Scrum Masters and Product Owners are held accountable for results

TL;DR; Scrum Masters and Product Owners are often held accountable for results without having the authority needed to influence outcomes. This mismatch leads to empty expectations and limits team effectiveness. To achieve better results, organisations should empower Scrum Masters with real authority, not just expect them to coach from the sidelines.

Published on 17 March 2025

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

1 minute read

https://nkdagility.com/resources/Rx4LP6ywHVh

Scrum Masters and Product Owners are held accountable for results. But here’s the contradiction—how can you be accountable for something you have no control over?

Too often, Scrum Masters are expected to ensure team effectiveness without the authority to remove impediments, challenge dysfunction, or enforce alignment. Influence is important, but it’s not enough. Leadership without control is just a suggestion.

If the Product Owner’s authority to prioritise and maximise value is accepted, why do we hesitate to acknowledge the Scrum Master’s authority to uphold agility and effectiveness?

Accountability without authority is an empty expectation. If we want better outcomes, we need to empower those responsible for delivering them.

Are Scrum Masters in your organisation truly empowered or just expected to “coach” from the sidelines?

Also published on: LinkedIn

Connect with Martin Hinshelwood

If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.

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.