No One Questions Product Owner Authority
Explores why Product Owners’ authority is accepted while Scrum Masters’ is questioned, highlighting the need for clear authority to ensure team …
Explores the gap between accountability and authority for Scrum Masters and Product Owners, highlighting the need to empower roles responsible for team outcomes.
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?
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.
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Illumina
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Akaditi
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Royal Air Force
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Ghana Police Service
Nottingham County Council
Washington Department of Transport
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
DFDS
Brandes Investment Partners L.P.
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Philips
Freadom
Hubtel Ghana