Characteristics/Skills

Figure 10.2 illustrates important ScrumMaster characteristics.

Figure 10.2. ScrumMaster characteristics

Knowledgeable

To be an effective process coach, the ScrumMaster must be very knowledgeable about Scrum. The ScrumMaster should also understand the technical issues the team needs to address and technologies the team will use to create solutions. A ScrumMaster doesn’t need to have tech-lead- or dev-lead-level knowledge, but reasonable technical knowledge is an asset. The ScrumMaster also doesn’t need to be an expert in the business domain (the product owner does), but again, working knowledge of the business domain is very helpful.

Questioning

ScrumMasters use their coaching skills in conjunction with their process, technical, and business knowledge to ask great questions. They engage in intentional inquiry, asking the kinds of questions that make people stop and say, “Hmm. I never thought about that. Now that you ask that question, it makes me think there might be another way to go.” Great ScrumMasters almost never directly answer a question but instead reflexively answer with their own question—not an annoying question, or a question for the sake of asking a question, but rather a thoughtful, deep, probing question—thereby helping people realize that they have the insight to find their own answers (a form of Socratic questioning).