Let me begin this blog with the fact that the updated 2020 Scrum Guide changed the term “self-organizing” to “self-managed”. I think this was a very appropriate change because that is what Scrum Teams truly do. They don’t just decide how to work together, they also direct their own work without anyone else telling them what to do. This freedom provides autonomy and lets them create the best plan for how to get valuable work done.
What does it mean to be self-managing?
So, exactly what does “self-managing” mean? Well, on an Agile Scrum Team, it means that the team is able to:
Manage itself and the work it does
Self-management is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. People on a Scrum Team manage themselves and their work. This means that no one outside the team directs what the team works on. They work together as a collaborative group to determine what items to pull from the Product Backlog into each iteration.
Plan and schedule their work
The self-managed Scrum Team also plans and schedules their own work. They decide how long they want their sprints to be, create a plan for each day in the daily Scrum, and figure out how to deliver done product increments.
Make decisions that impact the team
The Scrum Team is empowered to make decisions, and the Product Owner decides what is approved for development. Developers can make decisions about how they will deliver their work. The team collaborates to decide which items to work on and when. Decisions are pushed down to the people closest to the work and don’t have to be run up an approval chain, which would cause delays and reduce speed and agility.
Resolve problems
A Scrum Team solves its own problems, whenever possible. More difficult problems can be escalated to the Scrum Master, but the SM should first coach the team to try to solve the problem itself. If the team truly can’t resolve the issue, then the Scrum Master can work to remove the impediment.
Have minimal direct supervision
In Scrum, there is limited direct supervision by management. This is possible because of the extreme transparency that the Scrum framework provides. If there are issues with any individual team members, the team should rally to help remedy the problems the team member is struggling with.
Be accountable for the outcomes of the work
Along with self-management comes accountability. The updated Scrum Guide replaced the word “Role” with “Accountability”. Each accountability on the team is responsible for the outcome of the work they do. Together, the Scrum Team is responsible for keeping their commitments toward accomplishing Product and Sprint Goals.
Benefits of Scrum Team Self-management
There are many benefits of having self-managed agile Scrum Teams. Here are a few that come to mind:
Team responsibility and accountability
People want to be recognized for the work they do. Scrum provides the ability for teams to own responsibility and accountability for the delivery of quality product increments. The Scrum Team must show the work they have completed at each Sprint Review, and they can take the credit for the amazing work they do.
Heightened sense of accomplishment and satisfaction
Does anything feel better than accomplishing a goal? Well… probably not many things. In my experience, Scrum Teams that keep their commitments and deliver on them celebrate their successes – as they deserve to. A job well done gives a Scrum Team a collective feeling of satisfaction.
Innovation
Developers on a Scrum Team are anything but order takers. Gone are the days of dictated requirements without context. Scrum developers have the freedom and authority to perform experiments. Their job is to figure out “how” to deliver a solution for a business need, and because they have leeway to explore the options, they often create unique and delightful solutions to solve the business problem. This creates better products and gives organizations a competitive advantage.
Optimizes team members’ skills
Scrum Teams should have all the necessary cross-functional skills to deliver a done increment at the end of each Sprint. Having all the requisite skills provides the opportunity for cross-training. This makes each person on the team more valuable. It also allows for personal and career growth. Having multiple people with overlapping skills also reduces the risk that someone’s specialized skills will become a blocker to the team.
A sense of ownership comes from having a stake in the outcome
When you have skin in the game, there is a lot more at risk, which creates a sense of ownership. The Scrum Team is accountable to its commitments, and they own the outcomes. Together, the team will move heaven and earth to deliver on their promises to themselves and the stakeholders.
Empowerment
When you are trusted to do a job, you don’t want to lose that trust. By giving Scrum Teams autonomy to do their work, they gain a sense of empowerment. The team can decide what to work on and how to accomplish it.
Greater morale
Success breeds success. As a Scrum Team continues working together, it will become a high-performing team. If you have never been on a team like this, it’s truly magical. High trust means great delivery, happy stakeholders, a stable pace, and high morale. Teams that continually don’t meet their commitments or solve their own problems tend to suffer from poor morale. But when a team reaches a pinnacle of success, it’s the ultimate morale booster.
Final Thoughts
Being a team member of a self-managed agile Scrum Team is an experience that everyone should have. Self-management allows Scrum Teams to create their own destiny and provides the ultimate value for their stakeholders. The benefits of being allowed to self-manage are many, and the level of transparency in Agile makes certain that if it’s not working, it will be known sooner rather than later.
What do you think about the self-management of Scrum Teams? Do you like the change in terminology from self-organized to self-management? Why or why not? Can you think of any other benefits that come from being self-managed? How about the disadvantages? I would love to hear what you think, so please share!