Do we need Scrum Masters?

I trained Scrum Master course with 2 colleagues. In the course we had people who worked as Scrum Masters, wannabe Scrum Masters, and people who were there because their managers told them to participate. 

In the very beginning of the course one trainee asked a question. "Do we need Scrum Masters? I have been in teams where we have been having different Scrum Masters over the time and sometimes we have been without Scrum Master as no replacement yet found. I haven't seen any difference in teams deliveries whether we had Scrum Master or not. So why do we need Scrum Masters? Isn't that kind of redundant role in this organization?"

I can only guess what our wannabe Scrum Masters were thinking when someone is saying out loud that this role is not needed in our organization. Maybe they saw scissors which will cut the role of. Maybe they thought that this question was absurd. Maybe someone thought person asking that question is here because her manager forced. 

None of trainees already having this role said anything. Maybe their just wanted to hear what we trainers reply. 

This wasn't first time I saw this kind of thinking. 

There was a need to cut off people in one organization and Scrum Masters were as a group suggested as they don't deliver any value like developers do. In that case managers who had this attitude were asked have they considered what will happen if there is no one guiding the team, and making sure collaboration between teams happens. Who support Product Owners? Are ýou sure teams can deliver more without Scrum Masters? In the end no Scrum Masters were kicked out. 

Another case from different point of view was a Scrum Master who said she doesn't understand the noise we have about finding right people to be Scrum Masters. And why we say persons taking the role should used at least 50 % of  her working time for Scrum Master work. I asked why she thought so. "Because I don't use so much time. It is 15 minute Daily every morning and then Review, Retrospective and Planning every third week. I might spend some time planning the Retrospective but otherwise I don't have to spend any more time than what is needed to facilitate these meetings." 

Even after taking Scrum Master course she didn't change her view for the role. Luckily she didn't have to continue for long time until we found better fitting person for the team to be a Scrum Master.
Definitely she was clever and hard working lady but she wasn't a fit for the role. 

Getting back to the question. Me and my co-trainer said that we will get back to her concern throughout the course and we hope that she and others in training learn why we see Scrum Master to be important in Agile teams. Teams for sure can survive without the Scrum Master but if the job is well done it is beneficial and teams deliver more value but also this role can be done so that it doesn't make any difference. So, in the end, it is Scrum Master herself who makes it valuable. It is up to you do you make the difference or not.  

One reason for me to be happy Scrum Master is to be able to make the difference, help the team to make the difference. In the end, it is not about me, it is about the team. 

Do you fit into your role?

Scrum Guide defines different roles in Agile Team but not everyone read Scrum Guide.  Indeed, I have met Scrum Masters and Product Owners who haven't had any idea what is expected from them or do they fit into their role. Some of them have been nominated into that role, some of them have themselves wanted to take that role but with their own interpretation of role and some have taken the role thinking it is their next step in their career.

Once I interviewed candidates for Scrum Master position. I asked candidates what would make them great Scrum Masters and I was amazed how many people thought Scrum Master to be a team leader or supervisor. 

"I know each team member competence so it is easy for me to make sure right people are doing right things."

"I am really good at making progress reports and I know I can make people deliver more."

"You can trust me. I will supervise the team to be the best team."

I have seen how role of Scrum Master have been given to a person who was the most silent team member. Or to a person who wasn't respected at all in the team. I have seen people leaving the role as it was totally something they thought it to be. I have seen people staying in their role even it wasn't any fit for their personality. I have seen Scrum Masters who didn't act like one but made sure that as many as possible outside the team knew that they were Scrum Masters  - it was all about them!

Product Owners are no different story. How can you succeed in your role when you don't have any clue what that role is?  Quite often I have seen people thrown into the role with statement "it is just a minor thing you do - so don't worry, it won't take a lot of your time". What an understatement! 

In my opinion role of Product Owner is even more misunderstood than Scrum Master. Also more often they have been confused what is expected from them. Some of them have been surprised that they are needed more often than in Planning and Review meetings. 

"I don't have time for team members questions. Can't they list them and I answer them when I have time?"

"Why I need to participate all these meetings? I already told the team what they should do."

I have seen Product Owners who didn't want to order the backlog because everything was equally important. Or who couldn't say "no" to any request and promised the team to deliver far more than they can based on their capacity.

We should more consider if the person is right fit for the role instead of putting people into these two key role in Scrum just because they are available. And also ask people to consider are they the right fit and make sure they know what they are expected to do in their role. That would benefit all - people would be happier and organisations would get more value. People need to be educated, they deserve the chance to succeed. Scrum is not rocket science but something is good to know when jumping into it!

But world is weird. I found this video which would help me to give right answers in Scrum Master interview. If I ever interview Scrum Masters again I make sure to listen carefully in case the interviewee has been listening this video.