Ten Different Scrum Master Stances

In 2020’s revision of the Scrum Guide, the Scrum Master (SM) is being called out as a true leader. Unfortunately, this role as a leader is hardly acknowledged by executives who are hiring Scrum Masters for their organization. Instead, the SM gets relegated to a minute taker, an appointment booker, or an administrator for the team. There are different stances that an SM has to adopt as a leader so that the team can be victorious.

The ten stances are:

1. Coach - the SM has to work closely with the team members to raise their individual and collective awareness of their struggles. As a coach, the SM has to use active listening to support the team in searching for answers within themselves to overcome their struggles. This partnership provides a platform for team members to discover actions to address an issue and reflect.
2. Facilitator - the SM has to help guide the team through meetings or planned sessions to achieve a common goal. With facilitation skills, the team will diverge or converge on ideas to agree on the next steps. The SM acts as a neutral party to remain objective without influencing the outcome or drawing conclusions. This stance helps to get the team aligned on the way forward.
3. Teacher/Mentor - the SM takes on the role of an expert to teach the team by sharing knowledge, ideas, skills, and experience. As a mentor, the SM is passionate about developing people and helping them to grow into better versions of themselves. Good mentors can provide honest and constructive feedback, thus, earning the team's respect. As a teacher, an SM can show by example the things that need to be done so that the student can gain mastery. Better yet, a good teacher can excite the student in wanting to learn more.
4. Partner - there are times when the team does not have answers to address every challenge. As an SM, you might not have an answer as well and that’s all right. The least you can do is encourage your team and work together with them to learn from each other while searching for answers. Being a partner sends a signal of shared responsibility and builds camaraderie.
5. Observer - when it is time to learn or understand a situation better, the SM should stay silent and watch the team work together. Observation allows the SM to be present in the moment to use other senses to gather data for better decision-making. Areas of improvement can be identified or a hypothesis can be drawn by reflecting upon the data collected.
6. Adviser/Counselor - not just any advisor, but a trusted one. The SM takes a non-judgemental stance to advise individuals to make critical decisions in resolving personal issues or concerns. As a counselor, the SM spends time listening and working with the individual to come up with solutions to deal with the issues. By doing so, the SM helps to develop the team’s well-being.
7. Mediator - in a situation where there is conflict among members of the team, the SM steps in as a neutral and impartial person to help resolve the conflict by negotiating an amicable resolution. The SM helps both conflicting parties to compromise and reach a mutually agreeable solution to their dispute.
8. Strategist - the SM can see beyond surface-level impediments and has a vision of how to develop the team to become sustainably hyper-productive. By comprehending the nature of the work, the SM can identify the root cause of the problem and employs a repertoire of fit-for-purpose techniques to craft a viable solution. As an expert strategist, the SM constantly makes contingencies to address systemic risk and plans the next few moves.
9. Coordinator - the SM is the master coordinator of all the activities needed to deliver on the team’s promises. This is achieved by helping the team focus on the work that brings the most customer value. The SM will also work tirelessly in parallel to create an environment where the work and communication channels are made transparent for the team to self-organize. Eventually, the team’s reliance on the SM will be reduced.
10. Role Model - there is no better way to lead than by example. The SM embodies the values and principles he wishes to impart to the team by honestly upholding them. They don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk. The role model inspires people through words, actions, and body language so that others can follow in their footsteps to lead the team to victory.

It takes time and deliberate practice for Scrum Masters to gain mastery over these different stances. Those who can switch seamlessly between stances depending on the scenario will have an added advantage in accelerating their team’s journey toward becoming a high-performing team.