Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

How To Help Agile Teams Own Their Work, And Be Independent | Aliona Zapanovici

Nov 28, 2024

Aliona Zapanovici, an Agile Coach and Scrum Master with a unique background in architecture, shares her insights on empowering teams to take ownership of their work. She emphasizes the importance of trust and simplicity in retrospective formats, which help facilitate honest discussions. Aliona contrasts mere participation with genuine engagement, urging team members to recognize the value of their contributions. With a focus on cultivating a supportive environment, she highlights how strong collaboration leads to better product ownership and team independence.

10:54

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Episode guests

Aliona Zapanovici

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Encouraging team members to take ownership of their work fosters independence and enhances their connection to the product's value.

Simplicity in retrospective formats, like 'What Went Well' and 'What Can We Improve', promotes focused discussions and deeper team engagement.

Deep dives

Effective Retrospective Formats

Simplicity in retrospective formats often leads to more impactful discussions among team members. An effective approach might involve focusing on specific challenges from a recent sprint, which can lead to constructive conversations about impediments and future prevention strategies. For example, using formats such as 'What Went Well', 'What Didn't Go So Well', and 'What Can We Improve' encourages teams to reflect deeply on their experiences. When trust is established within the team, even simple formats can yield significant insights and foster growth, as team members feel safe to share and engage openly.

Intro

3min

Building Trust and Independence in Agile Teams

3min

Cultivating Engagement and Ownership in Agile Teams

2min

Fostering Team Collaboration and Ownership in Agile

2min

Aliona Zapanovici: How To Help Agile Teams Own Their Work, And Be Independent

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world’s largest audio library on Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

When it comes to successful approaches for great Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches, Aliona strives for teams to be proactive, care deeply about the product, and value the impact they create. This approach, though sometimes daunting, fosters independence and strong ownership among team members.

Self-reflection Question: What steps can you take to empower your team to be more independent?

Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Well / Not So Well / Improve / Actions

Aliona prefers simplicity in retrospective formats to maintain focus. The “Well / Not So Well / Improve / Actions” structure allows teams to zero in on what truly matters without getting lost in complex frameworks. She also supports the use of anonymous boards for candid feedback, while cautioning their use if team trust is low.

About Aliona Zapanovici

Aliona is an Agile Coach and Scrum Master with a background in architecture who transitioned to IT to pursue her passion. She values impactful contributions over years of experience. Balancing her roles as a coach, mentor, and mother, she focuses on empowering teams and guiding individuals to achieve their best.

You can link with Aliona Zapanovici on LinkedIn.