No one questions a Product Owner’s authority. They decide priorities, manage stakeholders, and ensure the team works on the most valuable outcomes. Their ability to make tough calls is what drives product success.
But when we talk about the Scrum Master’s authority, the conversation changes. Why?
Scrum Masters are accountable for team effectiveness. That means upholding Scrum, causing the removal of impediments, and challenging dysfunction, or just taking action. Yet too often, they are expected to do this purely through persuasion.
Influence matters, but it’s not always enough. Sometimes, a Scrum Master needs to say “No, this isn’t how we work” or “This is blocking our ability to deliver value”—and have the authority to act on it.
If we accept that a Product Owner must have authority to fulfil their accountability, why do we question it for Scrum Masters?
Let’s stop treating Scrum Masters as passive facilitators. Their role is just as critical in ensuring agility.
Does your organisation recognise this?
Smart Classifications
Each classification [Concepts, Categories, & Tags] was assigned using AI-powered semantic analysis and scored across relevance, depth, and alignment. Final decisions? Still human. Always traceable. Hover to see how it applies.
Our Happy Clients
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG)
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.
New Hampshire Supreme Court
Washington Department of Transport
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Nottingham County Council
Higher Education Statistics Agency
Xceptor - Process and Data Automation
