Podcasts about Scrum

Tom Molenaar: When Product Owners “Eat the Grass” for Their Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Vision Catalyst "This PO had the ability to communicate the vision and enthusiasm about the product, even I felt inspired." Tom describes an exceptional Product Owner who could communicate vision and enthusiasm so effectively that even he, as the Scrum Master, felt inspired about the product. This PO excelled at engaging teams in product discovery techniques, helping them move from merely delivering features to taking outcome responsibility. The PO introduced validation techniques, brought customers directly to the office for interviews, and consistently showed the team the impact of their work, creating a strong connection between engineers and end users. The Bad Product Owner: The Micromanager "This PO was basically managing the team with micro-managing approach, this blocked the team from self-organizing." Tom encountered a Product Owner who was too controlling, essentially micromanaging the team instead of empowering them. This PO hosted daily stand-ups, assigned individual tasks, and didn't give the team space for self-organization. When Tom investigated the underlying motivation, he discovered the PO believed that without tight control, the team would underperform. Tom helped the PO understand the benefits of trusting the team and worked with both sides to clarify roles and responsibilities, moving from micromanagement to empowerment. In this segment, we refer to the book “Empowered” by Marty Cagan. Self-reflection Question: How do you help Product Owners find the balance between providing clear direction and allowing team autonomy? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Tom Molenaar: Purpose, Process, and People—The Three Pillars of Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "I always try to ask the team first, what is your problem? Or what is the next step, do you think? Having their input, having my input, bundle it and share it." Tom defines success for Scrum Masters through three essential pillars: purpose (achieving the team's product goals), process (effective Agile practices), and people (team maturity and collaboration). When joining new teams, he uses a structured approach combining observation with surveys to get a 360-degree view of team performance. Rather than immediately implementing his own improvement ideas, Tom prioritizes asking teams what problems they want to solve and finding common ground for a "handshake moment" on what needs to be addressed. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Creative Drawing of the Sprint Tom's favorite retrospective format involves having team members draw their subjective experience of the sprint, then asking others to interpret each other's drawings. This creative approach brings people back to their childhood, encourages laughter and fun, and helps team members tap into each other's experiences in ways that traditional verbal retrospectives cannot achieve. The exercise stimulates understanding between team members and often reveals important topics for improvement while building connection through shared interpretation of creative expressions. Example activity you can use to “draw the sprint”.  [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Is Scrum Dying? Or Are We Just Doing It Wrong?Scrum used to be king. Now people don't even want it on their CV.Remember when being a Product Owner was cool? When Scrum Masters were change agents, not glorified note-takers?When saying “we use Scrum” signalled progressive, Agile thinking?Fast forward to now, and you'll find Product Owners ashamed of the title, Scrum Masters sidelined, and developers stuck in factory-mode delivery.Teams are jumping ship to SAFe, Kanban, or “whatever Spotify did,” chasing results Scrum couldn't deliver.How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Tom Molenaar: Systemic Change Management—Making the Emotional Side of Change Visible Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "We tend to skip the phase where we just give the person the space to grieve, to not know, instead of that, we tend to move to solutions maybe too quick." Tom faces a significant challenge as he prepares to start with new teams transitioning between value streams in a SAFe environment. The teams will experience multiple changes simultaneously - new physical locations, new team dependencies, and organizational restructuring. Tom applies systemic change management principles, outlining five critical phases: sense of urgency, letting go, not knowing, creation, and new beginning. He emphasizes the importance of making the emotional "understream" visible, giving teams space to grieve their losses, and helping them verbalize their feelings before moving toward solutions. In this episode, we refer to Systemic Change Management, an approach that views organizations as complex, interconnected systems—rather than collections of independent parts. Instead of focusing only on individual skills, isolated processes, or top-down directives, SCM works with the whole system (people, structures, culture, and external environment) to create sustainable transformation. Self-reflection Question: How comfortable are you with sitting in uncertainty and allowing teams to process change without immediately jumping to solutions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Is it ever OK to deviate from the Scrum Guide? - Mike CohnI'm out there on social media and I see all the same posts you do about the sanctity of the Scrum rules. And I get it. There are many rules of Scrum that teams break when they shouldn't. But I don't think it does anyone any good to be so hung up on rules that you throw practicality out the window.Here's the thing: No team should break a Scrum rule before they've tried to do it by the book for a while, and given themselves a chance to understand why each rule exists in the first place.But teams that have been doing Scrum together for a while sometimes need to bend a few Scrum rules to fit their specific circumstances and situation. And in most cases no one needs to start calling foul if they do!Here are a few common rules most teams can safely break or bend:Never extending a sprint is a great rule. Usually. Can it be broken? Yes—not often and always for a good reason (such as a holiday that makes a longer sprint sensible).It's ideal to have a dedicated Scrum Master–it's the best way to build high-performing teams. But having a dedicated Scrum Master is an economic decision and it may not always be justified, especially once the team can take on some responsibilities for itself.Having a retrospective every sprint is a wonderful way to put improvement front and center. But if a team is running one or two-week sprints and things are going well, I think it's OK for them to only do a retrospective every four weeks (or every other sprint).Teams that are new to Scrum should do Scrum by the book. But it's unrealistic to expect teams to never bend or break a rule to better fit their context.Knowing when to follow the rules, and when to break them, helps teams succeed,How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Enrollment for the Focus Room October Sprint closes tomorrow!

Tom Molenaar: How to Spot and Fix Lack of Trust in Scrum Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "When people don't speak up, it's because there's no trust. The team showed that they did not feel free to express their opinions." Tom describes working with a team that appeared to be performing well on the surface - they were reaching their goals and had processes in place. However, deeper observation revealed a troubling dynamic: a few dominant voices controlled discussions while half the team remained silent during ceremonies. Through one-on-ones, Tom discovered team members felt judged and unsafe to express their ideas. Using the Lencioni Pyramid as a framework, he helped the team address the fundamental lack of trust that was preventing constructive conflict and genuine collaboration. Featured Book of the Week: Empowered by Marty Cagan Tom recommends "Empowered" by Marty Cagan as a book that significantly influenced his approach to team coaching. The book focuses on empowering teams and organizations to deliver great products while developing ordinary people into extraordinary performing teams. Tom appreciates its well-structured approach that covers all necessary elements without getting lost in details. The book provides practical tools for effective coaching, including techniques for regular one-on-ones, active listening, constructive feedback, setting clear expectations, celebrating success, and creating a culture of learning from failure. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Tom Molenaar: When To Stop Helping Agile Teams To Change—A Real Life Story Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "Instead of slowing down and meeting the team in their resistance, I started to try and drag them because I saw the vision of the possible improvement, but they did not see it." Tom shares a powerful failure story about a team that didn't feel the urgency to improve their way of working. Despite management wanting the team to become more effective, Tom found himself pushing improvements that the team actively resisted. Instead of slowing down to understand their resistance, he tried to drag them forward, leading to exhaustion and ultimately his decision to leave the assignment. This episode explores the critical lesson that it's not our job to save teams that don't want to be saved, and the importance of recognizing when to step back. Self-reflection Question: When you encounter team resistance to change, how do you distinguish between healthy skepticism that needs addressing and fundamental unwillingness to improve? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Plongez au cœur de l'agilité avec cet épisode essentiel pour réussir votre certification PMP et adopter une posture moderne de chef de projet. Vous découvrirez en quoi le PMBOK V7 transforme la vision du chef de projet, pourquoi l'agilité est incontournable aujourd'hui, et comment faire le bon choix entre prédictif, agile et hybride selon votre contexte.Vous apprendrez :Les fondamentaux de l'agilité appliquée à la gestion de projetLa différence entre Scrum Master, Product Owner et chef de projetComment l'agilité pilote la valeur plutôt que le périmètreDes questions types de l'examen PMP liées à l'agilitéL'importance des soft skills dans un environnement agileQue vous soyez en préparation PMP ou en poste, cet épisode vous offre une fiche de révision audio pour mieux comprendre les approches adaptatives.https://www.canva.com/design/DAGzpmeJNXM/_hTRAthQ7Db8CJM9u4HrMw/edit?utm_content=DAGzpmeJNXM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebuttonRessources mentionnées :Agile Practice Guide : https://www.pmi.org/standards/agileScrum Guide : https://scrumguides.org/index.htmlManifeste Agile : https://manifesteagile.frÉpisode sur Jira: https://smartlink.ausha.co/projetez-vous-abordons-la-gestion-de-projet-sans-complexe/s2e7-un-outil-revolutionnairePartagez votre avis en commentaire ou contactez-moi sur LinkedIn si vous souhaitez un accompagnement personnalisé vers la réussite PMP.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Ist Scrum-Wissen als Product Owner eigentlich notwendig, um die eigene Rolle gut auszufüllen? Tim und Oliver erleben in ihrer Arbeit, dass hier oft Unsicherheit herrscht. Manche POs fühlen sich unter Druck, jedes Detail auswendig kennen zu müssen, andere verlassen sich stark auf Scrum Master oder Teams und verlieren dabei das Verständnis für die Grundlagen. Und gilt das auch, wenn ich mit meinem Team gar kein Scrum mache? Klar ist, dass Product Owner die Verantwortung für den Produkterfolg tragen. Dafür braucht es nicht nur ein Gespür für Markt, Kunden und Strategie, sondern auch ein solides Fundament im Scrum-Framework. Wer nicht weiß, wie Artefakte, Events und Verantwortlichkeiten ineinandergreifen, kann kaum sicherstellen, dass das Team wirkungsvoll zusammenarbeitet. Gleichzeitig reicht reines Regelwissen nicht aus. Ein Product Owner muss die Prinzipien verstehen, um sie im Alltag an den richtigen Stellen anzuwenden. Scrum-Wissen ist dabei kein Selbstzweck. Es geht nicht darum, im Scrum Guide jede Passage zitieren zu können, sondern um ein Verständnis dafür, wie das Framework Teams unterstützt. Eine Product Ownerin, die versteht, warum das Sprintziel Orientierung gibt, warum ein Backlog nicht nur eine Liste, sondern ein Instrument der Fokussierung ist, und wie das Inkrement Vertrauen bei Stakeholdern schafft, wird wirkungsvoller arbeiten können. Oliver und Tim betonen, dass Product Owner nicht alles alleine schultern müssen. Scrum ist ein Team-Framework, und die Verantwortung verteilt sich bewusst. Doch ohne eigenes Scrum-Wissen droht die Gefahr, die Rolle zu stark auf Stakeholder-Management oder Roadmaps zu verengen. Wer dagegen die Regeln und Prinzipien kennt, kann selbstbewusst auftreten, die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Scrum Master gestalten und dem Team eine klare Richtung geben. Ein weiterer Aspekt ist die Weiterentwicklung. Scrum-Wissen ist nichts Statisches, das man einmal lernt und dann abhakt. Mit jeder Retrospektive, jeder Review und jedem Refinement wächst die Erfahrung, wie die Prinzipien in der eigenen Organisation wirken. Gerade in komplexen Umfeldern braucht es die Bereitschaft, immer wieder Neues auszuprobieren und das eigene Verständnis von Scrum zu hinterfragen. Am Ende geht es nicht darum, als Product Owner ein wandelndes Scrum-Lexikon zu sein. Entscheidend ist, die Grundlagen so zu verinnerlichen, dass sie Orientierung geben, ohne dogmatisch zu wirken. Wer Scrum-Wissen klug einsetzt, schafft Klarheit im Team, fördert Verantwortung und sorgt dafür, dass das Framework seinen eigentlichen Zweck erfüllt: den Raum für wirksame Produktentwicklung. In der Diskussion wird auf den kostenfreien Scrum Foundations Online-Kurs der Agile Academy verwiesen. Ähnliches gibts auch als Agile Fundamentals Online-Kurs. Wir können hier aber auch explizit den ausführlichen Product Owner Online-Kurs mit satten 20 Stunden Videomaterial und Übungen empfehlen. Wir im Podcast erwähnt, bieten wir nun aber auch als Produktwerker selber Zertifizierungstrainings (vor Ort in Köln) an. Oliver Winter ist hierbei unser Trainer. Neben dem Training "Product Owner Level 1" gibt es auch das spannende "Product Owner Level 2" Training als wertvolle Weiterführung für alle, die schon PSPO I (von Scrum.org) oder CSPO (von der Scrum Alliance) und weitere Erfahrung als Product Owner. Beide Trainings bietet Oliver b.a.W. jeweils einmal im Quartal an - und wie erwähnt gibt es im Anschluss die Zertifizierung der Agile Academy. Warum wir nun auch zertifizierte Trainings anbieten, erklärt sich durch diese recht aktuelle Podcast-Folge Anwendungsnahe Weiterbildung - für mehr Erfolg als Product Owner". Diese älteren Episoden werden im Gespräch erwähnt: - Scrum Product Owner vs. SAFe Product Owner - ein Missverständnis - Kennt Kanban Product Owner? - Product Owner ohne Scrum Master - geht das? Wie viel Scrum-Wissen hältst du für notwendig, um als Product Owner erfolgreich zu sein? Wir freuen uns, wenn du deine Erfahrungen aus der Praxis mit uns teilst.

Tony Squires is joined by Wade Graham, Nathan Hindmarsh and Brent Read who dissected the Melbourne Storm's win over the Cronulla sharks to be first team through to the 2025 NRL Grand Final. Wade had some strong comments on who should be officiating the Grand Final and we looked ahead to see if the Broncos can end the Panthers run in the second Preliminary Final. Plus, new London Broncos coach Jason Demetriou joined the team to discuss his new role and Ready's Mail, Tony's Quiz, Believe It Or Not along with plenty more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Squires is joined by Wade Graham, Nathan Hindmarsh and Brent Read who dissected the Melbourne Storm's win over the Cronulla sharks to be first team through to the 2025 NRL Grand Final. Wade had some strong comments on who should be officiating the Grand Final and we looked ahead to see if the Broncos can end the Panthers run in the second Preliminary Final. Plus, new London Broncos coach Jason Demetriou joined the team to discuss his new role and Ready's Mail, Tony's Quiz, Believe It Or Not along with plenty more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terry Haayema: The Product Owner Who Made Retros Unsafe (And How We Fixed It) Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "The biggest anti-pattern was that he made the retro unsafe... he would come to the retro and called people out for things that had not been done." The Bad Product Owner: The PO Who Made Retros Unsafe Terry describes a product owner who came from a management background focused on widgets and KPIs, completely unprepared for the collaborative nature of the product owner role. This person's biggest anti-pattern was making retrospectives unsafe by calling out individual team members for things not completed or not done to his satisfaction. When gentle coaching interventions failed, Terry took the dramatic step of excluding the PO from retrospectives entirely. Surprisingly, this shock treatment worked - when the PO asked why he wasn't invited, Terry used SBI feedback (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to help him understand how his actions were destroying team dynamics. The story has a positive ending, with the PO eventually understanding and changing his approach. In this segment, we refer to the Retrospective Prime Directive, and the SBI feedback framework. The Great Product Owner: The Customer Connector Terry's best product owner example saw their role not just as the voice of the customer, but as the connector between team and customers. Instead of relying solely on user stories and personas, this PO organized regular informal events where real customers and team members could meet, share pizza and beer, and have genuine conversations. These social connections led to deep customer understanding and resulted in their best feature ever - a simple addition that showed customers their last six orders for easy reordering. This feature increased both order frequency and size while dramatically improving the team's ability to empathize with their users. Self-reflection Question: How might you help your product owner move from being the voice of the customer to being the bridge that connects your team directly with real users? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Terry Haayema: Why "Working Myself Out of a Job" Is Wrong for Scrum Masters Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "Success for a Scrum Master is to do myself out of a job... which I don't buy into at all, because a team will always need a coach." Terry challenges the common belief that Scrum Masters succeed by working themselves out of a job, arguing instead that teams always need coaching as they continuously improve. He emphasizes the importance of separating his outcomes from the team's success to avoid becoming part of the system he's trying to help. For Terry, success is measured by the visible joy he can create in people - when leaders approach him with happiness, when team members are excited to see him, when absenteeism drops because people actually want to come to work. He shares a powerful story of how helping teams find joy not only improved their performance but reduced their stress-related sick days from the highest to the lowest in their division. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Drawing Retrospectives Terry loves retrospective formats that use drawings and visual metaphors, like Draw Your Feelings, or the Sailboat retrospective. He explains that when teams draw pictures instead of immediately processing thoughts through language, they generate much richer and deeper insights. The approach works by having people first draw their thoughts, then asking "What led you to draw that picture?" This method bypasses the analytical mind and taps into more intuitive understanding. For longer-term retrospectives, Terry recommends Open Space Technology, which allows groups to self-organize around the most important questions they need to answer. Self-reflection Question: How do you measure your own success as a Scrum Master, and does that measurement inspire you to do your best work? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

James Graham, Wade Graham and Charlie White are in to preview the Week three of the NRL Finals. Is Nathan Cleary the greatest player of all time? What will Madge do with the Broncos game day lineup, with Mam ready to strike. Wade shares the deep rivalry between Cronulla and the Storm and we look at the ways the Sharks will be able to target Hughes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Scrum.org Community Podcast, Patricia Kong hosts a discussion with Elaine Lin Hering, author of  USA Today Best Selling Book "Unlearning Silence," and Ravi Verma, a Professional Scrum Trainer. They examine how workplace culture and cultural norms influence who speaks up and why intentional communication matters.Elaine explains that silence can be strategic or damaging, depending on context, and emphasizes the need for leaders to create environments where all voices are heard. Ravi shares his experiences with reactive versus reflective decision-making and the importance of transparency. They discuss practical strategies for encouraging voice and the significance of designing inclusive meeting practices.Tune in to this inspiring episode that anyone can relate to!Get more insights about Unlearning Silence in this article on the Professional Scrum Unlocked Substack!About Elaine Lin Hering:Elaine Lin Hering a facilitator, writer, and speaker. She works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. She has worked on six continents and facilitated executive education at Harvard, Dartmouth, Tufts, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. She is the former Advanced Training Director for the Harvard Mediation Program and a Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School. She has worked with coal miners at BHP Billiton,micro-finance organizers in East Africa, mental health professionals in China, and senior leadership at the US Department of Commerce. Her clients include American Express, Chevron, Google, Nike, Novartis, PayPal, Pixar, and the Red Cross. She is the author of the USA Today Bestselling book Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully (Penguin, 2024).About Ravi Verma:Ravi Verma is a Public Speaker, Agile Coach, Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer, Evidence Based Management Consultant and Blogger with a passion for helping teams recapture the magic of making I.T. As the Founder and Chief Org Whisperer at The Org Whisperers, Ravi blends ideas from the world of Technology, Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development to develop strong teams and inspiring leaders at all levels of an organization. He recently co-founded his second startup - Al Dente, a platform that helps Agile Coach's and organizations empirically improve business outcomes in tandem with Agile delivery frameworks like Scrum. 

James Graham, Wade Graham and Charlie White are in to preview the Week three of the NRL Finals. Is Nathan Cleary the greatest player of all time? What will Madge do with the Broncos game day lineup, with Mam ready to strike. Wade shares the deep rivalry between Cronulla and the Storm and we look at the ways the Sharks will be able to target Hughes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terry Haayema: When Consensus Becomes Paralysis—The Nemawashi Challenge For Agile Software Development Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "The problem I'm facing is 'too much consensus'... we talk, bounce ideas, but we don't get going." Terry shares his current coaching challenge in a Japanese company where their cultural practice of Nemawashi (consensus building) has become a barrier to progress. While working across the entire organization, he's discovered that quality is suffering because teams aren't clear about desired outcomes before starting work. The excessive focus on building consensus means initiatives bounce between stakeholders without ever gaining momentum. Terry explains how he's experimenting with delaying detailed refinement to build shared understanding as teams progress, rather than trying to achieve perfect consensus upfront. He uses the metaphor of flying a plane - pilots don't stick rigidly to flight plans but constantly make small course corrections based on real-time feedback. Self-reflection Question: In your organization, what well-intentioned practices have become obstacles to the very outcomes they were designed to achieve? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Setting and Managing Expectations - Mike CohnMy first Scrum project was incredibly successful, yet it was almost a failure.All of the technical aspects of the project were going extremely well. We were ahead of schedule, stress and scalability tests showed that we'd exceed uptime and reliability goals. Everyone on the team was having fun and doing their best work.The problem was that user expectations had been growing faster than the functionality being developed.The project was call center software to be used by hundreds of nurses initially, scaling to thousands. Nurses would use the system to triage patients, provide advice, dispatch emergency personnel when needed and so on.In monthly sprint reviews with the nurse users, I was routinely shocked by what they'd come to expect, some of which wasn't even technically feasible. With about three months left on the year-long project, I realized my focus had to change. From then on, I spent almost all of my time on expectations management.I met with nurses in each of the call centers and described exactly what would and would not be in the delivered system. I toned down their expectations about the system's impact on world peace, global warming, and personal weight loss.Had I not done this, the product would have been perceived as a failure.Since that project, I have been acutely aware of the importance of expectations management to the overall success of any project. Setting and managing expectations is perhaps even more important when an organization seeks to adopt or improve its agility.With agile improvement efforts, I find it helpful to set and manage expectations about four things: How quickly teams will improveHow long it will take to gain additional predictability from the team's new way of workingHow there will almost always come a time when turning back looks easier than sticking with itThe level of involvement in the transition that will be necessary from various stakeholders and organization leadersBy properly setting expectations you can avoid the problem of having an otherwise successful transition or project sunk by unrealistic expectations,How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

“Too many meetings” is one of the most common complaints in Scrum teams, but is it really the meetings, or what’s (not) happening in them? In this episode, Brian and Lance Dacy dig into the events of Scrum to uncover what works, what doesn’t, and how to make each one actually add value.

It has been over two decades since the Wallabies last won the Bledisloe Cup but they have an opportunity this weekend to turn the tide on that stat. Scrum-half Tate McDermott says this crop of Wallabies are sick of being the almost team so how can they pounce on a run of lean form from their Kiwi counterparts? Featured: Tate McDermott, Wallabies scrum-half. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Terry Haayema: The High Cost of Unsafe Agile Retrospectives Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "She was kind of like the mum for the team... she was actually the glue that held the team together." Terry tells the story of a team that was functioning like a feature factory until a business analyst became their champion and "team mom." This BA supported everyone through agile transformation and helped build trust and healthy conflict. However, when she mentioned something in a retrospective that led to her being put on performance management and eventually leaving, the team rapidly self-destructed. They lost their sense of belonging and teamness, retreating back to working as independent professionals rather than collaborating. The story illustrates how leadership actions can instantly destroy weeks or months of trust-building work, and how critical psychological safety is for sustainable team performance. For more critical points on how to be a great leader, check this episode with Captain David Marquet, a thought leader in the leadership space who wrote Turn the Ship Around!  Featured Book of the Week: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Terry credits The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni as massively influential in his career, particularly praising how Lencioni demonstrates that without trust as a foundation, teams cannot achieve anything else. The book's framework shows how lack of trust prevents healthy conflict, which prevents commitment, which prevents accountability, which prevents results. Terry found the way Lencioni illustrates these dysfunctions and their cascading effects to be incredibly valuable for understanding team dynamics and what's needed to build high-performing teams. In this segment, we also refer to Agile Software Development with Scrum, by Schwaber and Beedle. Self-reflection Question: What would happen to your team's dynamics if your most supportive, trust-building team member suddenly left tomorrow? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Terry Haayema: When Scrum Practices Aren't Enough - Learning to Sense the System Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "I didn't know how to 'sense' the system. I was focused on the scrum practices, I thought when practices were there all would be fine." Terry shares a powerful failure story from his second engagement as a Scrum Master, where he discovered that implementing Scrum practices isn't enough if you don't understand the underlying system driving team behaviors. He describes how individual KPIs were causing conflict between developers and testers - developers were measured on fewer defects while testers were measured on finding more defects. This systemic issue created dysfunction that no amount of daily standups or retrospectives could fix. Terry learned the hard lesson that Scrum Masters must be coaches for both the team and the organization, understanding how metrics and structures shape behavior before trying to implement agile practices. Self-reflection Question: What systemic forces in your organization might be working against the collaborative behaviors you're trying to foster in your teams? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Scrum IS a Delivery Framework - NOT a Ceremonial CultThey say Scrum is easy to understand, hard to master.I'd say it's easy to misunderstand, and even easier to fake.Let's not talk about standups, reviews, or retrospectives just yet.Let's start deeper — from the inside out.How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Tony Squires is joined by Wade Graham, Nathan Hindmarsh and Brent Read who previewed the game tonight between the Raiders and the Sharks with the news of Ethan Strange being ruled out. Plus, the latest coming out of the Roosters with Victor Radley's ban and can the Dogs cause as an upset against the Panthers? Plus, Ready's Mail, Tony's Quiz, Believe It Or Not along with plenty more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Squires is joined by Wade Graham, Nathan Hindmarsh and Brent Read who previewed the game tonight between the Raiders and the Sharks with the news of Ethan Strange being ruled out. Plus, the latest coming out of the Roosters with Victor Radley's ban and can the Dogs cause as an upset against the Panthers? Plus, Ready's Mail, Tony's Quiz, Believe It Or Not along with plenty more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shawn Dsouza: Beyond Product Knowledge—The Hidden Skills Every Product Owner Needs Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Shawn explores both ends of the Product Owner spectrum through real experiences. On one side, he addresses the "Forced" or "Accidental" Product Owner—a common but problematic pattern where organizations appoint someone based solely on product knowledge. He shares the story of a QA professional thrust into the PO role who knew the product inside out but lacked other essential PO skills, frustrating the team with inadequate responses. Through coaching questions inspired by "The Advice Trap," Shawn helped this reluctant PO reflect on responsibilities and develop confidence beyond technical knowledge. The Great Product Owner: The Story-Crafting Superstar Shawn celebrates a Product Owner who elevated user story writing to an art form—"the Picasso of writing user stories." This exceptional PO co-crafted clear, well-structured stories with the team and used AI to refine stories and acceptance criteria. Her meticulous preparation included intensive refinement sessions before vacations and expert story slicing techniques. By handling requirements clarity superbly, she freed the team to focus entirely on problem-solving rather than deciphering what needed to be built. The Bad Product Owner: The Forced/Accidental Product Owner Organizations frequently make the mistake of appointing the person with the highest product knowledge as Product Owner, assuming technical expertise translates to PO effectiveness. However, the Product Owner role requires diverse skills beyond product knowledge—stakeholder management, prioritization, communication, and strategic thinking. When a QA professional was thrust into this role, their deep product understanding couldn't compensate for underdeveloped PO competencies, leading to team frustration and project complications. In this segment, we refer to the Coach Your PO e-course published by your Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast! Self-reflection Question: What skills beyond domain expertise should you develop or look for when transitioning into or selecting someone for the Product Owner role? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

                                          Listen in as Erin and Jeff discuss: How Jeff's career as a fighter pilot, cancer researcher, and tech leader shaped the creation of Scrum. Why breaking work into small, prioritized pieces can eliminate 75% of wasted effort. The importance of “working with the willing” and creating a culture of commitment. How Scrum teams can quickly identify performance gaps and self-correct. Why adaptability and short feedback cycles are critical in the AI era … and much more.                                                  About Dr. Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum, is a global pioneer in agile methodologies. A West Point graduate and former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, he flew over 100 missions in Vietnam, honing skills in adaptability and teamwork. After earning a Ph.D. in Biometrics and working as a cancer researcher, Jeff transitioned to technology, starting the first Scrum team in 1993 at Easel Corporation, naming it after Takeuchi and Nonaka's rugby-inspired concept. A signatory of the 2001 Agile Manifesto, he developed Scrum@Scale and founded Scrum Inc., training thousands to achieve double the productivity in half the time. His books, including Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time and First Principles in Scrum, share his insights on building high-performing teams. How to Connect With Jeff Website: https://www.scruminc.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsutherland Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScrumInc/ X profile: https://x.com/jeffsutherland YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/scruminc Recommended Resources  Book: Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time: https://www.amazon.com/Scrum-Doing-Twice-Work-Half/dp/038534645X Book: First Principles in Scrum: Advanced Strategies and Reflections: https://leanpub.com/firstprinciplesinscrum Scrum Guide: https://scrumguides.org/

Shawn Dsouza: The Marathon Mindset—Building Agile Teams That Last Beyond Sprint Deadlines Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Shawn defines himself as a "people-first Scrum Master" who measures success not through metrics but through daily interactions and team growth. He contrasts two teams: one that hit deadlines but lacked collaboration (unsustainable success) versus another that struggled with deadlines but excelled in conversations and continuous improvement (sustainable growth). For Shawn, protecting deep work and fostering genuine team collaboration indicates true success. He emphasizes that product development is a marathon, not a sprint, and warns that lack of meaningful conversations will inevitably lead to team problems. In this segment, we refer to the book Clean Language by Sullivan and Rees.  Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sprint Awards Shawn champions the Sprint Awards retrospective format, moving beyond viewing retrospectives as just another Scrum event to recognizing them as critical team development opportunities. In this format, team members give awards to colleagues for various contributions during the sprint, with each award recipient explaining why they were chosen. Shawn prefers face-to-face, offline retrospectives and always starts with ice breakers to gauge how the team feels—whether they feel heard and connected. He believes in experimenting with different retrospective formats since no single approach works for every situation. Self-reflection Question: How do you balance achieving deliverable outcomes with building sustainable team relationships and collaboration patterns? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

James Graham, Wade Graham and Charlie White are in to look at the evolving legal situation involving Victor Radley & Brandon Smith. We look at the underdog mentality of Cronulla which is proving to be successful in the finals, Penrith's incredible record in Brisbane, what the Dogs need to do to beat the four-time champs and Jimmy and Wade share their greatest NRL finals memories!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Graham, Wade Graham and Charlie White are in to look at the evolving legal situation involving Victor Radley & Brandon Smith. We look at the underdog mentality of Cronulla which is proving to be successful in the finals, Penrith's incredible record in Brisbane, what the Dogs need to do to beat the four-time champs and Jimmy and Wade share their greatest NRL finals memories!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shawn Dsouza: From AI Anxiety to AI Advantage: A Scrum Master's Experimental Approach Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Shawn faces the massive AI transformation currently reshaping the tech industry, acknowledging both its benefits and the fear it creates among professionals questioning their relevance. In his organization, he witnesses AI delivering wonders for some teams while others struggle and lose projects. Rather than viewing AI as an overwhelming wave, Shawn advocates for experimentation. He shares practical examples, like helping a Product Owner streamline story creation from Excel to JIRA using AI tools, and leveraging MIRO AI for team collaboration. His approach focuses on identifying friction points where AI experiments could add value while keeping conversations centered on possibilities rather than fears. Self-reflection Question: Instead of fearing technological changes like AI, how can you create small experiments to explore new possibilities and reduce friction in your current work processes? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Shawn Dsouza: The Database Migration Disaster— Why Software Development Teams Need Psychological Safety Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Shawn worked with a skilled team migrating a database from local to cloud-based systems, supported by a strong Product Owner. Despite surface-level success in ceremonies, he noticed the team avoided discussing difficult topics. After three months of seemingly smooth progress, they delivered to pre-production only to discover 140 critical issues. The root cause? Unspoken disagreements and tensions that festered beneath polite ceremony facades. The situation deteriorated to the point where a senior engineer quit, teaching Shawn that pausing to address underlying issues doesn't cost time—it builds sustainability. In this segment, we refer to the episodes with Mahesh Jade, a previous guest on the Scrum Master Toolbox podcast. Featured Book of the Week: The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stanier Shawn discovered this transformative book when he realized he was talking too much in team meetings despite wanting to add value. The Advice Trap revealed how his instinct to give advice, though well-intentioned, was actually self-defeating. The book taught him to stay curious longer and ask better questions rather than rushing to provide solutions. As Shawn puts it, "The minute you think you have the answer you stop listening"—a lesson that fundamentally changed his coaching approach and helped him become more effective with his teams. Self-reflection Question: When working with teams, do you find yourself jumping to advice-giving mode, or do you stay curious long enough to truly understand the underlying challenges? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Shawn Dsouza: When Scrum Masters Forget to Listen - A Team Trust Crisis in Agile Implementation Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Shawn shares a powerful lesson about the importance of listening before implementing. Working with a young, talented team drowning in firefighting, he rolled out Scrum in "full" without taking time to understand the team's context. Going through the motions of Scrum ceremonies without genuine team ownership led to dropping energy levels and lost trust. The turning point came when Shawn realized the team had lost faith in his approach, prompting him to rebuild the process collaboratively with team ownership at its core. This story highlights how good intentions can backfire when we prioritize frameworks over people. Self-reflection Question: Before implementing any new process or framework, how do you ensure you truly understand your team's current challenges and context rather than jumping straight to solutions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Tony Squires is joined by Wade Graham, Nathan Hindmarsh and Michael Chammas who dissected the Storm's win over the Bulldogs to get to the Prelim Final and asked what do the Dogs do now with the injuries? We also looked at the teams that didn't make the finals and Chammy's had his end of season awards! Plus, Tony's Quiz, Believe It Or Not along with plenty more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernie Maloney: Problems vs. Solutions: The Great Product Owner Distinction Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Strategic Problem Solver Bernie describes an exemplary Product Owner from a stealth program sponsored by a CTO, where the company needed to create new intellectual property. This Great Product Owner understood that Agile operates in three dimensions: most organizations only focus on outputs and delivery (first dimension), some reach outcomes (second dimension), but the truly great ones operate in the third dimension of strategic or business agility - defining problems worth solving. This Product Owner knew that high-performing teams need to understand what problem is worth solving rather than just receiving solutions to build. They embraced the Mobius loop approach, focusing on discovering the right problems rather than jumping straight to solutions. In this segment, we refer to the Mobius Loop, and to Steve Blank's work on the job of a startup.  We also refer to the episode with Elliott Parker on the critical importance of the “startup mindset” to foster innovation in larger organizations.  The Bad Product Owner: The Backlog Jockey with Authority Issues Bernie identifies the anti-pattern of Product Owners being treated as mere "backlog jockeys" by their organizations, which forces them into solution-building mode rather than problem-solving mode. These Product Owners don't understand the importance of saying "no" and lack clarity about intent and goals. The worst case Bernie encountered was a team manager who also served as Product Owner, wielding positional authority that shut down team communication. This person would interrupt daily scrums, causing teams to revert to waiting for direction rather than self-organizing. The combination of unclear intent and positional authority creates a toxic environment that destroys team autonomy and psychological safety. Self-reflection Question: Is your Product Owner focused on defining problems worth solving, or are they primarily managing a backlog of predetermined solutions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Seattle Kraken prospect center Berkly Catton met the media on Thursday, Sept. 11 at Kraken Community Iceplex on the first day of 2025 Kraken Rookie Camp. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernie Maloney: From Permission-Seeking to Forgiveness-Begging—Agile Team Evolution in Self-Management Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Bernie defines success for Scrum Masters as creating teams that can thrive and do their best work independently. His ultimate goal is to make himself unnecessary - developing self-directing teams that step out of waiting for direction and instead seek permission or even beg forgiveness when needed. Using the "Circles and Soup" framework, Bernie helps teams stretch their circles of influence and control. He recognizes that every manager wants teams to succeed but may lack the necessary tools, making it crucial for Scrum Masters to coach managers as well. Bernie recommends building a backlog of organizational impediments and focusing on the top priority that will move the ball forward most effectively. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Sailboat Bernie champions the Sailboat retrospective format for its simplicity and adaptability. While the basic format is straightforward, he appreciates that you can add layers of complexity as needed. Bernie tends to keep retrospectives simple and also mentions the "What the Duck?" technique as another valuable retrospective tool. He suggests incorporating creative elements like having people build LEGO representations of what they're discussing, which helps teams visualize and engage with concepts more effectively. To know more about LEGO Serious Play, check out the Serious Play book.  In this segment, we also refer to Dissociation in Psychology, which helps with "third position" coaching/thinking, and Bernie's video on creative retrospective formats.  Self-reflection Question: How are you measuring whether your teams are becoming more self-directing, and what specific behaviors indicate they're ready to operate with less guidance? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Bernie Maloney: Mastering Complexity Through Systems Thinking and NLP Coaching Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Bernie addresses the constant challenge of mid-sprint changes by asking the crucial question: "what do you want to trade in for that new request?" His approach centers on recognizing that everyone is trying to do their best with what they have, using techniques from NLP and the three coaching positions to help people see the whole system. Bernie emphasizes rapport building as a key skill for Scrum Masters and warns against the anti-pattern of becoming judgmental when challenges arise. He advocates for moving from a plan-and-predict mentality to sense-and-respond thinking, highlighting the importance of conducting retrospectives once challenges are solved. Bernie's coaching philosophy revolves around helping people step into the "third position" - a dissociated perspective that enables better problem-solving and systems thinking. In this episode, we refer to Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP), and to Instant Rapport by Michael Brooks, a primer on NLP. We also refer to the plan-and-predict vs sense-and-respond mentality. Self-reflection Question: How effectively are you helping your teams and stakeholders see the whole system when challenges arise, rather than just focusing on individual pain points? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode, Adam and Cole go deep into their memory banks to give you the full experience by reliving the first time either of them did a studio scene. The assignment: Each of them will watch the other's scene, comment and review, and ask questions. What it was like, what happened, how it happened, and all surrounding circumstances. Simple, right? Of course, nothing is ever simple on set, especially when you've never done it before! First, Cole gives us a run down of Adam's debut in Hole 2, Adam completes the picture, and then Adam returns the favor by getting into Cole's introduction to the studio world in Scrum. Both Raging Stallion productions, both directed by the legendary Tony Dimarco. Every day in the industry is a story. Here are two pretty hot ones. Enjoy!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sorry-for-asking-with-adam-ramzi-and-cole-connor--5773495/support.

Scrum isn’t new, but the questions teams are asking about it are evolving. In this episode, Brian and Cort Sharp compare notes on what they're hearing in class, in the community, and behind the scenes.

Bernie Maloney: The Triangulation Technique—Coaching Agile Teams Through Challenges Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Bernie identifies critical patterns that cause teams to self-destruct, with lack of clarity about intention being the most common culprit. When teams are treated as mere "task workers" without clear vision, strategy, or goals, they become depressed and directionless. Some teams seek forgiveness after failed experiments, while others get stuck seeking permission without taking enough self-leadership. Bernie emphasizes that waiting for direction is fundamentally self-destructive behavior, and Scrum Masters must create safety for teams to reach high performance. He introduces the coaching technique of triangulation, where problems become a third point that coach and coachee examine together, side by side, rather than facing each other in opposition. In this segment, we talk about “What the Duck”, a Lego Serious Play workshop. Featured Book of the Week: Start with Why by Simon Sinek Bernie champions "Start with Why" by Simon Sinek as essential reading for Scrum Masters working to transform team culture. He explains that compelling stories are how leaders truly influence others, following the sequence of Attention-Emotion-Reason. This book helps Scrum Masters understand that their job fundamentally involves changing culture, and leaders must demonstrate the change they want to see. Bernie connects this to the broader leadership challenge of developing coaching and mentoring skills within organizational structures. During this segment, we also refer to the following books:  Drive, By Dan Pink Change the Culture, Change the Game, by Connors et al. The Secret Language of Leadership, by Denning Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders, by Peshawaria The Geek Way, by McAfee Right Kind of Wrong, by Edmondson   Self-reflection Question: What patterns of self-destructive behavior might your teams be exhibiting, and how could you help them move from seeking permission to taking ownership? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Bernie Maloney: The Power of Psychological Safety in Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Bernie shares a powerful story about learning what psychological safety truly means through both success and failure. Working in a high-pressure division with tight timelines and margins, Bernie discovered the transformative power of the mantra "always make a new mistake." When he made a significant error and was met with understanding rather than punishment, he experienced firsthand how psychological safety enables teams to thrive.  Later, facing a different challenge where mistrust existed between management and teams, Bernie had to navigate the delicate balance of maintaining psychological safety while addressing management's desire for transparency. His solution was innovative: conduct retrospectives with the team first, then invite managers in at the end with anonymized contributions. Bernie's approach of framing changes as experiments helped people embrace newness, knowing it would be time-bound and reversible. In this episode we refer to Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP).  Self-reflection Question: How might your current approach to mistakes and experimentation be either fostering or undermining psychological safety within your team? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mariano Gontchar: The Micromanagement Trap—When PO's Good Intentions Harm Agile Team Performance Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: The Visionary Leader During an agile transformation project modernizing a build system with multiple stakeholders, Mariano worked with an exceptional Product Owner who demonstrated the power of clear vision and well-defined roadmaps. This visionary Product Owner successfully navigated complex stakeholder relationships by maintaining focus on the product vision while providing clear direction through structured roadmap planning, enabling the team to deliver meaningful results in a challenging environment. The Bad Product Owner: The Task-Manager Micromanager Mariano encountered a well-intentioned Product Owner who fell into the task-manager anti-pattern, becoming overly detail-oriented and controlling. This Product Owner provided extremely detailed story descriptions and even specified who should do what tasks instead of explaining why work was needed. This approach turned the team into mere task-handlers with no space to contribute their expertise, ultimately reducing both engagement and effectiveness despite the Product Owner's good intentions. Self-reflection Question: Are you empowering your team to contribute their expertise, or are you inadvertently turning them into task-handlers through over-specification? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mariano Gontchar: Fear-Free Teams—Creating Psychological Safety for High Performance Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Mariano's definition of Scrum Master success has evolved dramatically from his early days of focusing on "deliver on time and budget" to a more sophisticated understanding centered on team independence and psychological safety. Today, he measures success by whether teams can self-manage, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and operate without fear of criticism. This shift represents a fundamental change from output-focused metrics to outcome-focused team health indicators that create sustainable high performance. Self-reflection Question: How has your definition of success evolved in your current role, and what would change if you focused on team independence rather than traditional delivery metrics? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Frustration-Based Retrospective Mariano's retrospective approach focuses on asking team members about their biggest frustrations from the last sprint. This format helps team members realize their frustrations aren't unique and creates psychological safety for sharing challenges. The key is always asking the team to propose solutions themselves rather than imposing fixes, making retrospectives about genuine continuous improvement rather than just complaining sessions. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mariano Gontchar: From Evangelist to Facilitator—How To Lead A Successful Company Merger Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. During a complex merger between two telecom companies, Mariano faced the challenge of uniting team members with different cultures, practices, and tools. His initial approach of selling Agile theory instead of focusing on benefits failed because he forgot about the "why" of change. The breakthrough came when he shifted from being an Agile evangelist to becoming a facilitator who listened to managers' real challenges. By connecting people and letting the team present their own solutions to leadership, Mariano successfully created unity between the formerly divided groups. Self-reflection Question: Are you trying to sell your methodology or solve real problems, and what would happen if you focused on understanding challenges before proposing solutions? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Mariano Gontchar: Breaking Down The Clan Mentality In Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Mariano encountered a competent team that was sabotaging itself through internal divisions and lack of trust. The team had formed clans that didn't trust each other, creating blind spots even during retrospectives. Rather than simply telling the team what was wrong, Mariano created an anonymous fear-based retrospective that revealed the root cause: a Product Owner who behaved like a boss and evaluated team members, creating a culture of fear. His approach demonstrates the power of empowering teams to discover and solve their own problems rather than imposing solutions from above. Self-reflection Question: What fears might be hiding beneath the surface of your team's dynamics, and how could you create a safe space for them to emerge? Featured Book of the Week: Turn the Ship Around! by David Marquet Mariano recommends "Turn the Ship Around!" by David Marquet (we have an episode with David Marquet talking about this book, check it here). Mariano highlights the fascinating story and introduction to the leader-leader model, which differs significantly from the traditional leader-follower approach. This book resonates with Mariano's journey from directive leadership to facilitative leadership, showing how empowering others rather than commanding them creates more effective and engaged teams. [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]