Scrum Master as a Facilitator

 

Safe Scrum Master

A person who leads and coaches Agile teams and helps train teams on Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Kanban, and Safe to ensure adherence to agreed Agile processes after completion of Scrum Master certification. It also helps to remove roadblocks and create an environment for strong team dynamics, continuous flow, and constant improvement. 

What is facilitation? 

Facilitation is any activity that makes the work of others easier. The success of a Scrum Master or Agile Coach depends heavily on team skills. They have to manage (and be well prepared for) Agile ceremonies such as release planning, iteration/sprint planning, reviews or demos, and retrospectives - organization. 

What is an Agile Team Facilitator?

·       Within Agile team structures, team facilitators actively help Agile teams work by improving their communication and collaboration and assisting in the necessary shifts to an Agile team environment.

·       The Agile Team Facilitator role may sound a lot like the Scrum Master role, but it differs in a few key ways.

·       First, Agile facilitators have been labeled "framework agnostic" because they are not tied to the Scrum framework.

·       Agile team facilitators do not focus directly on the work product but on the members of the team, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can be used to move the team forward.

·       Additionally, Agile Team Facilitators work with multiple teams, while Scrum Masters work only with specific teams.

An Agile team facilitator needs to have extensive knowledge of employee and workplace behavior; having a background in occupational or organizational psychology can be especially helpful. They often work closely with individuals to determine their strengths and weaknesses and alleviate individual pain points, with the end goal of helping the team function better together. The advantages of using an Agile facilitator helps to solve and address issues that will affect productivity and improve how the team works together.

Scrum Master Facilitation Skills:-

·       Professional Scrum facilitation skills enable teams and individuals to develop proficiency in facilitation skills, enabling teams to better solve problems, achieve consensus, and promote transparency.

·       Great Scrum Teams are self-managing, cross-functional, and have the skills and competencies needed to be successful. However, team interactions don't always go as expected and can lead to conflicts and roadblocks.

·       Effective facilitation helps teams achieve desired results.  Proper facilitation tips invite and designate the right people, places, and times. Scrum Masters need relationship-building skills to remove barriers from groups and build networks among people.

·       Choosing the right people for the event will help them get to know the relationships within the space and help them form networks within themselves and with the stakeholders involved in the space.

·       In order to keep the creativity flowing within the group, it is necessary to choose the right place and time for the event while respecting the participants' schedules.

Therefore, it is advisable to plan the event before the time, choosing in advance the places and times that are most convenient for each participant and the activities that will be performed.

Becoming a Good Listener 

Effective presenters and active listeners go hand in hand. By actively listening, the Scrum Master can also keep track of progress and predict whether events will produce the desired outcome. This also helps to end the session as clearly and productively as possible by asking questions that can steer the flow in the right direction. You should be an open communicator who encourages you to voice your opinions and ideas rather than just voicing your opinions.

Participating in discussions should be avoided, as it can disrupt the overall collaboration and reduce the quality of the results. The scrum master as the facilitator should monitor the flow of discussions and guide the team to achieve the desired outcome. A Scrum Master should always be neutral and strictly avoid endorsing anyone, an idea, or a concept.

Proper follow-up of events 

Review results during follow-up to ensure desired results have been achieved. List what you missed and what you accomplished. When completing agendas, don't prematurely complete one agenda just to complete the event. Make sure each point is fully discussed within the time limit to hold the event within the time frame. Always ready for feedback and improvement, the Scrum Master grows with the team. Always be ready to improve your moderation skills. It can be difficult for a master or teacher, but continuous improvement and learning make the work easier and more rewarding.

5 tips for remote moderation.

·       Allow enough time for preparation

·       Establish work arrangements in advance

·       Create a space for collaboration

·       Write it down

·       Keep it small

About Advance Agility

We, at Advance Agility, are the new-age Agile Coaching, Consulting and IT services company. We enable end-to-end Digital Transformation. Agile execution is integral to our being. We are doing SAFe implementation with small, medium and large organization across the globe. Our vision is to be the leading Agile execution player globally. To keep adding value at every process stage. We are on a mission to empower our clients, move from concept to cash in the shortest sustainable lead time by adopting human centric approach to business agility. Embracing the change is in our DNA. Things that keep us apart are Quicker and Seamless execution with End-to-end gamut of services. Our Global presence and Stellar Track Record give us an edge over our competitor.

Connect with us at advanceagility.com to learn about SAFe and SAFe Implementation. We provide various SAFe certification courses along with DevOps, Scrum, Agile Coaching and more trainings. Write to us at contact@advanceagilty.com for any agile training or consulting needs. We are always looking for competent agile trainers as well. So if you are a good trainer or want to become one, do get in touch with us to that we can learn, grow and achieve together.