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Scrum is like communism, it doesn’t work. Myth 3.

Published on 25 October 2023

Written by Martin Hinshelwood

4 minute read

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Scrum and Micromanagement: Dispelling the Myth 🚀

Hello, Agile advocates! Today, we’re diving into a contentious topic that’s sparked debate across many Scrum teams: The Myth of Micromanagement in Scrum. This myth perpetuates the notion that Scrum inherently fosters an environment ripe for micromanagement. However, is this truly an attribute of Scrum, or is it a manifestation of how some organizations misapply its principles? Let’s unravel this myth and explore how we can cultivate genuine Agile environments that empower, rather than constrain, teams. 🌟

The Micromanagement Conundrum in Scrum 🎭

The myth posits that Scrum is a breeding ground for micromanagement, where every Sprint planning session becomes an exercise in dictation rather than collaboration. This perspective, however, reflects a misunderstanding of Scrum’s essence and a misapplication of its practices within organizations clinging to traditional, top-down approaches.

Reality Check: Scrum’s Stance on Decision-Making 🛠️

Scrum is unequivocal in its guidance: The Developers are the ones who decide what work is undertaken in a Sprint and how it is to be accomplished. This autonomy is central to Scrum’s philosophy, recognizing that those who are closest to the work—the Developers—possess the nuanced understanding and technical expertise required to navigate the complexities of product development effectively.

The Pitfall of Prescriptive Practices 🕳️

The crux of the micromanagement myth often lies in how organizations transition to Scrum from a traditional management model. When leaders attempt to dictate the specifics of what a team should deliver within a Sprint, they not only stray from Scrum’s guidelines but also undermine the empirical process control that Scrum aims to foster.

Navigating Towards True Agile Principles ✨

Understanding that the micromanagement myth is not an indictment of Scrum itself but rather a reflection of its misapplication is crucial. Here’s how we can steer our teams away from the shadows of micromanagement and towards the light of true Agile empowerment:

Empower the Developers: Reinforce the principle that Developers have the autonomy to choose their work based on the product goal and their insights into technical feasibility and impact.
Foster Open Dialogue: Encourage Product Owners and stakeholders to engage in conversations with Developers about priorities and concerns, ensuring decisions are made collaboratively and with full transparency.
Cultivate Trust: Building trust within the team and across the organization is key. Trust that your Developers have the project’s best interests at heart and possess the expertise to make informed decisions about their work.

Embracing Empiricism and Technical Expertise 🚀

The heart of Scrum lies in its commitment to empiricism and the leveraging of team expertise to navigate the challenges of product development. By embracing these principles, organizations can dismantle the foundations of the micromanagement myth and create environments where creativity, innovation, and autonomy flourish.

The Role of Technical Debt in Decision-Making 💡

Understanding and managing technical debt is a critical aspect of maintaining the health and agility of any project. It’s essential to trust your Developers to assess the implications of technical debt and make informed decisions about when and how to address it, without undue pressure to cut corners for short-term gains.

Conclusion: From Myth to Empowerment 🌈

The myth of micromanagement in Scrum serves as a reminder of the importance of correctly understanding and applying Scrum principles. By prioritizing autonomy, collaboration, and trust, we can dispel this myth and foster Agile environments that truly empower teams to deliver exceptional value.

Remember, the transition to Agile and Scrum is as much about a shift in mindset as it is about changing practices. Let’s commit to guiding our organizations through this transformation with patience, understanding, and a steadfast dedication to the core values of Scrum.

If you found this exploration of the micromanagement myth in Scrum insightful and wish to dive deeper into Agile, Scrum, or DevOps practices, feel free to reach out. Let’s continue the conversation over a coffee chat and discover more ways to enhance our Agile journeys together.

One of the common myths in Scrum is that it is really a forum for micromanagement. There’s a core test for this in your team. It is a myth, right? But it’s a reality for many teams. So, is it a myth or is it not a myth? That is a matter of perspective. However, I would point out that it’s not Scrum. So, it’s a myth in the context of Scrum, but it’s not a myth in the context of how lots of organisations and teams approach Scrum.

Most organisations approach something like Scrum from their traditional top-down steering-based perspective, and they want to tell teams what they’re going to deliver in a Sprint. So, you walk into Sprint planning, and the Product Owner or the Tech Lead or the Project Manager, or whoever, the Scrum Master—the worst one—but the Scrum Master says, “Here’s a list of things we need you as a team to do this Sprint.”

As soon as that happens, it’s not Scrum. We’ve gone out of the bounds of the Scrum Guide. Who decides what we work on this Sprint? The developers. Who decides how we work on it? The developers. Okay, it’s not anybody else because the developers—that’s the core reason why they dislike that approach. It’s the developers that understand the nuance and intricacies of the technical challenges of actually delivering on the work inside of the Sprint. Nobody else can understand that nuance because they’re living it, right?

They’ve got skills that I don’t have as a manager or as a Product Owner. They’ve got an understanding of the product and the technologies that we’re using to deliver that product, the tools and techniques that we’re using. They’re best placed to make that decision.

Now, can the Product Owner say, “Oh my goodness me, we’re in a difficult place because we’re not working through the work that we need to deliver as fast as we would like?” Yeah, absolutely. They can have that conversation, and they can have a conversation with the developers about how the developers might choose to cut corners in order to accelerate work. But it must be done with their assent. If the developers say no, then we can’t work any faster because we might be taking on too much technical debt.

For most businesses, and for all businesses, all technical debt is a risk to the business, and most businesses don’t understand the context of technical debt enough to make an informed decision on whether they should accrue it and how they should pay it back. That’s why we have hired these technical experts in order to deliver our product, and we should trust their understanding and view of the product in order to do that.

So, I would say that it is a myth that anybody should be telling the developers what to work on and when to work on it. But I do understand that lots of organisations don’t understand how to let go of that control and are not yet ready for Agile.

Thanks for watching the video. If you enjoyed it, please like, follow, and subscribe. I always reply to comments, and if you want to have a chat about this or anything else Agile, Scrum, or DevOps, then please book a coffee with me through Naked Agility.

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