When Soft Skills Take the Lead
When Soft Skills Take the Lead
A Scrum Master's Story + 6 key take aways
👋 Hey, Carlos here! Welcome to “The Holistic Leader”, your weekly source of simple and honest leadership, Agile, Management & team insights.
These days, there’s a lot of talk about how "Agile is dead" or just another passing trend. Some even argue that Agile is ruining teams and isn’t working anymore.
But from my perspective, the problem isn’t with Agile itself, it’s how people focus too much on the frameworks, processes, and techniques, rather than what truly matters: soft skills.
You can tell how experienced Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches are by observing how they use their soft skills to help teams achieve their goals. It’s these skills, beyond any process or framework that make all the difference.
If I had to categorize the levels of expertise (which, in my opinion, don’t actually exist), it would come down to this: “You either have the skills, or you don’t.”
Let me share a personal story about a junior Scrum Master who stepped up when no one expected it, showing how powerful soft skills can be in real-world situations.
A while back, I was part of a small team. At the time, I thought I was a competent Scrum Master (yeah, right), leading initiatives and driving change across four departments while overseeing a couple of teams. Things were going well, or so I thought.
As our team grew, the head of delivery and senior managers decided we needed more Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches to support the growth.
We were pretty set in our ways, how we followed Agile practices, our approach, our techniques, you name it. So, when we urgently needed another Scrum Master, we conducted several interviews and ultimately hired both a senior and a junior Scrum Master.
Given the pressing need, we planned for the junior to shadow the senior Scrum Master. Everything was going smoothly with the teams until, out of nowhere, the senior Scrum Master fell ill. Suddenly, there was no one to support those two teams. Every other Scrum Master and Agile Coach was occupied with their projects.
Now, here’s the kicker: while everyone was figuring out what to do, the junior Scrum Master stepped in and took charge like a PRO.
This junior Scrum Master didn’t just follow the old processes we had in place. Instead, they challenged the paradigms we had firmly believed in and followed for a while. After stepping in during a critical time, the junior Scrum Master quickly assessed the situation and got to work. He addressed the team's most immediate needs, facilitating meetings, removing obstacles, and even introducing a few new practices to streamline our processes.
And you know what? It worked. The teams responded better than we expected.
💡 Important note for scrum masters:
Your role isn't just to remove obstacles yourself, but to help the team recognize and understand the barriers in front of them. You're there to guide the process and help the team address impediments together. This junior Scrum Master embodied that principle perfectly.But it wasn’t just about applying techniques or following the rulebook. He truly listened to the team, adapting to what worked best for them. Through his actions, he earned everyone’s respect, not because of his title, but because of his results.
💡 Another key insight:
True agility isn’t about rigidly following a framework. It’s about observing, listening, and adapting. Agility is being adaptable to the current needs of your team, not just the events, practices, or rules on paper.
Titles don't make leaders, Actions do.
The junior Scrum Master taught us all an important lesson:
Real skill is measured by impact, not words or titles. Whether you're new to the role or have been at it for years, remember that your actions will always speak the loudest.
So, always be ready to lead and make a difference.
1. Focus on Soft Skills Over Process
It’s not enough to just follow frameworks and techniques. Soft skills like listening, empathy, and adaptability are what truly drive success.
Start actively listening in your next team meeting. Focus on what your team members are saying and adapt your approach based on their needs and feedback. Make sure they feel heard and understood.
2. Help Teams Recognize and Solve Obstacles
Your role as a Scrum Master isn’t to solve all the problems for the team, but to help the team recognize and address barriers themselves.
Next time your team faces an obstacle, resist the urge to immediately offer solutions. Instead, facilitate a conversation that encourages the team to identify the issue and brainstorm ways to solve it together.
3. Adapt to Your Team’s Needs, Not Just the Rules
Agility is about adapting to the unique needs of your team, not rigidly following frameworks or rules.
Observe your team's current dynamics and adjust your practices accordingly. If a Scrum event isn’t serving its purpose, consider modifying or re-evaluating its format to better fit the team’s workflow.
4. Earn Respect Through Actions, Not Titles
Leadership is about actions and the impact you create, not the title you hold.
Lead by example. In your next interaction, focus on contributing value rather than asserting authority. Let your actions and results speak for themselves.
5. Challenge the Status Quo
Don’t be afraid to challenge long-held practices if they aren’t working for your team.
Identify one practice or process in your team that could be improved or streamlined. Discuss with your team if it's still relevant or if a new approach could work better.
6. Be Ready to Step Up
Great leaders step up when it’s needed the most, even if they’re not expected to. Be proactive. If you see a gap or an issue, don’t wait for someone else to fix it. Take the initiative and help the team move forward.
Final Thoughts💡
Soft skills are not just "nice-to-have" for a Scrum Master or Agile Coach; they are essential. The ability to lead teams through change, manage dynamics, and challenge the status quo is what sets great Scrum Masters apart.
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Thanks for reading
See you next week!
- Carlos✌️
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