When an Agile Team Rejects Scrum, Knowing When to Walk Away | Anita Kalmane-Boot
Sep 16, 2024
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Anita Kalmane-Boot, an Agile expert with a knack for transforming resistant teams, shares her insights on navigating challenging dynamics. She recounts her experience with a team that had resisted Scrum even after two Scrum Masters. The pandemic's remote work challenges added to the difficulty. Anita reflects on the importance of seeking external perspectives and emphasizes that knowing when to step away can be crucial for personal and professional growth. Her journey highlights empathy, collaboration, and the importance of understanding team dynamics.
Recognizing when a team is resistant to Scrum practices is crucial for making the tough decision to step away for better alignment.
Maintaining a positive mindset and understanding emotional challenges fosters personal resilience and aids in navigating professional transitions effectively.
Deep dives
Journey to Becoming a Scrum Master
The speaker discusses their transition from a UX copywriter to a Scrum Master, highlighting the importance of finding their passion in agile methodologies. Initially working with product teams, they realized the benefits of agile practices and actively sought to facilitate collaboration through workshops on agile facilitation. This exploration led to the recognition of the Scrum Master role, prompting a shift in their career path as they convinced a hiring manager to give them a chance despite not having prior Scrum Master experience. This journey underscores the importance of mentorship, trust, and the courage to change paths when pursuing one's professional interests.
The Challenge of Team Dynamics
A significant challenge arose when the speaker joined a new team that had previously seen multiple Scrum Masters leave, indicating deeper issues within the team dynamics. Despite various attempts to foster communication and collaboration, the team members resisted engagement and failed to recognize the need for refinement sessions. The difficult decision to step back and resign from their role, while remaining within the company, highlights the complexities of team fit and the necessity for mutual willingness to embrace agile practices. This situation serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, despite best efforts, certain environments may not be conducive to effective agile implementation.
Reflections on Personal Growth and Resilience
Reflecting on the experience of working with a challenging team, the speaker emphasizes the emotional stages encountered, such as self-doubt and the initial inclination to blame others. They stress the significance of maintaining a positive perspective, recognizing that issues may stem from mismatches rather than individual shortcomings. This mindset encourages personal resilience and the understanding that exiting a non-productive situation can lead to growth and learning. Ultimately, the speaker concludes that acknowledging when to move on is a critical lesson in their professional journey, facilitating healthier work environments and preventing toxic influences.
In this episode, Anita shares her experience with a team that had already gone through two Scrum Masters before her arrival. Despite her best efforts, she realized that the team didn’t want to work with a Scrum Master. The situation was compounded by the challenges of remote work during the pandemic. Eventually, Anita made the difficult decision to step away from the team. She emphasizes the importance of seeking external perspectives and approaching situations without judgement. How do you handle a team that resists change, and when is it time to walk away? Listen in to find out!
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About Anita Kalmane-Boot
Anita is a neurodiversity advocate and considers herself European, not bound to one single country. Anita is passionate about Agile but is losing hope in corporate organizations and their adaptation of Scrum.