SCRUM master authority: how to?
I introduced agile to my organisation through an external training (3 days).
I took the role of Scrum Master, with no previous practical experience.
After some months, I have the feeling that many SCRUM rules are not applied or respected.
I should I behave?
Saying things like "ehi you are doing wrong, you should do like this"...ehm doesn't sound to me as the right approach.
First because I'm not an experienced SCRUM master with a reputation, second because, maybe it's just my opinion.
But as SM, I should have the authority to "ensure that the Scrum Team adheres to Scrum theory, practices, and rules."
How does this happens in practice? Specially in an organisation where you don't hire a professional SM with many of year of experience but you try to promote somebody from inside?
First, congratulations for your courage.
The short answer is "it depends".
Won't help you very much, but you are the only one who kows the context.
You are probably right when you say "Do that, this is the correct way". You will build walls of resistance around you.
Maybee, you can schedule some "training program" in order to teach Agile & Scrum nearby.
Then, when you say "strange" behaviors, you can challenge them with probes like :
"I don't know ; maybe I'm wrong... but, what options did you consider before choosing this way to do...? "
"I really don't know the best way to do this, but for you, what can be the best way to maximize Agility ?"
There are few SMs around with years of practical experience and even fewer that have made a happy, relatively stress free living out of it. The fact that they are available on the job market shows that they are eager to leave their current employer :)
In your case there are several things to consider:
- how well is your whole team trained in SCRUM (and I assume you're doing SCRUM and not a hybrid). Training is available online and doesn't need to cost much either. I can not stress enough the importance of having the WHOLE team trained in these principles. That includes the PO, SMEs, Testers, Codies etc etc. I would even suggest the stakeholders as well.
- If these principles are clear to everyone then you can refer to these principles without giving the impression that it comes from you personally.
The problem you are struggling with is that the team doesn't seem to give the authority to the role of SM itself or doesn't give the authority to you personally, regardless of what role you're doing. The latter would be harder to change with training. This problem is normal. Teams seem to have big problems with the promotion of one of their own.
Is the team self-organizing or are they driven from outside the team? Is some Project Manager calling the shots? Are their motives driven by their own functional managers? Are they 'sabotaging' the whole Agile movement in an effort to go back to the good old Waterfall?
Just to add into the above - does you team really understand the WHY behind adopting Scrum or it has been forced on them?
Get a working agreement with your team about how you guys would like to execute the project.
Its a new way of doing things and I have seen people who doesn't want to learn it.
It depends on the project situation and end date of it. Actually Scrum Master helps the team to set up a physical task board and show them how to use it. If the team has not learned how to develop a sprint, then you should guide them in the way you said: “Do that, this is the correct way”.
You could start validating your essential Scrum knowledge by going through the PSM study and accreditation program. Even the free open assessments would be of use. Remember that a thorough understanding of the Scrum Guide is essential.