Help: about to quit

Are the team agreeing clear Sprint Goals, and delivering completely integrated “Done” work of release quality each and every Sprint? If so, how often does a release actually happen? How can this frequency be improved?

Hi J S,

I am not sure about your situation in details, but there is still enough time to read this article and find if there is any value you can deliver more to your team: http://agiletrail.com/2011/11/14/42-tasks-for-a-scrum-masters-job/

Or, there is one useful blog posted in this site and I think it may help too: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/day-life-scrum-master.

Remember, problem you are facing today may repeat again and again in the future.

So, don't quit fighting it.

Good luck.

Hi JS,

The role of a scrum master is more akin to a coach rather than as a senior player.

So "understanding technical details and helping with solutions" was never part of your role. Helping protect team where external forces are at play, ensuring that team follows the scrum framework and does not start diluting it over time, helping PO recognize what constitutes value to stakeholders, removing external and internal bottlenecks, Supporting team when technical debt needs to be resolved, are some of the places where your value lies. 

@JS In my opinion, it is not right to ask someone not to do a good job. You should focus on your responsibilities as scrum master and team's growth. See if team is able to deliver what they have committed for. Find out how these meetings (Arranged by BA) are helping the team in delivery. This information will help you to come to a conclusion.

J S, First of all you have mastered three of the Scrum Values Openness, respect and Courage. You are open in expressing your concern correctly, you respected the team member's abilities  ("she’s doing such a great job") and courage to speak out. But you failed in the eventual goal of these values, that is "TRUST"  !

While you approve of her abilities you are trying to "...Challenge her", because you do not have the trust. Everything you mentioned what she is doing is part of (not all of) the PO responsibility. I am surprised why you are concerned of what she is doing good instead of feeling relieved as you can now focus more on what a Scrum master is supposed to do. Read the responsibilities of a Scrum Master and tell me exactly what parts she is stealing the thunder from ?!

What about stakeholder management? consistent improvement of team performance, DOD, entrusting the team with scrum principles and values on a constant basis, removing external and internal team impediments, making sure the team follows Scrum, etc? I think you are concerned for no reason. 

Here is my advice. 

Stop seeing your new team member as your competition (especially when she is doing nothing related to your role) and join forces with her to improve your team maturity w.r.t Scrum even more. I think you can learn a lot from each other and make the team even more efficient.

It sounds to me like the BA is doing a great job in their "space".  You mention that you are threatened by her working with the Dev Team on the technical aspects of the work.  What is wrong with that?  If you remember, Scrum does not have a BA role in it.  There is a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team.  The part of that trio that owns the technical aspect is the Development Team.  So it sounds like the BA is working as part of the Development Team.  As Scrum Master you are responsible for the aspect of making the Scrum Team a self-managed, self-organizing team.  So work in that realm. 

I do have a few things you could look into. 

• You say that she is setting up meetings with the Dev Team.  You might want to discuss with the entire Dev Team if the meetings are effective or if there are other ways that this information could be disseminated. 
• You said that you facilitate stand up and retro.  I am going to read into that statement that you actually "lead" them.  I would suggest that you should not be doing that.  Facilitation is different from leading.  As a Scrum Master you are intended to facilitate when asked by the team.  Facilitation, to me, means ensuring it is occurring, that it is serving the intended purpose, that the participants are staying on topic and that the discussion is not stalling. All of this can be done without being the focal point. I actually stand behind all of the Dev Team at their stand up and only get involved if I see them getting off track. I sit at the table in all of the other events just like the rest of the team and only get involved to help them focus on the reason that we are gathered.  In the Retro, I participate just as any one else in the room because that event is for the entire Scrum Team to discuss how they work as a team. I'm a member of that team. 
• I would be more concerned about the BA taking over for the PO. The Scrum Guide is pretty clear on the PO's responsibilities and that they remain accountable for all the decisions related to the Product.  It does say that the PO can delegate but you should remind everyone that ultimately the PO is accountable and should be involved.

I had an Agile Coach I respect greatly once tell me that a Scrum Master's job is make themselves unneeded. I have a couple of teams where I just let them go on their own and only occasionally step in with suggestions. I spend most of my time in the background observing behaviors.