Overview

This article presents a character-focused profile for identifying strong ScrumMasters, commissioned by a client for hiring purposes. The author emphasizes that certification is notably absent from this job description, asserting that effective ScrumMastery centers on character development rather than credentials.

Top 10 Personal Skills for a ScrumMaster

  1. Servant Leader – Garner team respect while willingly contributing hands-on effort
  2. Communicative and Social – Communicate effectively with teams
  3. Facilitative – Lead and demonstrate value-add principles
  4. Assertive – Ensure Scrum adherence and make difficult decisions with authority
  5. Situationally Aware – Notice issues early and escalate appropriately
  6. Enthusiastic – Maintain high energy levels
  7. Continual Improvement – Continuously develop craft and learn new tools
  8. Conflict Resolution – Facilitate discussions and explore alternatives
  9. Attitude of Empowerment – Foster team self-organization
  10. Attitude of Transparency – Promote disclosure and build business trust

Technical Skills (Nice-to-Have)

  • Understand iterative development fundamentals
  • Speak intelligently about various methodologies
  • Understand software development processes
  • Recognize value of team commitments
  • Comprehend incremental delivery and metrics
  • Understand backlog tracking, burndown metrics, velocity, and task definition
  • Familiarity with Agile practices and development best practices

Note: These technical skills are not necessarily required.

ScrumMaster Daily Checklist

Daily Tasks:

  • Verify taskboard visibility and completeness
  • Confirm client awareness of commitments
  • Ensure taskboard and burndown updates
  • Check release plan visibility
  • Verify daily stand-up occurrence
  • Confirm demo scheduling
  • Identify Product Owner contact information
  • Assess team belief in project purpose

Sprint Tasks:

  • Establish cutoff lines with risk multipliers
  • Ensure client visibility of release plan
  • Track and communicate velocity
  • Verify payment receipt
  • Send iteration summaries with metrics and risks