Can PM be fit as a SCRUM Master ?

SCRUM is a lean iterative model to perform and deliver the work in iterations. It requires more self-discipline and team collaboration. If we look at the past historical projects where usual project management was more of Command and Control style, SCRUM promotes self disciple and self organizing style. Most of the project not in Agile requires external stimulation from project managers but SCRUM model talks about the internalization of the individual capabilities and competencies. A successful team in agile mostly based on the sensitized individual characteristics operating in harmony. In these situations external stimulation have negative impact if not imparted in a proper way. Burgeoning occurrences are witnessed where Scrum Master positions are filled by the Program/Project Managers. This type of fitting makes the scrum journey dangerous. 

Now I get lot of questions on the same topic when consulted as a coach, can a PM (Project Manager) play a role as scrum master ? Ideally what is wrong ? Why cannot a person be a scrum master, after all PM are also human beings with certain specific skill set. Then why they cannot be SCRUM masters? Theoretically nothing stops PM from playing a SCRUM master role.Then what makes the difference, this journal wants to discuss about those subtle differences that a Scrum Master need to have as compared to a Project Manager. In this journal we are going to discuss these 5 major differences.

1. Empowerment
2. Guardian of SCRUM Process
3. Manage Risks not Deliveries
4. Servant Leadership
5. Taking team to heights

1. Empowerment: This is a greatest trait in a SCRUM master to stand up and provide opinion in an unbiased way for SCRUM operation. In most of the time we have seen that Project Managers mostly biased as they have a long ranging background where they dictate operation. For a Scrum team such an act may be detrimental. In most of the old companies we have seen scrum master is a puppet role reporting to program / project managers. Most of the failure attributed to this kind of org structure as both of their objectives do not align (PM manages the delivery, Scrum Master struggles for team self discipline and process). Independence in taking decision, voicing opinion, acting as per facts along with the team, are symptoms of a good Scrum Master. Empowerment to SCRUM Masters manifests these characteristics in a person. Program Managers by design dependent on the stake holders and sometimes decision making is not confined to them.
2. Guardian of SCRUM Process: SCRUM Master is the gateway for SCRUM and Biz team. A SCRUM Master is a process coach for the team and he binds the process to the team integrity for best SCRUM operation. SCRUM Master role demands risk taking ability from a person. He should inculcate the culture, belief of a team around transparency, success, and learning. I have seen traditional PMs lack few of these basic skills as they always busy in fire fighting, planning for resources. Their past experience to deliver the product at any cost attitude creates team turbulence. When working environment has such leaders Scrum Teams’ delivery experience, learning might not be that optimistic. Majority of the time normal PM doesn't pay attention to the experiential learning factor and they put all the emphasis on delivering the product. Scrum Masters provide the skills to insulate team from the external pressures while he closely guard rails the process. Knowledge of the Agile Process and application of it to real life is a huge difference between Scrum Master and Project Manager.
3. Manage Risks not Deliveries: People from ProgramManager background, manages delivery. There is nothing wrong but this model does not allow teams to self organize themselves which is a fundamental block in Agile program delivery. Where as a trained SCRUM Master, manages the risk for the team. Most of the sprint failure happens when sprints risks are not managed well. Organization of third generation running sprint majorly faces fire fighting situation as risks within the sprint is not managed well. Basic blame game between team and biz continues as risks are not decomposed between members of the team. There is a fundamental difference between managing the delivery and the risk. While normal Program Management also manages the risk but they usually put extra weight on delivery, whereas delivery will be automatic when risks are managed properly for a self organized team. SCRUM believes in this model. 
4. Servant Leader: For a successful scrum team, servant leader attitude in SCRUM Master is a key recipe. It is one of the success factor for team if SCRUM master exhibits this quality. Normal program mangers usually work on a Master Slave mode where they dictate and team follows. The success of project heavily rely upon Project Managers experience for any classic waterfall or hybrid model. SCRUM Model bolsters the team success rather than individual skills. Having said that team requires individual skill but when they collaborate the yield is more than the sum of individual skill delivery. PMs getting out of master mode to servant mode is a sea change. It does not come naturally. Specialized conditioning training is required with field level practice. Hence porting Project Manager directly to scrum master is a dangerous act. Team Morale might suffer if the attitude of PM playing SCRUM Master role is not monitored and conditioned. Different type of assessments are conducted to get an eligible Scrum Master.
5. Taking team to heights: Scrum Masters are living example for the team. They usually exhibit specialized characteristics like discipline, decision enabler, creating learning team, a good risk taker, collaborator. All these traits are honed in a person to play a scrum master role. Ideally most of the companies never pay heed to these traits which later creates undesirable impact on the team. As human being we all have these traits but applying them in the field of work is an art. This requires a practice and an environment to experiment. Normal program managers also play these roles but on a different dimensions. When waterfall like projects play focus on what to deliver (Basically the output focused) agile projects promotes for How to Deliver (Experiential part of delivery). Hence the level of rigor for those traits are different and they need to be realigned when porting PM to Scrum Master role. Not many company pay focus on these traits which creates imbalance going further in the journey.

The successful transition from PM to Scrum Master requires lot of effort and practice. Life style change, I would say . It is naturally difficult as something has to be unlearned. With careful nurturing, and conditioning PMs can be ported to SCRUM Master. All the time organization wants to deliver fast which leads to hasty decisions on porting PM to SCRUM Master. This creates lot of turbulence in the team. But the option for moving to Scrum Master role from program manager is not unviable. With proper training this is possible.