We hear “self-managing teams” so often it’s become a cliché.
But here’s what gets missed:
Self-management applies to all Scrum roles.
Product Owners must self-manage how they engage with stakeholders, order the backlog, and shape the product vision.
Scrum Masters must self-manage how they serve the team, coach the organisation, and create the conditions for success.
Developers must self-manage how they plan, execute, and deliver the Increment.
This isn’t a passive concept.
It’s active, adaptive, disciplined work.
Scrum isn’t designed to be a loose, anything-goes framework.
It’s a social technology to deliver adaptive solutions — and that requires disciplined self-management across roles, grounded in clear alignment.
Where are you mistaking “self-management” for chaos or neglect?
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.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
Alignment Healthcare
Illumina
DFDS
NIT A/S
SuperControl
Ericson
Big Data for Humans
Trayport
Healthgrades
Qualco
Genus Breeding Ltd
YearUp.org
Bistech
Akaditi
ProgramUtvikling
Sage
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd.
Flowmaster (a Mentor Graphics Company)
Royal Air Force
Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
Nottingham County Council
Washington Department of Transport
Washington Department of Enterprise Services
Ghana Police Service
Workday
CR2
Freadom
Lockheed Martin
Kongsberg Maritime
NIT A/S