Product Owner without authority
Hello,
I would like to ask a question just like in the topics title. Let me share the origin of what happens. So I work in one company for 7 years and due to the top management change they decided to follow Scrum rules. I volunteered to become a Product Owner, as I was really keen on becoming one in future. I was a sales guy before in same company, so I have knowledge about the markets, products, contacts, good interpersonal skills.
Chairman accepted that, I started learning the Scrum Guide, to prove my knowledge passed PSPO I, also few people from company made the same. So in one let's say path of company Scrum was introduced well. There are 4 POs, 1 SM and they see the benefits of agile approach after 1 year. Director of this area said he is super happy because he does not have to stick his nose into the development, he has POs for that and he is just getting the feedback from them, he trusts them fully.
In my part of company developers want to join the same standard, as it's weird half of the company is using new methods, half does not. We started making sprints, planning, dailies, I introduced Jira for two projects. I encouraged people to become POs so we can manage the development of products, but in my area nobody wanted to be one...
...because it comes to one person. Director of our area. He can go to developers and tell them that I have nothing to say, he is the best in management for 25 years and what I tell is bull**it, they must not listen to me, Jira is bad, Scrum is some artificial sh*t, he will be assigning tasks as always, he does not need artificial owner of the product, because nobody knows the market better than him.
He can tell me straight in the face that my position is meaningless for him and whatever I do, he will make my words worthless.
I have the CEO and the Chairman above him still, but they just manage the company to bring profit, for the areas R&D there are responsible directors, one of them is above me.
I think I must leave the company because there is no place for me if that happens. Scrum Guide says even that for PO to succeed, whole organization must respect their decisions. If people want to work with me in new approach and he is punishing everybody and shouting that he is the only one decision maker and vision of the product will always belong to him. What can I do more? He even refused to hire SM into our area.
So I work in one company for 7 years and due to the top management change they decided to follow Scrum rules
Is that your present company, or a different one? You go on to say that the CEO & Chairman "just manage the company to bring profit". So who actually wants the rules of Scrum to be followed, and perceives a sense of urgency for change?
due to the top management change they decided to follow Scrum rules
Director of this area said he is super happy because he does not have to stick his nose into the development, he has POs for that and he is just getting the feedback from them, he trusts them fully.
because it comes to one person. Director of our area.
Scrum is some artificial sh*t, he will be assigning tasks as always, he does not need artificial owner of the product, because nobody knows the market better than him.
I have the CEO and the Chairman above him still, but they just manage the company to bring profit
There are a lot of contradictions in your explanation. As @Ian asked, where did the desire to have Scrum introduced come from? What was the expected outcome from doing so? You pointed out that for a PO to be successful, everyone must accept their decisions. But you failed to mention anything about the Scrum Master's responsibility to help everyone in the organization to appreciate and understand the Scrum framework.
A transition has to start at the top with support and the "lower" levels have to understand the benefits. It shouldn't be pushed down. It should be evangilized and accepted. If you try to start at the lowest level of the organization you do not have a transition. You have a revolution. Look at history to see how well those work out and the amount of pain that is encountered.
I think I must leave the company because there is no place for me if that happens.
I am not going to comment on this other than to say that is a personal decision and only you will know if it is the right one.
What can I do more? He even refused to hire SM into our area.
In my opinion, you can only choose to stay and continue to evangelize. Make your actions reflect the nature of Scrum and be an example of how it can work.
Apologies for misleading in what I wrote, maybe too emotional.
Is that your present company, or a different one?
It is a present company, I got promoted on my own wish, as there were internal recruitments, so I volunteered and became one. Chairman is leading Scrum implementation, he has SM to work on that in one R&D area.
So the top management is common, Chairman, CEO etc. They manage the company globally. And we have two independent R&D departments with managing directors. People between two R&Ds mostly even don't know each other.
One area implemented Scrum, they have dedicated SM and 4 POs. They are happy with how this improved their performance.
Second R&D area, which I belong to, has no SM, there is only me as a single PO. And director is saying it's meaningless to have Scrum, PO is artificial position, he won't allow anybody to be a decision maker.
A transition has to start at the top with support and the "lower" levels have to understand the benefits. It shouldn't be pushed down. It should be evangilized and accepted. If you try to start at the lowest level of the organization you do not have a transition. You have a revolution. Look at history to see how well those work out and the amount of pain that is encountered.
This is the wisest opinion I could have imagined. And it brings one conclusion that without reliable SM to make people believe in Scrum, this may not work. And I should also consider speaking with Chairman.
Thank you!