03/02/2023
A Scrum Master should help the team become self-managing.
Let's review how the Scrum Guide describes the characteristics of a Scrum Team.
"Scrum Teams are cross-functional, meaning the members have all the skills necessary to create value each Sprint. They are also self-managing, meaning they internally decide who does what, when, and how." - in Scrum Guide
Regardless of the level of maturity of the team in regards to Scrum, they should feel supported and encouraged to decide how they accomplish their work, this may feel difficult in the beginning but it's the best way forward because the downsides are quite unpleasant:
- Reduced Autonomy and motivation: Team members may feel that they have less control over their work, leading to reduced motivation and engagement
- Decreased collaboration: Assigning work to individuals can foster a competitive rather than a collaborative environment, leading to less teamwork and increased silos
- Decreased learning opportunities: When work is assigned by the Scrum Master, team members may miss out on opportunities to learn from each other, share knowledge, and grow as a team
Experienced Scrum Teams may decide during the Sprint who works on what, but if you are supporting a novice Scrum Team you can suggest developers to pair program or tackle each work item as a whole (mob programming) this can help a new team build shared understanding, trust and confidence for the future.
If you are a Scrum Master and still assign work to your team... consider the impact this is having on the team.
