someone

.....working in your team or organisation whose purpose is to improve the efficiency of others.

?

This person inspires both their team and potentially everyone in the organisation.?? Through inspiration they create new energy and forward momentum.

This person causes positive disruption by shaking complacency to the ground and pushing at boundaries to see what gives. Some fall over easily because they are so old nobody can remember why they are there.

A role that nurtures the growth and - to an extent - the professional emotional health of those they work with.?? It's a role that helps people become more invested with the big mission and able to do their best work more often.?? [With employee engagement said to be at around 30% ?or less (Gallup 'State of the Global Workplace' 2024) , this could be an important thing].

The person I describe has alternative viewpoints and is resourceful; they bring practices from many schools, trying them for size in your context and customising them to help the organisation improve in multiple ways.

They are tactful. ??They can say the things that need to be said without confrontation, but in a way that works to create awareness of disfunction and routes to escape it.? They land difficult messages well, and create trust.???

They are empathic and will immerse themselves in their team and?projects to get things done.? Where needed they will take the hit and beat a new path through, ?but just as often will show others where the existing path already lies.?

Through all of this they are able to earn respect.? They neither need nor want high authority, rank or power.? They'll acknowledge corporate politics but won't join in or take sides.? If allowed in, they'll actually help coax it down a level through renewed focus on common goals.

As a career goal, this person is dedicated to the things I describe, which is why they may choose to operate as independent contractors. ??If you encounter one engaged this way, embrace that transient experience. ??Their mission is to improve their clients' work and move on when sustainable change has been created.?? ?They'll be there when needed but won't seek to hang around beyond that need.? It's a rare partnership.

What I'm describing is a Great Scrum Master.? As well as these soft skills and instinctive servant leadership, they'll know all about the Scrum framework and a wide range of complementary practices and tools from the wider Agile body of knowledge.

If you want to be a Great Scrum Master yourself, ?or develop your own Scrum Masters further, you can talk to one of the Guides at the Agile Mastery Institute.?? ?I'm one.