Introduction
What sets high-performing Scrum teams apart from the rest?
The 2020 Scrum Guide provides a clear answer: the success of Scrum relies on how well a team lives by its five core values, with the Scrum Master playing a crucial part in guiding the Scrum Team to embody these values.
These Scrum Values—Commitment, Courage, Focus, Openness, and Respect—aren’t just theoretical concepts.
They are practical, actionable guides (compass) that shape the behavior and effectiveness of Scrum teams.
In this blog, we’ll explore how these values build trust, drive continuous improvement, and ensure long-term success in any Scrum environment.
Commitment: The Engine of Consistent Progress
What Commitment Means in Scrum?
Commitment is not just about completing tasks, it’s about each team member dedicating themselves to the collective goal. It involves a dedication to the team to strive for excellence and to remain steadfast in the pursuit of the building a better product.
Commitment’s Role in the Team
When a team is truly committed, members are more likely to contribute meaningfully to the overarching goal. This shared dedication creates a sense of responsibility and leads to steady, measurable progress. The power of commitment lies in its ability to bind the team together, ensuring that everyone works towards a common goal.
Commitment in Practice
Consider a Scrum team working on a critical product release. By committing to the Sprint Goals, the team ensures that every member is fully dedicated and engaged, contributing their best efforts.
Focus: The Key to Maximize Work Not Done
What Focus Means in Scrum?
Focus in Scrum is about channeling the team’s energy and effort towards the Sprint Goals and Product Goals. It’s about avoiding distractions and staying aligned with the priorities set at the beginning of each sprint.
The Role of Focus in Scrum
A focused team is an effective team. By concentrating on the most value work, teams can work more effectively, avoiding the pitfalls of context-switching (multitasking) and staying true to their timelines.
Focus in Practice
Imagine a situation where a Scrum team is juggling multiple priorities. By honing in on the agreed Sprint objectives and blocking out distractions, the team successfully delivers on its commitments, thereby enhancing its reputation for reliability and effectiveness.
Openness: The Foundation of Visibility
What Openness Means in Scrum?
Openness in Scrum refers to the transparency and honesty that should characterize team interactions. It’s about creating an environment where every member feels comfortable sharing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns – psychological safety.
The Role of Openness in Scrum
Openness leads to better collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making. When team members are open with each other, they can address challenges early, share knowledge freely, and work together to find the best solutions.
Openness in Practice
A team member raises a potential issue during a Daily Scrum Event. Because of the team’s culture of openness, the problem is addressed quickly, preventing what could have been a major setback. This example illustrates how openness can lead to more effective problem resolution.
Respect: The Glue That Holds Teams Together
The Importance of Respect in Scrum
Respect in Scrum is about valuing each team member’s contributions and perspectives. It’s about creating a culture where everyone feels acknowledged and appreciated.
Respect’s Impact on Scrum Team Cohesion
When respect is a core value, it builds a foundation of trust within the team. Members are more likely to collaborate effectively, communicate openly, and support each other, which leads to a more harmonious and productive working environment.
Respect in Practice
During a particularly stressful Sprint, a disagreement arises between team members. However, because of the mutual respect they have for one another, they manage to resolve the conflict healthy, keeping the team’s morale and health high.
Courage: The Catalyst Behind Bold Moves for Change
Defining Courage in Scrum
Courage in Scrum involves the willingness to tackle difficult challenges, take responsibility, and deal with complex problems, advocating for necessary changes, even when it’s uncomfortable.
The Role of Courage in Scrum Team
Courage empowers teams to push boundaries and improve continuously. It encourages team members to raise concerns, suggest improvements, and step up during tough moments, leading to innovative solutions and sustained success.
The Scrum Master encourages the team to embrace courage, whether it’s through taking on challenging tasks or advocating for necessary changes that improve processes.
Courage in Practice
In one Sprint, a team realizes that the current approach is not working. It takes Courage for the team to inspect and adapt and suggest a new strategy. This bold move not only saves the product but also leads to an even better outcome than initially planned.
Conclusion
The Collective Power of Scrum Values
Each of the five Scrum values—commitment, focus, openness, respect, and courage—plays crucial role in creating a high-performance team.
Together, they foster an environment of trust, psychological safety, collaboration, and relentless improvement, driving teams towards consistent success.
