(Update) Scrum Master in Training

Was given an opportunity to play the role of Scrum Master for the last few 2 months. I was in training but always had my mentor together with me. It is always a pleasure to have somebody like Vinothini, a senior in Agile/Scrum as a mentor/coach.

1st month in, I was there as an observer. Did not take up any responsibility as I was basically tagging along the team.

2nd month in, I took up 50% of her workload but she was still there.

I am currently in my 3rd month and interestingly I am taking up 100% of the job AND she is away for a workshop! In the planning while she is away, I would be doing two (2) Sprints on my own.

1st Sprint went well for me. The Sprint was up and running, task was in place, priority was clear, Sprint Goal was in placed but unfortunately unachieved due to dependencies on other team (nothing our team can do about), few defects, a GO from SQA and no production issue. We had one requirement missed out during the Sprint but the team was being very mature about it that they were accommodating it.

Overall the team rated the Sprint 7/8 out of 10. Perfect!

I gave myself a pat on the back too for coming up a new approach of getting the team to talk and address their issue during the Retro.

2nd Sprint? Well, hmmm. I was out on sick leave 80% of the time. Unfortunately, the team took the beating. Sprint was up and running, the goal was set but nobody knew that we made a mistake in the goal we set. We only realized that almost towards the end of the Sprint. The development team was also unable to see that because the tasks they are working on is not related to the goal. That is bizarre.

Off the bet, coming back to the office, I had a hunch that we are not going to have a good Retro and it will be painful. When we dissected the Sprint, to my horror, a lot of the problem happened with no SM around. I accepted it wholly and made no excuses for that. It is what it is; I had conjunctivitis, I am unable to see well and there is absolutely no way for me to do my job even at home with blurry, painful vision.

Nonetheless, being in-training still, it could hurt my chances of moving forward as a Scrum Master. There is already a discussion on that in place.

Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst.

(Update) I have been putting this off in the hopes that some good news or a fairytale will come out of the situation I was in. Nope. Just a good old-fashioned disappointment.

As suspected/ expected, I was removed from my role as a Scrum Master and the removal stirred up a conflict within the management. Number of mishandled happened

1. Discussion of possible removal happened with a mentor

2. Discussion of possible removal was only alighted at day-end on a Friday

3. Discussion of possible removal was still in discussion (as informed by the mentor)

4. Actual removal was done by reporting managers

5. Actual removal was not done personally

6. Actual removal was done thru an email (that I was told only official in my head - whatever that means)

7. Actual removal was not justified why, other than with 'at my (the manager) discretion'

8. The real reason of the actual removal was not as informed to me - as I got to know later through the higher management

Let me be clear that I did not tolerate any of the incident that happened to me, so I voiced it up to those who are involved. I was broken and disappointed.

However, that did not stopped me from learning as how I always intended. You are looking at a CERTIFIED SCRUM MASTER! Yippee.

Certified Product Owner is next on my list. Among others of course. ;)

Source: https://www.nutcache.com/blog/6-must-have-skills-to-become-a-notable-scrum-master/