Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

The True Purpose of Scrum, Enabling Individuals And Interactions | Mateusz Komander

Feb 10, 2025

Mateusz Komander, a Scrum Master at Heineken with a diverse background in biotech and airlines, shares insights from his journey in Agile delivery. He emphasizes that Scrum is not just about processes but rather about fostering meaningful team interactions. Mateusz recounts learning the hard way the importance of Scrum ceremonies, noting how neglecting them revealed hidden team conflicts. He also discusses the value of mentorship and the necessity of continuous adaptation within the Scrum framework to truly empower teams.

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ANECDOTE

Skipping Scrum Events

Mateusz Komander, initially overconfident in his Scrum Master abilities, experimented with a five-person team by skipping key Scrum events.
This led to hidden conflicts surfacing explosively during a later retrospective, revealing the importance of these events.

INSIGHT

The True Purpose of Scrum

Scrum is not just about following processes, it's about facilitating connections and interactions within the team.
This realization helped Mateusz understand the true purpose of Scrum and his role as a Scrum Master.

ADVICE

Find a Mentor

Find a mentor who can provide support and guidance, especially when starting in a challenging role like Scrum Master.
Having someone experienced to turn to can alleviate doubts and provide valuable insights.

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Mateusz Komander: The True Purpose of Scrum, Enabling Individuals And Interactions

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

In this insightful episode, Mateusz shares a valuable learning experience from his early days as a Scrum Master in a biotech company. With a small team of five people, he initially believed he could improve upon existing practices by modifying the Scrum framework. However, by skipping crucial ceremonies like daily standups, planning sessions, and retrospectives, hidden team conflicts emerged.

This experience led Mateusz to a crucial realization: Scrum isn't merely about process management, but rather about facilitating meaningful connections and interactions between team members while enabling empirical management.

Self-reflection Question: How might your current understanding of Scrum's purpose be limiting your effectiveness as a Scrum Master?

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About Mateusz Komander

Mateusz, is a Scrum Master at Heineken, and brings expertise from biotech and airline industries, excelling in Agile delivery and transformations. Skilled in Management 3.0, he fosters self-managed, innovative teams. Mateusz just launched a podcast on organizational transformation, Mateusz highlights how understanding team dynamics beyond the Scrum framework enhances collaboration and effectiveness.

You can link with Mateusz Komander on LinkedIn.