When empathy meets agile: A gentler approach to building stronger, more connected Scrum teams.
jeffcamacho.com/blog/02-frie…
#agile #scrummaster #leadership
— jeff-mos-def (@jeff-mos-def.bsky.social) November 19, 2024 at 9:07 PM
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What the heck is a friendly Scrum Master?
Let’s be real - most Scrum training focuses on the mechanics. Sprint planning, daily standups, retrospectives… you know the drill. But here’s what they don’t tell you in those certification courses: being a great Scrum Master is as much about emotional intelligence as it is about managing JIRA boards… or your favorite flavor of work capture.
The Human Side of Scrum
Picture this: You’re in yet another sprint planning session. The team’s looking exhausted. Sarah from backend is rolling her eyes at every estimate, and Mike from QA hasn’t said a word in 20 minutes. Classic signs that something’s off - and no amount of planning poker cards is going to fix it.
This is where Friendly Scrum comes in. It’s about reading the room before reading the backlog. Back to the basics with Emotional Intelligence.
What’s Friendly Scrum, Anyway?
Think of Friendly Scrum as the difference between a bouncer and a host at a club. Both keep things running smoothly, but one does it with a smile and makes you feel welcome. Here’s what it looks like in practice:
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The Emotional Stand-up: Sure, we need to know what everyone’s working on, but try starting with: “How’s everyone feeling about their work today?” Watch how the energy shifts when people can be honest about their struggles without fear of judgment.
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Permission to be Human: Had a deployment go sideways at 2 AM? Maybe tomorrow’s stand-up can be a bit later. Sprint velocity looking low? Perhaps there’s a story about burnout that needs telling. Friendly Scrum acknowledges that metrics serve people, not the other way around.
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The Comfort Zone Stretch: Instead of demanding “self-organizing teams,” try nurturing psychological safety first. It’s amazing how much easier self-organization becomes when people aren’t afraid to speak up or make mistakes.
Real Talk: The Challenges
Let’s not sugarcoat it - being the “friendly” Scrum Master isn’t always easy:
- Sometimes you need to have tough conversations
- Not everyone will appreciate your emotional awareness
- Some days, you’ll feel more like a therapist than an Agile coach
But here’s the thing: these challenges are exactly why Friendly Scrum matters.
Making it Work
Here are some practical ways to bring more emotional intelligence to your Scrum practice:
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Read the Silence: Often, what’s not being said in a meeting is more important than what is. Get comfortable with asking “What are we not talking about?”
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Create Safety Bubbles: Before retrospectives, explicitly state that all feelings are valid. Sometimes people need permission to be frustrated or disappointed.
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Walk the Floor: Spend time casually chatting with team members outside of ceremonies. You’d be amazed what you learn during a coffee run.
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Acknowledge the Chaos: Sometimes sprints go sideways. Instead of immediately jumping to solutions, start with “Yeah, this is rough. How’s everyone holding up?”
The ROI of Being Human
Here’s the kicker - Friendly Scrum is not about feeling good. Teams with high emotional intelligence tend to:
- Communicate more effectively
- Resolve conflicts faster
- Take smarter risks
- Deliver better results
We drive and motivate our teams to get there. Your teams should be self governing in the absence of a Scrum Master.
The Retro
Remember, the Agile Manifesto starts with “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools” for a reason.
“Scrum is a framework, but humans are the ones who make it work.”
— Me. As of right now.
Next time you’re facilitating a session, try leading with empathy. Ask yourself: “What does my team need emotionally right now?” Sometimes it’s a well-run sprint planning session. Other times, it’s just someone who understands that we’re all human, doing our best to build cool stuff together.
After all, the best Scrum Masters aren’t just process facilitators - they’re people who make other people feel seen, heard, and supported on their Agile journey.
Thoughts?
All the best.
- Jeff