HOW TO EXCEL AS A SCRUM MASTER?
... a better question perhaps:
How to open a big door to get hired and grow in your career path?
These questions seem to be challenging to answer, but here are some tips that you can start with:
Start developing skills that most Scrum Masters don't have
The ones that will make you unique and different like Leadership and Business.
Leadership is a must-have skill to excel as a Scrum Master. As mentioned in the Scrum Guide 2020: "Scrum Masters are True Leaders".
But a lot of Scrum Masters find it difficult to become leaders and more challenging to embrace actionable and pragmatic Leadership patterns.
Leadership isn't just inspiration, it should instead be translated into actions. Not only that it is an act and not a role. It is something that anyone can do.
Steve Tendon has created a very nice program for Scrum Masters to learn Leadership in the most actionable way and become a True Leader that can make a difference in individuals, teams, and organizations. The link to the course is at the end of the article
Read for 30 min each day
Take notes on one or 2 ideas from this book. Reflect on how to apply them. Apply without fear.
Reading will help you to learn from the experiences of others and develop new perspectives and mental Models on how to perceive reality.
Leaders are Readers. Why? because they are open to developing new Mental Models that can help them make better decisions helping their teams and companies to win.
What I recommend as Readings:
- "The Coaching Habits"
- "Essentialism" Grey Mckeown
- "The book of TameFlow" by Steve tendon
Learn how to be heard
That's one of the most important skills that will help you build relationships. As a Scrum Master building relationships is very important to become a trustworthy change agent.
So when speaking/supporting/Coaching someone, try to be a good listener and validate the perspectives of your interlocutor.
If you listen to others, others will listen to you.
Learn how to build your network
Your network is worth millions. In case you are searching for a job or you are planning to start your business, your network will be the first booster to make this a success.
Your network will help you when you lose your job.
Your network will help you when you need support/help.
Your network is worth investing time in developing it.
But How to build your network?
The easiest way is to join the community where you can connect with like-minded people get to know them, learn from them, and build relationships with them.
One of the most promising and exponentially growing communities is the TameFlow Circle:
You can join here:
Build your personal brand
Jobs can be lost, but your personal brand is always here.
Invest time in building your image online. When recruiters search your name in Google, they will find your corner (your website) on the internet. They will read about you, and your writings and get to know you better.
Posting online, blogging, and speaking are all ways to build your personal brand. Invest in this today before tomorrow.
Don't Limit yourself to becoming a Senior Scrum Master or an Agile Coach
Aim instead to become a C-Level executive. If you develop the most important skill needed in these roles which is Leadership, you will have a chance to have one in your future.
I believe that Scrum masters have a bigger chance to shape the future of companies and organizations. I believe they can be the leaders of the next generation and they can lead companies to better success...
The first step? To invest in developing their Leadership Skills. And performances of Leadership and make results that are appreciated by management and teams,
Below is the course that will put them on this path:
If you want to know how I help Scrum Masters to become True Leaders, check out my course. I will teach you how to become the Scrum Master you aspire to be! A Scrum Master who really makes a difference; who is recognized as a True Leader; who helps their teams to focus on what really matters and moves them in that direction; who supports their teams to make commitments they feel comfortable they can meet; and who management will consider as a reliable, competent and trustworthy professional.
Steve Tendon