Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast

BONUS: Unlocking the Secrets to Thriving Workplaces and Agile Leadership with Vasco Duarte In this insightful BONUS episode, Vasco Duarte is interviewed by Bill Fox for an episode on the Forward Thinking Workplaces Podcast. Vasco is a visionary leader in agile and lean software development. Vasco shares his revolutionary approach to fostering innovation, creating dynamic workplaces, and leading teams to success. His strategies are designed for leaders looking to elevate their organizations by focusing on people, purpose, and efficient work processes. Tune in for practical advice on how to unlock your team’s full potential and thrive in today’s fast-paced work environment. Creating Environments for Natural Innovation “Innovation is a natural human quality; it flourishes when you don't make an effort to prevent it.” Vasco emphasizes that innovation isn’t something leaders need to force. Instead, it happens organically when the right environment is in place. He encourages leaders to shift away from rig

Karla Merza: How Open Feedback Can Transform a Product Owner's Approach, And Help Agile Teams Succeed The Great Product Owner: The PO As A Facilitator For The Team Karla describes a Product Owner who was open to feedback and continuously sought collaboration with the Scrum Master and the team. This PO’s willingness to engage in discussions and act on feedback fostered a productive and collaborative environment. They consistently asked how they could better support the team, demonstrating empathy and a strong commitment to continuous improvement. The Bad Product Owner: When The PO Protects The Team Too Much! In contrast, Karla shares a story of a Product Owner who unintentionally held back the team by poorly writing epics and user stories. This PO tried to shield the developers from unnecessary involvement but ended up creating more confusion. Fortunately, they were open to feedback, and with coaching, they learned the importance of involving the team in discussions to avoid miscommunication. [The

Karla Merza: Balancing Deadlines Commitments and Agile Team Well-Being as a Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Karla explains that a successful Scrum Master must balance the team's morale with delivery commitments. By adjusting her approach to meet the needs of a new team right before PI planning, Karla helped them take responsibility and deliver successfully. This example shows the importance of fostering both autonomy and accountability within teams. Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Adjusting Retros to the Team's Mood Karla doesn’t have a go-to retrospective format but prefers to adapt the format based on the team’s vibe. She uses tools like Metro Retro to find suitable formats and checks in with the team’s mood before deciding how to proceed. For example, during stressful periods like release deadlines, Karla switches to lighter, surprise

Karla Merza: Driving Change In Agile Teams Through Open Conversations and Experiments Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Karla shares her experience working in a company with little understanding of Scrum. Through open-ended questions and proposing a three-month experiment, she helped the team embrace Agile principles. By fostering a culture of openness and collaboration, Karla was able to boost team morale and encourage leadership to actively engage with their teams. Self-reflection Question: How can you encourage more open communication within your team to drive change? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

Karla Merza: How Poor Communication By Leaders Can Destroy an Agile Team Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Karla shares a story of a team struggling with internal conflicts caused by poor communication around promotions. This lack of transparency led to disengagement and frustration among team members. Karla emphasizes the importance of collaboration between leaders and Scrum Masters to ensure clear communication and maintain team morale. Featured Book of the Week: "Emotional Agility" by Susan David Karla recommends "Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life" by Susan David, a book that helped her as a technical person to understand the emotional side of work. The book explores how to navigate emotions effectively in leadership and personal growth. It has been instrumental in Karla's journey, teaching her how different leadershi

Karla Merza: The Importance of Separating Yourself from an Agile Project Failure as a Scrum Master Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Karla shares her challenging experience as a junior Scrum Master managing two teams in a large corporation. She reflects on how the teams were overwhelmed due to leadership decisions and her struggle to handle the situation. Karla emphasizes the need for Scrum Masters to separate personal responsibility from the project’s failure and offers valuable tips for staying motivated in tough situations. Self-reflection Question: How do you handle situations where a project’s failure feels personal to you? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

BONUS: AI-Driven Agile, Speeding Up Feedback Cycles for Better Product Iteration, And More AI Transformations with Jurgen Appelo In this BONUS episode, leadership expert and entrepreneur Jurgen Appelo joins us to dive into the transformative power of AI in today’s workplaces. Creator of the unFIX model and author of Management 3.0, Jurgen shares his insights on how AI is revolutionizing team collaboration, creativity, and innovation. This engaging conversation covers practical examples, personal stories, and thought-provoking ideas for anyone interested in leveraging AI to thrive in their career and business. AI and the Future of Collaboration "AI gives me more time to focus on the things I really enjoy." Jurgen kicks off by discussing the major changes AI is bringing to how teams collaborate and get work done. He highlights how AI tools like ChatGPT are enhancing feedback loops in product development, allowing teams to gain insights faster and more efficiently. Jurgen shares how he's used AI to

Jelena Vucinic: Why Sharing Product Ownership Leads to Better Product Results Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Sharing Product Ownership with the Team In this episode, Jelena highlights the qualities of a great Product Owner (PO) who excels by sharing product ownership with the team. This PO had deep knowledge of the product but also understood that they didn’t need to know everything. By involving the team in product decisions and creating a sense of co-ownership, the team became more engaged and motivated to deliver better results. Jelena emphasizes that this collaborative approach helps the team to fully understand customer needs and take pride in the product’s success. The Bad Product Owner: Two Anti-Patterns, The Controller and The Organizer Jelena identifies two common anti-patterns in Product Owners: The Controller and The Organi

Jelena Vucinic: How Agile Team Satisfaction and Value Delivery Define Scrum Master Success Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jelena shares her approach to measuring success as a Scrum Master by focusing on two key areas: team satisfaction and value delivery. She emphasizes the importance of discussing these metrics with the team, gauging engagement levels, and reflecting on factors like time-to-market and throughput. Jelena encourages Scrum Masters to consider using net promoter scores as a way to evaluate their impact. Self-reflection Question: How can you help your team define and measure success in a meaningful way? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this conversation started! Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Uncover the Stinky Fish Jelena shares a retrospective format known as "Uncover the Stinky Fish," designed to help

Jelena Vucinic: Leading Change in a Large Scaled Agile Organization Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Jelena shares her experience leading change in a large scaled agile organization with 200 engineering teams. The change involved restructuring roles, connecting teams closer to customers, and a significant mindset shift. Jelena emphasizes the importance of introducing changes slowly, being transparent, and keeping communication open. She highlights the need to empower leaders with tools and support while collecting continuous feedback throughout the process. Self-reflection Question: What steps can you take to ensure that change initiatives are sustainable in your organization? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this conversation started! About Jelena Vucinic Jelena is a self-conscious perfectionist and an everlasting optimist. She is deeply curious abo

Jelena Vucinic: The Pitfalls of Relying on Key Individuals in Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jelena discusses a team of six that became heavily reliant on two highly capable individuals. Their eagerness to deliver results quickly created a bottleneck, as the two individuals began to own critical components of the project. Over time, this led to increased pressure and eventual conflict. Jelena reflects on how to manage situations where individuals may unintentionally dominate the team's workflow, and how team dynamics can be affected when key members are overburdened. Self-reflection Question: How can you identify and address over-dependence on key individuals in your team? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this conversation started! Featured Book of the Week: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown Jelena recommends Dare to Lea

Jelena Vucinic: The Power of Asking for Help During Difficult Workshops Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Jelena shares a challenging story of facilitating a large internal workshop in Zurich, where 50 people participated in activities like story mapping, magic estimation, and release planning. Despite her preparation, the event quickly became difficult as participants grew frustrated, wanting to dive deep into details that could not be addressed. Jelena reflects on how she learned to adapt her approach, embrace agility even in preparation, and ask for help when needed. Self-reflection Question: How can you recognize when your workshop expectations are too ambitious and need adjustment? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this conversation started! About Jelena Vucinic Jelena is a self-conscious perfectionist and an everlasting optimist.

BONUS: Unlocking High-Performance in Agile Organizations, with Rebecca Homkes In this BONUS episode, strategy expert Rebecca Homkes delves into the core themes of her book Survive Reset Thrive: Leading breakthrough growth strategy in volatile times. With a wealth of experience advising CEOs and serving as a Lecturer at London Business School, Rebecca shares practical advice on how leaders can navigate uncertainty, cultivate internal predictability, and create adaptive, high-performing teams. Whether you're in the software industry or any other fast-paced environment, this conversation offers invaluable insights into leading through change and driving sustainable growth. Reframing Our Response to Uncertainty for Agile Organizations “Uncertainty is the new certainty. Let’s not make change bigger than it needs to be.” Rebecca opens with a key premise from her book: the need to reframe our natural response to uncertainty. She challenges the common association between uncertainty and negativity, urging

Dominika Bula: The Power of Storytelling in Product Ownership Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. The Great Product Owner: Storytelling and Focus Dominika shares a story about a great Product Owner (PO) who excelled in communicating the essence of what the team was doing through storytelling. This PO acted as an ambassador, bridging the gap between the team and stakeholders. They knew when to step in and when to step back, allowing the team to contribute their ideas. This PO also helped the team focus by presenting clear objectives and guiding the team through challenges without micromanaging. Their ability to communicate and foster collaboration made them an excellent example of what a Product Owner should strive to be. The Bad Product Owner: Overwhelmed and Isolated In contrast, Dominika highlights a negative Product Owner pattern where the PO tried to take on t

Dominika Bula: How To Grow Self-Sufficient Agile Teams Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Dominika shares a story of a self-sufficient team that fully embraced Scrum values, communicated openly, and thrived without her direct involvement. The team had developed a strong internal support system, understood their code of conduct, and took ownership of their decisions. For Dominika, the ultimate sign of success is when the team operates independently, learning and growing together. Self-reflection Question: Is your team ready to operate independently, or do they still rely on you for guidance? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this conversation started!      Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Circles of Control Dominika recommends the "Circles of Control" retrospective format, a powerful tool to help teams identify what they can control, what

Dominika Bula: Tackling Resistance to Change with Effective Communication, A Scrum Master’s Guide Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Dominika discusses the challenges of harmonizing tools across different teams within a project. As more teams join the project, the inconsistencies in tool usage become apparent. Dominika emphasizes starting with a discovery process to understand the current situation before proposing options for change. She shares tips on effective communication strategies, the importance of involving team leads, and how to tackle emotional objections to change. She also warns against focusing on tasks rather than end-state outcomes when defining goals for change. Self-reflection Question: How do you communicate changes in your teams, and are you focusing on outcomes or just tasks? Leave your answer in the comments, let’s get this con

Dominika Bula: Building Stronger Agile Teams Through Working Agreements And Deliberate Collaboration Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. Dominika shares a story about a growing team in a scaling agile environment where new members were joining frequently. This team lacked a proper working agreement, which resulted in disengaged team members who didn't participate fully in daily discussions. Dominika’s approach was to help the team start a buddy system for new joiners and ensure that everyone, especially new members, felt heard. She emphasizes the importance of developing a deliberate decision-making model and the need to differentiate between the Definition of Done (DoD) and a team working agreement. Self-reflection Question: Is your team’s working agreement fostering participation and inclusion from every member, especially new joiners? Leave your answer in the comm

Dominika Bula: How To Let Go, And Help Teams Take Ownership of Their Problems Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. In this episode, Dominika shares a personal story when she initially joined a team and made the mistake of trying to solve the problems for the team rather than letting them own their improvement journey. This approach led to disengagement, as team members stepped back and avoided participation. Dominika highlights key anti-patterns, such as thinking you are "too senior to learn" and being resistant to change. Her advice is clear: step back, let the team take charge, and foster a culture of continuous learning by exploring external communities and attending conferences. Self-reflection Question: Have you ever stepped back to allow your team to solve their own problems, or are you still trying to lead them through every challenge? Leave your answer in the c

BONUS: Mastering Remote Work in Agile Teams With Antony Marcano NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring!   In this BONUS episode, Antony, co-founder of RiverGlide and Head of Engineering at Ford Digital, joins us to share his experiences and insights from 30 years in software development, including 25 years in Agile practices. As a technical practitioner, leader, and consultant, Antony reflects on navigating remote work, overcoming challenges, and setting up successful remote software teams, while exploring future trends in the industry. The Shift to Fully Remote Work Antony reflects on his first fully remote software project, which took place during the pandemic when everyone was forced to work from home. While his team had been working together for 12 months, they struggled with traditional video conferencing tools that lacked th

Eli Goodman: How Team Alignment Drives Product Success, A Product Owner’s Journey NOTE: We want to thank the folks at Tuple.app for being so generous with their stories, and supporting the podcast. Visit tuple.app/scrum and share them if you find the app useful! Remember, sharing is caring! The Great Product Owner: The Collaborator PO In this episode, Eli Goodman, Head of Product at Tuple, shares an inspiring example of a Product Owner who truly embraced collaboration, ensuring the entire team was aligned with the product vision. Eli highlights the positive impact of this behavior on both team morale and product outcomes.  The Bad Product Owner: The Isolated PO Eli explores a classic Product Owner anti-pattern—working in isolation from the team. In this episode, he discusses the negative effects of this behavior on team collaboration and product success. Listen in to find out how Product Owners can avoid becoming isolated and instead foster collaboration within Agile teams.   About Eli Goodma