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Scrum Master Success Indicators — How Do You Compare?

TL; DR: Scrum Master Success Indicators

How do you know your team’s Scrum Master is successful? I identified ten Scrum Master success indicators from a team perspective, from self-sufficiency to delivering valuable Increments to embracing self-management. How Do You Compare?

🇩🇪 Zur deutschsprachigen Version des Artikels: Scrum Master Erfolg — 10 Indikatoren.

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What Scrum Master Success Looks Like

Behind every successful Scrum Team is an unsung hero: the Scrum Master.

They are the team’s guide, supporting them in turning the Scrum Guide’s principles into everyday practice. Their coaching cultivates an environment where self-management thrives, and everyone embraces Scrum Values. The ultimate tribute to a Scrum Master’s work? A high-performing team, demonstrating agility and innovation—without requiring the Scrum Master to hold hands.

Here is my list of ten Scrum Master success indicators:

  1. Self-Management Magicians: Our Scrum Team pulls rabbits out of hats themselves. Autonomy is king; we make decisions and change gears swiftly, and no string-pulling is required.
  2. Regular Magic Shows: We are like a well-oiled magic show, producing a done, usable, and, dare I say, thrilling Increment every Sprint. Our users love us!
  3. Clocked-In Wizards: Our Scrum events? Precision personified. Short, sweet, and to the point, showing the Scrum Master’s capability to facilitate effectively—if so desired.
  4. Audience Participation: Stakeholders are not just spectators! They are active contributors in our Sprint Reviews, offering their $0.02 on the act, just like the Scrum Guide intended.
  5. Endless Enchantment: We keep unveiling improvements, ceaselessly poised to ponder, pivot, and progress. It is as if the Agile Manifesto’s ethos of self-inspection has taken on a life of its own.
  6. Transparency in Trickery: Our Scrum values are no illusion. We practice openness with sincerity, and team members do not shy away from sharing both triumphs and tribulations.
  7. Magic in Metrics: Our team metrics are not arbitrary numbers. They are team-focused, significant, and context-rich indicators that provide insight into our agile journey.
  8. Vanishing Obstacles: Abracadabra, impediments begone! Roadblocks disappear faster than you can say ‘Scrum,’ showcasing the Scrum Master’s effectiveness.
  9. Scrum Scholars: Our Scrum Team is not merely pulling rabbits out of hats; we know why and how it works. The Scrum Master has taught us the magic behind the trick.
  10. Self-Sufficiency Superstars: The Scrum Master’s disappearing act does not cause alarm; it is their master trick. They have educated a Scrum powerhouse that no longer needs constant support. Kudos!

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Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, Scrum Master success does not depend on making themselves completely obsolete. There will always be the need for a facilitator, a second opinion, a coach, or a mentor. However, a successful Scrum Master leaves the spotlight for the team, stepping back behind the stage.

How would you know that your Scrum Master is successful? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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📅 Scrum Training Classes, Workshops, and Events

Learn more about the Scrum Master success with our Scrum training classes, workshops, and events. You can secure your seat directly by following the corresponding link in the table below:

Date Class and Language City Price
🖥 💯 🇩🇪 December 10-11, 2024 Guaranteed: Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 December 12, 2024 Guaranteed: Professional Product Discovery and Validation Class (PPDV; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €749 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 December 18-19, 2024 Guaranteed: Professional Scrum Master Advanced Training (PSM II; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇩🇪 January 28-31, 2025 Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇬🇧 February 4-6, 2025 GUARANTEED: Hands-on Agile 2025: From Concept-Based to Context-Based Agility (English) Live Virtual Conference FREE
🖥 🇬🇧 February 12-13, 2025 Professional Scrum Master Advanced Training (PSM II; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇬🇧 February 27, 2025 Professional Scrum Facilitation Skills Class (PSFS; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €749 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 💯 🇬🇧 March 6 to April 3, 2025 Guaranteed: Align, Discover, Deliver: The Product Backlog Management Cohort Class (English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €499 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇩🇪 March 11-12, 2025 Professional Scrum Product Owner Training (PSPO I; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇬🇧 March 26-27, 2025 Professional Scrum Master Advanced Training (PSM II; English; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €1.299 incl. 19% VAT
🖥 🇬🇧 April 10, 2025 Professional Product Discovery and Validation Class (PPDV; German; Live Virtual Class) Live Virtual Class €749 incl. 19% VAT

See all upcoming classes here.

You can book your seat for the training directly by following the corresponding links to the ticket shop. If the procurement process of your organization requires a different purchasing process, please contact Berlin Product People GmbH directly.

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Categories: Agile and Scrum
Stefan Wolpers: Stefan, based near Hamburg, Germany, has worked for 18-plus years as a Product Manager, Product Owner, Agile Coach, and Scrum Master. He is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org and the author of Pearson’s “Scrum Anti-Patterns Guide.” He has developed B2C as well as B2B software, for startups as well as corporations, including a former Google subsidiary. Stefan curates the ‘Food for Agile Thought’ newsletter and organizes the Hands-on Agile Conference, a Barcamp for agile practitioners.
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