Learning to Walk - With Agility

I have vivid memories of when my first child was learning to walk. She would pull herself to standing, usually holding onto the couch. Then she would let go with one hand, wobble a little bit, and if she could get her balance she would release her hold and try to take a step. More often than not, she fell.

If her mom and I were standing right there watching she would usually cry when she fell. Her mom was quick to want to rush in and pick her up (or even try to catch her before she fell) and comfort her and make everything okay. I took a much more hands-off approach. I could see that she was falling, I could hear her cries and see her tears. I wanted to make everything okay, but I was playing the long game.

I noticed if she fell and started crying and I acted like I was ignoring it she would eventually look around and realize that no one was responding. She would stop crying, crawl back to the couch and try again.

Eventually, I convinced her mom to take the same approach. It took a little longer for her to stop crying when she fell, but when she finally realized that we weren’t going to respond unless she was really hurt she soon stopped crying every time and just determined to get up and go again. And her progress got faster and faster and pretty soon she was walking.

So, you may be wondering what this parenting story has to do with Agile development. I’ve noticed there are some Scrum Masters who take a more vocal and hands-on approach to serving their teams, especially teams that are just learning Scrum. They squash arguments (or heated discussions) quickly, speak up frequently and try to avoid the pain and conflict that happens as teams grow and learn.

I tend to take a more hands off approach here too. If I notice my team having a conversation that isn’t going well I will often sit back and listen for a bit. Sometimes for an uncomfortably long time. Only if I feel the conversation is becoming detrimental to the team health will I interject. I’ve seen team members look around like they want someone to step in and fix what’s happening. I have even heard someone mutter under their breath that “we need someone” and I still sit back and observe.

Again, I’m playing the long game. In my experience, when teams are allowed to work through their issues on their own, they are quicker to learn what is and what is not beneficial to the team. Leaders emerge. The team holds each other accountable to their Working Agreement, not because someone is making them do it, but because they own it and realize that things run smoother when they follow the agreed upon guidelines.

Yes, it is difficult to do this. Like a nervous mother, it is tempting to intervene and make sure everyone knows that you are there and that you care. It’s sometimes painful to watch a team struggle. But, like watching your child take their first steps, when you see your team self-correct and move forward without having to hold their hand every step of the way it’s incredibly rewarding.

So, my fellow Scrum Masters, next time you are in a team meeting or Scrum ceremony and feel the need to speak up to correct the course, take a deep breath or count to 10 and see what the team does. Chances are they might just surprise you and pull themselves back up to their feet and try to take another step forward on their own. And pretty soon, they will be off and running.