Servant Leadership

5 minutes 5 Questions

In the context of scaling Scrum, Servant Leadership means that the Scrum Master takes a 'servant-first' approach, focusing on the needs of the team members before considering their own. As the Scrum teams grow in number, the principles of servant leadership become increasingly important. Scrum Mast…

Guide: Servant Leadership in Scrum

Servant Leadership is a crucial concept in the implementation of Scrum. It is the principle that the leader's primary goal should be to serve rather than to lead. This approach contrasts traditional leadership dynamics and is central to the functioning of the Scrum framework.

Why is it important? In a Scrum setup, servant leadership catalyzes team self-organization, promotes collaboration, and fosters a culture of trust and respect. By placing the needs of the team first, servant leaders can unlock the team's full potential and drive efficient, effective development.

How does it work? Servant leaders operate by facilitating open communication, offering help where needed, clearing obstacles, and empowering team members to take action. They focus on the growth and well-being of team members, rather than micromanaging tasks.

Answering Exam Questions: When tackling questions around Servant Leadership during your PSM I exam, consider the Scrum values of openness, respect, and commitment. Understand that servant leaders prioritize the needs of the team and the project over their interests. When discussing the role, always steer from command-and-control leadership aspects. Instead, focus on support, empowerment, and service to the team.
Exam Tips:Keep in mind that Scrum advocates for a servant leadership model. Specifically, the Scrum Master is often seen as a servant leader. When answering exam questions, you should emphasize the Scrum Master's role in removing impediments, facilitating meetings, and supporting the team in any way necessary. It's also helpful to mention that servant leaders do not exert formal authority and instead lead by example and serve the team.

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PSM I - Servant Leadership Example Questions

Test your knowledge of Servant Leadership

Question 1

You are the Scrum Master and semester leader of an Agile project. Your team has recently implemented a major change, but you've noticed that a few member's productivity has decreased and they've become resistant to change. What should be your approach to this?

Assess the team's response to the change and gather feedback. Provide guidance and support to those struggling with the adaptation while reinforcing the reasons for the change. Revert to the old system to maintain high productivity. Ignore the resistance, hoping that the members' productivity will eventually rebound once they become familiar with the new system. Force the team members to adapt to the change quickly and make it clear that there are no alternatives.

Correct Answer: Assess the team's response to the change and gather feedback. Provide guidance and support to those struggling with the adaptation while reinforcing the reasons for the change.

In Agile and Scrum methodology, it's very important to foster open communication and collaboration within a team. It's understandable for team members to sometimes resist change, as uncertainty can often be unnerving. As a Scrum Master, it's necessary to support the team and guide them through the process of change, which aligns well with the first answer. This answer prescribes a constructive approach by assessing the team's reaction to the change, gathering their feedback, and providing the necessary support and guidance for those struggling to adapt. Also, it's important to positively reinforce the reasons for which the change was made in the first place, so the team can fully understand and embrace its purpose. In contrast, the other answers suggest either forcing adaptation without any guidance, ignoring the situation, or reverting to the old system, none of which align with the principles of Agile and Scrum methodologies.

Question 2

Your team is having difficulty working with another team on a shared project. As a servant leader, what should you do?

Withdraw from the project and leave the other team to finish Escalate the issue to the management without trying to find a solution Blame the other team for the lack of collaboration Shift all work from your team to the other team Manipulate the situation to benefit your own team at the expense of the other team Facilitate communication between the teams to promote collaboration and find a mutually beneficial solution

Correct Answer: Facilitate communication between the teams to promote collaboration and find a mutually beneficial solution

A servant leader should encourage communication and collaboration between the teams to work towards a mutually beneficial solution.

Question 3

As a Scrum Master with a servant leadership style, you notice that one team member consistently avoids partaking in group discussions. However, their individual contributions show a high level of understanding and productivity. How would you encourage this team member to contribute more to team discussions?

Assign the team member as the meeting facilitator for a month to foster a sense of responsibility and ownership that encourages more active engagement in discussions. This approach also allows them to structure the discussions in a way that might make them more comfortable in sharing their thoughts. Organize team-building activities outside of work hours to improve interpersonal relationships, hoping it naturally leads to more active participation. Implement a rule requiring each team member to speak at least once in every meeting, ensuring everyone's voice is heard. Engage the team member in smaller group discussions to gradually increase their comfort level, before encouraging them to share insights in larger group settings.

Correct Answer: Engage the team member in smaller group discussions to gradually increase their comfort level, before encouraging them to share insights in larger group settings.

While encouraging participation through direct engagement and creating a comfortable environment for sharing is effective, mandating participation or placing the individual in a high-pressure role like facilitation might not address the underlying issues of comfort and willingness to share. Organizing team-building activities, although useful for morale, does not directly encourage discussion participation in a professional setting.

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