple perspectives in any situation. She emphasizes double-checking your understanding and being open to changing your mind to ensure comprehensive decision-making. Learn about Karina's key insights on client communication and making informed decisions.   [IMAGE HERE] Recovering from failure, or difficult moments is a critical skill for Scru