Scrum Facilitators Community podcast

Recorded in Paris, at the Scrum.org Face to Face event for Professional Scrum Trainers (PST). Scrum Facilitators own PST Sjoerd hosts Magdalena Kucharska, Kate Hobler and Pawel Mysliwiec.

In this episode of the Scrum Facilitators Community Podcast, the participants discuss the topic of understanding Scrum and the challenges associated with it. They address the perception that if people don't understand Scrum, the problem may lie within the framework itself. They emphasize that Scrum can be difficult to understand due to its complex nature and the presence of numerous myths surrounding it. The participants also highlight the importance of experienced coaches and facilitators who can guide individuals and organizations in adopting Scrum effectively. They suggest that the Scrum Guide, while deceptively simple, requires a specific mindset to fully comprehend its principles and apply them in practice. The podcast participants offer suggestions for potential improvements to the Scrum Guide, such as rephrasing certain terms and clarifying misconceptions. Overall, the conversation revolves around enhancing the understanding and application of Scrum to achieve better value delivery and collaboration.

A big thanks goes out to my guests and colleagues for their courage to discuss this topic that came out of a ‘controversial statements’ brainstorm. I really wanted to discuss this topic, because Scrum experts can have a tendency to downplay or straight up strawman people’s struggles or grievances with Scrum, by responding ”you are doing it wrong” and/or “you don’t really understand Scrum”. It was an interesting and insightful experience to discuss this topic with a group of Trainers whose job it is to guide and teach Scrum to improve teams and organizations effectiveness , by helping people understand Scrum and benefit from the framework.

Links:

• Scrum Guide - https://scrumguides.org
• Magdalena - https://www.linkedin.com/in/magdalena-kucharska-82b676a1
• Kate - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-hobler
• Pawel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawelmysliwiec
• Sjoerd - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjoerdkranendonk
• Scrum Facilitators - https://www.scrumfacilitators.com
• SF Original Conference - https://sfconference.nl (a few tickets left on june 7 2023!)

Are you working with Scrum/Agile and have similar stories and tips to share? Or do you know someone that you want to voluntell to be a guest? Reach out! [email protected]
Also check out our website, LinkedIn and Meetup

In this episode, Sjoerd Kranendonk and Maaike Klasen delve into the nuanced world of coaching within agile frameworks. They discuss the importance of contracting for coaching sessions and the distinctions between general coaching, professional coaching, and Agile coaching. Emphasizing the emotional dynamics within teams, they explore the complexities and approaches to both individual and team coaching, highlighting the significance of shared goals in team coaching versus the personalized focus of individual coaching.

The conversation underscores the challenges in balancing individual and team dynamics, with Maaike and Sjoerd reflecting on the importance of curiosity, openness, and courage in fostering effective team interactions. They stress the need for team coaches to trust the natural growth and evolution of teams, while also being ready to intervene when necessary with appropriate facilitation tools. The discussion also touches on the importance of every team member's voice and the role of the coach in ensuring that quieter voices are heard and valued.

In conclusion, the episode emphasizes the critical role of ownership and self-organization in agile teams. Sjoerd and Maaike advocate for a pull-based approach where teams are encouraged to take ownership of their development and improvement processes, rather than having solutions imposed upon them. This fosters a more adaptable and resilient team dynamic, essential for thriving in fast-changing environments. The episode wraps up with a reminder of the collaborative nature of agile work and the importance of communication and interaction between team members and product owners.
Find and Connect with Maaike:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maaike-klasen-acc-coach-053798a6/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maaike.klasen
• Previous SF Podcast episode: Professional Coaching in Scrum

Maaike's book tips (sorry, dutch books!):

• Tricky Tijden - Jitske Kramer (Jitske Linkedin)
• Agile Teams: Hoe dan?! - Francisca Dalstra (Francisca Linkedin)

Are you working with Scrum/Agile and have similar stories and tips to share? Or do you know someone that you want to voluntell to be a guest? Reach out! [email protected]
Also check out our website, LinkedIn and Meetup

Maaike Klasen is a Scrum Master and Professional Coach who is passionate about bringing Professional Coaching insights to Scrum Teams and Scrum Masters.
In this episode we explore various Scrum and coaching topics, like adult/child positioning in relationships between people and Scrum Team members. Maaike also elaborates on the importance of trust for feedback (constructive criticism) in collaboration and coaching. We then dive into how Professional Coaching can enhance your Scrum Mastery, by way of asking good questions (it's a skill!) and recognising and leveraging the similarities between the Coaching approach and the Scrum Framework.
Of course she also gets to answer the previous guests' question(s): "How do you know you are doing the right thing? What is the right thing?" Her question for the next guest? You'll have to listen...
Find and Connect with Maaike:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maaike-klasen-acc-coach-053798a6/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maaike.klasen
Upcoming event on coaching within agile and Scrum with Maaike and our own Chee-Hong Hsia: https://www.icf-events.org/chapter-event/icf-coaching-in-agile-scrum-2/
All ICF upcoming events: http://coachingfederation.nl/events/

Are you working with Scrum/Agile and have similar stories and tips to share? Or do you know someone that you want to voluntell to be a guest? Reach out! [email protected]
Also check out our website, LinkedIn and Meetup

In this new Scrum Facilitators community podcast episode, Steve Trapps talks to Georgina Shute about being kind to yourself and recognizing that the more you practice being thankful for things the easier it is to see what you should be grateful for. Gina is a digital leader, charity founder and consultant who champions kindness in technology teams.

Gina shares her daily tip on feeling fulfilled and noticing what is going on in her life.

Gina's talk on Why Neurodiversity and Mental Health Matter - https://youtu.be/znBu7YT4aZA

Are you working with Scrum/Agile and have similar stories and tips to share? Or do you know someone that you want to voluntell to be a guest? Reach out! [email protected]
Also check out our website, LinkedIn and Meetup

In this special video episode, Fredrik Wendt discusses a thing that he finds strange in how the Commitments are set up in the current Scrum Guide (SG2020).
The Commitments are not all of the same kind, which makes understanding the groupings and how we can use them to improve and guide value delivery (and quality) more difficult for Scrum practitioners.
After listening to this episode we hope you walk away with sharper understanding of Scrum's Commitments, their importance AND their differences.
Are you listening to this without visuals? Please also check out the video on our Youtube channel, as Fredrik supports his reasoning with visuals which makes the argument even easier to follow. Find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6rttY6pSFs
If you like this kind of focused, detailed exploration of Scrum's details, please let us know, because as Scrum-Nerds we can certainly do more (with Fredrik and/or other guests).
Want to learn more from Fredrik, please check out the previous episode we recorded with Fredrik, about influence and value.
Have any other feedback? Questions you'd like answered? Ideas for guests or topics? Please reach out through any of our channels, like http://scrumfacilitators.com or linkedin.

Are you working with Scrum/Agile and have similar stories and tips to share? Or do you know someone that you want to voluntell to be a guest? Reach out! [email protected]
Also check out our website, LinkedIn and Meetup