Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast: Agile storytelling from the trenches

The Power of Being Heard, Turning Critics Into Agile Advocates | Carmen Jurado

5 snips

Apr 29, 2025

Carmen Jurado, an Agile coach and business agility trainer, offers insights on transforming team dynamics. She shares her experience with a critical lead developer, revealing that resistance often stems from a desire for loyalty. By building personal relationships and listening to concerns, Carmen turned a skeptic into a strong advocate. Emphasizing empathy and open communication, she discusses the importance of addressing underlying issues to foster high-performing teams. Additionally, she recommends 'Joy Inc.' for creating enjoyable work environments.

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ANECDOTE

Insights from "Joy Inc." Book

Richard Sheridan's book "Joy Inc." inspired Carmen Jurado with practical insights on creating joyful workplaces.
The story of mechanics unable to use iPads due to gloves illustrates the importance of understanding users' real environment.

ANECDOTE

Transforming a Vocal Critic

Carmen Jurado shared her experience rescuing a struggling team with a vocal, critical senior developer resistant to Agile.
By building individual relationships and listening deeply, the critic transformed into a strong team advocate over a year.

ADVICE

Build Individual Relationships First

Build individual relationships and set clear mutual expectations to foster trust and openness within teams.
Approach team members with empathy and honesty to build a collaborative, high-performing environment.

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Carmen Jurado: The Power of Being Heard, Turning Critics Into Agile Advocates

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.

Carmen shares how she was asked to step in as a Scrum Master for a struggling team that had a particularly vocal and critical lead developer. This developer had experienced multiple transitions and transformations, leading to significant resistance that was affecting the entire team's morale and creating unresolved conflicts. Carmen focused on building individual relationships with each team member and setting clear expectations. She discovered that the lead developer simply didn't feel heard. By listening and addressing these concerns, Carmen was able to transform her biggest critic into one of her strongest advocates. She emphasizes that resistance is often a sign of loyalty to something else and that understanding this can help transform a dysfunctional team into a high-performing one.

Self-reflection Question: How might you address resistance in your team by focusing on individual relationships and understanding what team members feel loyal to?

Featured Book of the Week: Joy Inc. by Richard Sheridan

Carmen recommends Joy Inc. by Richard Sheridan, highlighting its practical insights for creating a motivating and enjoyable workplace. The book covers everything from hiring practices to team collaboration and experimentation, yet never explicitly mentions "Agile." Carmen appreciates the inspiring stories about understanding users in their environment and how these principles can be applied to create better working environments.

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About Carmen Jurado

Carmen describes herself as an "agile storyteller" and has spoken at multiple agile conferences, covering topics such as psychological safety and imposter syndrome. Known for her enthusiasm and creativity, Carmen enjoys designing her own gamified retrospectives. She is an agile coach and business agility trainer, and is also active in the non-profit organization Women in Agile.

You can link with Carmen on LinkedIn.