Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches Trust-Based Leadership and Team Implosion | Stuart Tipples
Jun 10, 2025
Stuart Tipples, an Agilista and Scrum Master, reveals his insights into team dynamics and trust-based leadership. He shares a cautionary tale of a seemingly functional team that fell into toxic positivity, masking critical issues until they erupted in conflict. Stuart emphasizes the necessity of psychological safety and normalizing disagreement to foster honest dialogue. He also recommends 'Trust Based Leadership' by Mike Ettore for its straightforward approach to building trust over mere compliance, essential for effective leadership.
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Build Trust as Operating System
- Build trust in your team as a Scrum Master; it is your operating system for success.
- Lead with consistency, clarity, and courage without waiting for permission to drive positive change.
Get Along Gang's Silent Struggles
- Stuart coached a team called the Get Along Gang that hid struggles behind a happy facade.
- The team fell into toxic positivity, silence about issues, and a hero culture which led to late eruption of conflicts.
Silence Masks Latent Conflict
- Absence of conflict often signals hidden unresolved issues or lack of psychological safety.
- Teams oscillate between silence and explosion; addressing healthy disagreement early prevents destructive outbursts.