Learn about various roles a Scrum master has to play and the skills required to be a successful scrum master Takeaways: 1. Setup your scrum team for success by hiring an effective scrum master 2. Learn about foundational skills that will help you be a successful scrum master

1. Presentation by: Rajat Julka

2. RAJAT JULKA
Rajat has more than 19 years of work experience in technology & digital consulting services
and has held key management positions in the delivery management teams of tech.
companies specializing in the global delivery model. He is an active mentor to startups in
Chandigarh region and has helped them resolve their management, strategy, funding and
service delivery challenges.
Rajat has extensive experience in delivering customer success to global fortune 100
customers across Retail, Real Estate, Healthcare, FinTech, Technology, Legal, Marketing
and Publishing verticals.
About The Speaker

3. Who is the Scrum Master?
Product Owner
I am the
Scrum Master
Development Team
Scrum Team
(Cohesive unit of professionals focused on one objective at a time, the Product Goal.)

4. Let’s check what the Scrum Guide says about SM:
“The Scrum Master is responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum as
defined in the Scrum Guide. Scrum Masters do this by helping everyone
understand Scrum theory, practices, rules, and values.”
The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do
this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum
framework
Who is the Scrum Master?

5. Why do we need a Scrum Master?
● Coaching the team members in self-management and
cross-functionality
● Helping the Scrum Team focus on creating high-value
Increments that meet the Definition of Done
● Causing the removal of impediments to the Scrum
Team’s progress
● Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are
positive, productive, and kept within the timebox
● Helping find techniques for effective
Product Goal definition and Product
Backlog management;
● Helping the Scrum Team understand the
need for clear and concise Product
Backlog items;
● Helping establish empirical product
planning for a complex environment; and,
● Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as
requested or needed.
● Leading, training, and coaching the
organization in its Scrum adoption;
● Planning and advising Scrum
implementations within the organization;
● Helping employees and stakeholders
understand and enact an empirical
approach for complex work; and,
● Removing barriers between stakeholders
and Scrum Teams.
Advise & Coaching Coaching & Facilitation
Mentoring,
Coaching & Facilitation
Servant Leadership
Product Owner Organization
Scrum Team

6. Various Roles played by a Scrum Master
In order to service the three stakeholders i.e. Product Owner, Scrum Team and Organization, the Scrum Master is required to
play diverse roles successfully. A great Scrum Master is aware of them and knows when and how to play them, depending on
situation and context.

7. To Summarize….
Accountable for Scrum
Team’s Effectiveness
One of the three
Scrum Team Roles
+
+
WOW! That seems challenging and exciting. How do I become a Scrum Master ?

8. Process to be a Certified Professional Scrum Master
Register for PSM
Training
Attend 2 Days’
Instructor Led Training
Get Free Exam
Password
Write Online PSM
Exam
Clear Exam Get PSM Certification
That's It!
I am a “Master” now

9. Certification - What did it cover ?
Scrum Framework Knowledge Foundational Skills
Scrum Theory
Scrum Practices
Scrum Values
Scrum Rules
Scrum Guide
Coaching & Mentoring
Servant Leadership
Conflict Management
Facilitation
Change Control
Masters are usually expected to be experts in their subjects and hence Scrum Masters are also expected to be Scrum SMEs and
perform a dependable role in executing Scrum projects effectively however lack of foundational skills (as explained above) does
not allow a Scrum Master to implement & execute Scrum correctly. As a result, the Scrum teams ends up implementing a tailored
process which is anything but Scrum leading to loss of trust and confidence to deliver expected value to business and Customers.
A master who may not be skilled

10. How to be successful in your role as Scrum Master ?
You know “Why” you want to be a SM and are ready to give your 100% into it.
Coaching Mentoring Servant Leadership Facilitation Conflict Resolution Change Control
Scrum Framework Expertise & Certification
Practical Implementations
Vision
Foundational
Skills
Scrum
Knowledge
Practice

11. Vision - Why you want to be a Scrum Master ?
A lot of the professionals are attracted to the Scrum Master role due to the word “Master” in its title. Have a look at
the below data from Scrum.org showing count of Scrum certifications awarded worldwide as on Nov. 1, 2020.

12. Scrum Master as a Facilitator
The Scrum Master facilitates scrum ceremonies using best practices & active collaboration from
Scrum Teams with the goal of achieving targeted product & business goals. He/She will also facilitate
removing impediments impacting the overall team / product goals or just a sprint goal.
A facilitator acts like a guide to help people move through a process. While every facilitator will have
his / her own unique style however would have these skills at minimum in order to be a successful
facilitator:
● Good communication
● Active listening
● Developing synergy
● Empathy
● Probing & effective reasoning
● Time management
● Staying neutral
● Disciplined to record outcomes

13. Scrum Master as a Coach & Mentor
The Scrum Master coaches the Scrum team and stakeholders (who work with Scrum teams) about
value driven approach of Agile & Scrum, team’s focus on product & business goals, continuous
improvements, collaboration, best practices and guiding principles.
In order to be an effective coach, you will need following skills:
● Effective communication,
● Building rapport,
● Empathy,
● Providing instructions and explanations,
● Using tools & methods,
● Demonstrating,
● Observing &
● Giving constructive feedback

14. Scrum Master as a Impediment Remover
Scrum teams need to be self organized and goal oriented. Entire team must work as one unit
towards their defined goals. Whenever two or more product stakeholders have different opinions or
interests, a conflict can occur. As a Scrum master you must resolve or navigate a conflict towards a
resolution effectively, by doing this you will be able to keep the team organized, functional and
focused on common team goals
Leaders follow their unique style of handling conflicts in their teams. Here are few skills that help
leaders in diffusing conflicts within their team and with customers:
● Prioritizing conflict resolution instead of being right,
● Active listening,
● Patience,
● Empathy,
● Impartiality,
● Open communication &
● Effective and respectful communication

15. Scrum Master as a Servant Leadership
Servant Leader whose focus is on the needs of the Scrum team and other product stakeholders with
the goal of achieving results in line with the organization’s values, principles, and business objectives
According to Larry C. Spears, former president of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant
Leadership, these are the 10 most important characteristics of servant leaders:
● Effective communication,
● Active listening,
● Empathy,
● Awareness,
● Persuasion,
● Conceptualization,
● Foresight,
● Stewardship,
● Commitment to the growth of people &
● Building community

16. Scrum Master as a Change Controller
Change Controller who controls & enables a culture of effective value driven change
management during sprints
Skills required to be a Change Controller:
● Effective communication,
● Personal resilience,
● Trust-building,
● Strategic thinking,
● Research &
● Problem solving

17. Skills to play various roles
Good
Communication Empathy Problem Solving
Reasoning and
Negotiations Time Management Active Listening
Awareness Context Driven &
Goal Oriented
Trust-Building
Scrum Expertise Strategic Thinking Observing

18. Key Takeaways
● You must be clear on Why you want to be a Scrum Master? Would you like to aspire to go for
this role if the title is changed to “Scrum Conductor”?
● If you want to be a successful Scrum Master then invest in building foundational skills along
with the Scrum knowledge & certifications
● If you are a leader responsible to setup Agile teams, then do not make certification as the only
criteria to assess scrum master role. Assess foundational skills of your team members as well.
Have their training path for not just Scrum but foundational skills as well
● Be context driven and goal oriented throughout your Scrum journey and you will be an asset
to your team

19. Thank You!
Rajat Julka
rajatjulka@gmail.com