Introduction
In my previous post, I unpacked the core values of Scrum—Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, and Courage.
Understanding these Scrum Values is crucial, but knowledge alone isn’t enough.
The true power of Scrum lies in how effectively a Scrum Team can embody these Scrum Values in their day-to-day work.
This blog will guide you through actionable steps to integrate these Scrum Values into your environment, ensuring your team not only understands but also lives by them.
Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Each Scrum Value
Commitment
Fostering a Commitment Culture
Commitment is the foundation of a successful Scrum team. It starts with each team member being realistic during Sprint Planning Event and continues with a collective focus on Sprint Goals and Product Goals.
In Scrum, Scrum Team commits to the goals (Sprint Goal and Product Goal) not scope or tasks.
Practical Tips:
- Encourage Scrum Team members to hold each other accountable for the commitments to the Sprint Goal and the Product Goal.
- Make a commitment to improving one area of your process each Sprint. For example: Scrum Team could commit to reducing a bit of technical debt or improving code quality each Sprint.
- Long-term vision alignment that ensures that the each Sprint Goal aligns (contributes) to the Product Goal. This helps the Scrum Team stay committed not just to the immediate tasks, but broader objectives.
Focus
Maintaining Focus During Sprints
Focus is crucial to maintaining momentum and ensuring that the team delivers on its commitments. By managing time effectively and prioritizing tasks, the team can avoid distractions and stay on course.
Practical Tips:
- Implement the time-box for Scrum Events to keep them short and purposeful to respect everyone’s time and maintain focus.
- Reduce multitasking by limiting Work In Progress (WIP) to avoid spreading the team too thin. Use Daily Scrum Event to reinforce the day’s priorities and maintain focus.
- Think Lean and focus on value-oriented work and activities rather than non-value oriented.
Openness
Encouraging Transparency and Open Communication
Openness is about creating a culture where every team member feels safe to express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. This transparency fosters trust and enhances collaboration that improves psychological safety in a Scrum Team.
Practical Tips:
- Create a safe environment and encourage open dialogue during Sprint Retrospective and other Scrum Events. When team members feel heard, they’re more likely to share valuable insights.
- Foster a culture of continuous feedback and regularly give and receive constructive feedback. This practice helps in strengthening processes and improving team dynamics.
- Share stories of what didn’t work as well as what did, this creates a culture where team members are open about challenges and mistakes which leads to valuable learning opportunities.
Respect
Building Mutual Respect
Respect is the glue that holds a Scrum team together. It’s about valuing each person’s contribution and addressing conflicts respectfully and diligently.
Practical Tips:
- Recognize achievements regularly, acknowledge and celebrate individual and team successes. This reinforces positive behavior and respect within the Scrum Team.
- Engage in team-building activities that reflects on strengthen interpersonal relationships through activities that promote teamwork and mutual respect.
- Actively seek inputs and insights from al team members during discussions, especially those who might be quiter or less vocal. This shows respect for everyone’s ideas and contributions.
Courage
Empowering the Team to Take Tough Decisions
Courage enables Scrum Team to take risks, experiment, and learn from failures. It’s about pushing boundaries and continuously improving.
Practical Tips:
- Promote continuous improvement and encourage team members to challenge the status quo and seek out new ways to improve. This mindset fosters innovation and growth.
- Encourage experimentation and allocate time within Sprints for experimentations such as exploring new technologies or approaches. This builds courage within the team and innovation.
- Support the team to encourage difficult conversation to address complex problems directly rather than avoiding them.
Conclusion
The Scrum Master plays important part in embedding these Scrum Values into the Scrum Team’s culture.
By leading by example and reinforcing these Scrum Values during Scrum Events and daily interactions, the Scrum Master ensures that the team consistently upholds them.
These Scrum Values will bring Empirical Pillars of Transparency, Inspection and Adaptation to life building trust within the Scrum Team and people they work with.
