Congratulations! You’re considering starting a journey that will take you through the Agile world and provide the teams around you a boost. What might be superior? (Except, of course, for chocolate…)

Putting jokes aside, it might be challenging to improve as an Agile Scrum Master. Agile Scrum Masters (ASMs) are change agents at their best. They transform businesses, serve as ASM coaches and visionaries, model best practises, are revered as heroes, and remove barriers for struggling teams. What therefore makes the perfect Agile Scrum Master? How would you travel there? What are the benefits if you succeed in getting there?

What characterises a top-tier ASM?
Serving others is the first trait. The greatest Agile Scrum Masters are only concerned with ensuring that their teams are operating as quickly as the “rules of physics” will permit. To do this, they will do whatever it takes. When organisational structures fail, scrum masters escalate to the CEO, and I’ve seen scrum masters also serve as DevOps leads when the team needed it. They were only motivated to run hard by letting the teams sprint.

How do you develop this quality?

Some people naturally excel at this, but if you’re like me, you’re not inclined in this direction. To improve at this, one strategy is to identify and monitor the critical areas where you think the team needs support. For example, where are systems failing or where are the biggest room for expansion? Then you may easily organise your actions around the greatest opportunities. Force yourself to expand your knowledge outside of your comfort zone, and you will eventually develop the ability to solve issues for your team without hesitation.

Trait #2: A keen sense of data. The finest scrum masters are aware of the reasons behind a team’s underperformance. They can see where improvements need to be made thanks to control charts, delivery graphs, velocity charts, problem lists, and other data. The team may not be aware of these minor pieces of information during retrospectives, but they should. The great ASM shares their knowledge with the team in addition to learning how to improve based on data.

How do you develop this quality?

To assist you in producing the appropriate views, analyses, and results for your team, think about enrolling in a reputable business analytics school.

Third quality: Solid technical knowledge. The ASM should be aware of how the various components of the process interact even though they almost never write in order to lead the team and help when necessary. The ASM has to understand a variety of topics, including source control, planning tools, continuous build systems, and engineering techniques. I’ve discovered that ASMs with technical backgrounds are typically more equipped to assist technical teams.

How do you develop this quality?

If you are not a technical expert in your industry, obtaining this one is the most difficult. Even if you don’t need to comprehend the details of the code, having a basic comprehension can assist you create actions fast in the event that the flow is interrupted.

Working alongside the team is the only way to fully comprehend the systems they employ. You will develop the depth you need to properly assist your teams over time and with enough inquiries from your end.

Influential communicator is trait no. 4. When assistance is required, the ASM should be able to access the appropriate channel. The ASM should be able to forge connections and exert influence on a range of scales to do this. For the ASM to effectively execute, the business head’s support is also necessary. Although this is a talent that takes time to learn, it will come effortlessly as projects get bigger.

How do you develop this quality?

If the organisational leaders are not on board, this is difficult to do. In some circumstances, this is where your task starts; in order to demonstrate success, you will need to win others over to your cause, even if only temporarily.

Ensure that the leadership team is well informed of the accomplishments and areas that require assistance. Gain their trust by being extremely transparent and putting a strong emphasis on success-related measures.

Five: A good understanding of Agile patterns. Despite the fact that symptoms may change, problems frequently recur. One essential quality I’ve observed in effective ASMs is their awareness of results, processes, and the ability to spot recurring patterns.

How do you develop this quality?

Join your local Agile community and read books on Agile adoption teams in online forums. These are the best approaches to quickly grasp the most common problems with adopting Agile and how to fix them.

Not opposed to thoughtful rule-breaking, quality number six. The best ASMs challenge the established quo and are willing to breach the law if doing so will help the team move more quickly. However, in order to be able to disobey the rules, the scrum master must first weigh the potential consequences and use judgement. ASMs also inspire the team to think outside the box in order to accelerate further velocity increases and disseminate this quality.

How do you develop this quality?

Learn everything you can about the procedures and systems that your teams and your firm use. Recognize how each part of the procedure will affect things later on.

Change one at a time and experiment to see how it affects your speed. You will eventually be able to advise the team on when to adhere to the rules and when to break them.