Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum Master StancesHard
An organization is transitioning to Scrum, and several development managers are resistant, viewing Scrum as a threat to their authority and established processes. They continue to assign tasks directly to Development Team members, bypassing the Product Owner and the Sprint Backlog. What is the most appropriate Scrum Master stance to address this organizational challenge?
- AChange Agent, by working with the managers to help them understand Scrum and their new role in an agile environment.
- BTeacher, by conducting a training session for the managers on the Scrum Guide.
- CImpediment Remover, by formally escalating the issue to senior leadership.
- DServant Leader, by protecting the Development Team from manager interference.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Change Agent, by working with the managers to help them understand Scrum and their new role in an agile environment.
This is a systemic organizational impediment stemming from a misunderstanding of roles and a resistance to change. As a Change Agent, the Scrum Master works to help the organization understand and enact Scrum, which includes guiding management through the transition and helping them adapt to new ways of working.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Teaching the Scrum Guide might be a component, but the 'Change Agent' stance encompasses the broader effort of guiding the organization through this cultural and structural shift, including addressing resistance.
- C. Escalation might be a last resort, but the initial and more proactive stance for systemic change is to work with the managers directly as a Change Agent.
- D. Protecting the team is part of Servant Leadership, but the core issue here is organizational resistance and requires a broader change effort.
Scrum Master as Change Agent
The Scrum Master acts as a Change Agent by helping the organization understand and enact Scrum, and by planning and guiding Scrum implementations within the organization.
- Addresses systemic organizational impediments and resistance.
- Works with leadership and management to foster an agile culture.
- Guides the organization through cultural and process changes.
Memory trick: Change Agents Adapt and Advocate for Agile Advancement.