1.
THE NEW MANAGER ROLE IN
SCRUM TEAMS AND BEYOND
DAVID TZEMACH
WWW.SUPREMEAGILE.COM
JUN 28 2018

2.
ABOUT ME
• OVER 15 YEARS IN THE SOFTWARE-DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY.
• HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE COMPANIES’ (~80) AGILE
TRANSFORMATIONS.
• CURRENTLY THE GLOBAL QUALITY ARCHITECT AND AGILE TRAINER OF
VARONIS SYSTEMS LTD.
• FOUNDER OF THE “SUPREMEAGILE” QUALITY AND AGILE BLOG (~45K
FOLLOWERS, 850K UNIQUE VIEWS WORLDWIDE).

3.
AGENDA
• TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH (PRE AGILE).
• THE TRANSITION FROM TRADITIONAL METHODOLOGIES (WATERFALL) TO AGILE (SCRUM).
• HOW SCRUM TRANSITION AFFECTS MANAGERS (FEARS, RESISTANCE AND OUTCOMES).
• OVERCOMING MANAGER FEARS AND RESISTANCE AS KEY FACTOR TO SUCCESS.
• OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SCRUM FRAMEWORK.
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN AGILE MANAGER.
• SUMMARY.

4.
Industry Facts
Fact 1: The challenges in software industry are different than a few years
ago (security, mobile, cloud…)
Fact 2: We are seeing more companies making the transition to Agile
development processes (Scrum, Kanban, etc.)
Fact 3: Organizations must deliver fast, early products at the highest
quality
Fact 4: Employees’ welfare is critical to the organization’s success
Fact 5: The role of managers is the one that is most affected from these
Agile transitions

5.
TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH (PRE AGILE)

6.
THE TRADITIONAL MANAGER MANAGEMENT STYLE IS MOSTLY BASED ON THE
“COMMAND & CONTROL” METHOD
HERE ARE FIVE OF THE PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS KIND OF MANAGE
2. Strict hierarchy of authority (manager at the top of the pyramid)
1. Control all major aspects of the project (timelines, pace, task assignments)
5. Commands must be followed or discipline is applied
3. Micro management
4. Zero tolerance to mistakes

7.
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE MANAGER AND HIS EMPLOYEES IS BASED
ON FIVE PHASES:
PHASE 1: IDENTIFICATION OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL “NEEDS” (BUDGET, RESOURCES,
REQUIREMENTS)
PHASE 2: PROVIDING EMPLOYEE DEMANDS, EXPECTATIONS, AND GOALS
PHASE 3: EMPLOYEES FOLLOW THE MANAGER’S INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT QUESTION
PHASE 4: MONITORING EMPLOYEE PROGRESS OF TASK COMPLETION
PHASE 5: COMPARING EMPLOYEES’ DELIVERABLES TO THE PRELIMINARY GOALS

8.
The outcomes of “Command & Control”:
Low Motivation Manager in the center
Less room for Innovation and Creativity Employees are treated as resources

9.
In scrum,
Self-organized teams are the center
of the entire process…
Managers will have to change
to keep their relevancy

10.
THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA: MANAGING IN AGILE

11.
1970
Waterfall
model
created
1990
Application
delivery lag
crisis
1991
Invention of
Scrum
Jeff Sutherland
and Ken
Schwaber
1995
Scrum
published
and used
for the first
time
2001
Agile
Manifest
o
THE BIRTH OF AGILE AND SCRUM (TIMELINE)

12.
From 2001 Scrum becomes the leading software
development methodology worldwide

13.
What is the impact of transitioning
Scrum will be on the manager?

14.
HOW SCRUM AFFECTS MANAGERS (FEARS AND RESISTANCE)?

15.
Let’s review some classic
examples…..

16.
The Scrum framework specifies three main roles…
But no definition for managers….

17.
The management hierarchy is different…..
Top-Down (Authority) Bottom-Up (Team Ownership)
All Equals with the same
ability to impact
Decide everything

18.
A completely different SDLC….
Waterfall Model Scrum Model
One Major release
Change is bad Change is normal
Incremental Releases

19.
Managers are the ones affected the most from Scrum transition…
Loss of their old titles
Losing their jobs
Their ability to affect on the project
Hurting their pride and ego

20.
What reasons can managers have to
resist to Scrum transition?

21.
MANAGER RESISTANCE, OUTCOMES AND MITIGATION

22.
Cause of resistance The outcomes… What can be done?
Lose power over
individuals
Interfering in team
decisions
that will not allow
“self-organization”
Show them how to become
the servant leaders of their
teams
(we will talk about it….)
Loss of their ability to
add value to the
organization
Low motivation,
low confidence
Empowerment as key
leaders of the
transformation
Fear of change
Lack of collaboration
with the transitioning
process
Collaborate to create the
transformation roadmap,
goals, timelines, phases….
Training sessions will
provide a general sense of
what Scrum is and how it
works
Uncertainty about their
new responsibilities,
boundaries…
Keep the old C&C
habits
Micro management,
measuring individuals’
performance….

23.
A QUICK RECAP….
• TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT APPROACH (PRE AGILE).
• THE TRANSITION FROM TRADITIONAL METHODOLOGIES
(WATERFALL) TO AGILE (SCRUM).
• HOW SCRUM AFFECTS MANAGERS (FEARS, RESISTANCE AND
OUTCOMES).
• OVERCOMING MANAGER FEARS AND RESISTANCE AS KEY
FACTOR TO SUCCESS.

24.
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SCRUM FRAMEWORK

25.
Hello team, I am your Product Owner
The Product Owner’s main responsibilities
• Represent the customer/business.
• Managing product backlog (prioritization,
acceptance criteria, DoD…).
• Define the iteration objectives.
• Plans product releases.
• Accepts/declines the work.

26.
Hello team, is there room for me?
The main responsibilities of the development team:
• All are equals
• Commit to the work
• Cross-functional
• Self-organized

27.
Hello team, I’m your Scrum Master!
The main responsibilities of the Scrum Master:
• Trainer in Scrum framework
• Remove impediments
• Protect the team

28.
An Agile manager with different mindset (We will define it..)
The main responsibilities of the Agile manager:
• Does not need authority over the team (Excepted as the team leader).
• Handle HR issues (1:1, Hiring Etc.).
• Gain access to resources.
• Remove obstacles.
• Builds the team.

29.
The most commonly asked question
during Scrum transitions:
If we have SM, why do we need
managers?

30.
Phase 1: What do we see in our industry?
TMSM
Team A
SM
Team B
Phase 2: How do I see these roles?
TM SM
Team C
TM
• Mentoring and coaching capabilities
• Leader who does not need authority
• Has specific responsibility in the Scrum
Framework
How I see the SM role? How do I see Agile manager?
• Can preform ALL SM activities.
• Handling all HR issues.
Phase 3: The Path to the NEW Agile manager
Managers will have to become great SM to become a Agile manager!
SM
Team D
AM

31.
PRACTICAL TIPS TO BECOME AN AGILE MANAGER

32.
Change your management style
As the Agile Manager of the team, the manager should change
his/her management style:
• Making room for failure and using it as growth engine for the team
• Motivating the team by identifying their unique motivation buttons
• Focus on the success of the team instead of his/her own
• Manage by questions, not by answers
• Empowering the team and individual
• Listen first, act later

33.
Become a change agent
The Agile Manager will assist with the business to maximize the
benefits of Scrum:
• Plan Scrum implementation within the organization
• Promote continuous improvement
• Be patient while promoting the change
• Build a new cross-functional team (Model T)
• Train their team with Scrum practices

34.
Move from a single authority to a servant leader
As a servant leader, managers will assist teams to become
self-organized:
• Remove organizational impediments affecting teams’ ability to flourish
• Help the team collaborate better (internally / externally)
• Handling HR issues affecting individuals’ performance
• Facilitate the Scrum events (planning, review…)
• Encourage transparency within the team
• Lead by example

35.
THE DAILY STAND-UP AS AN INDICATOR TO THE SELF-ORGANIZED TEAM
1. Does your team conduct daily’s without you?
2. If you are present does the meeting become a “Reporting” meeting?
3. Do your team members feel safe enough to share their status?
4. Are there any “Conversations” among team members after the meeting?
5. Does the team succeed to keep the meeting within the time limitation?
6. Are team members offering their help to other members?
7. Is there an active promotion by You/SM?
8. Do team members come prepared?

36.
THE RETROSPECTIVE MEETING AS AN ENGINE FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
1. Were team members authentic?
2. Did team members feel safe enough to share their real
thoughts?
3. Were the root causes of problems uncovered?
4. Did the SM manage the list of impediments raised by
the team?
5. Did the team have an action plan to resolve the raised
impediments?
6. Did the impediments raised at the previous meeting get
resolved?

37.
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WWW.SUPREMEAGILE.COM