Many of the traditional responsibilities of Managers are re-apportioned in Scrum. For example, deciding what the team is working on is - in Scrum - the responsibility of the Product Owner. Facilitating events and coaching teams to improve the way team members work together falls under the Scrum Master accountability. Quality is the responsibility of Developers.
And yet, there are many things that both the Scrum team members - and Managers - are responsible for. So, how do you know who does what in Scrum?
The answer is - of course - it depends. While there are clear accountabilities in Scrum that provide guardrails within which the team collaborates, sometimes there are things that are shared responsibilities. For example, the Scrum team should remove their own impediments when possible. When it's not possible, they should escalate to leadership. The Scrum Master ensures that the Scrum events are positive and productive, but leadership has a stake in team culture and morale.
The Scrum Master
The Scrum Master is not there to do the team’s work or even to manage it directly. Instead, their focus is on creating an environment where the team can thrive.
Here’s what that looks like:
1. Facilitating, Not Directing
The Scrum Master ensures Scrum events are positive, productive, and kept within the time box, but that doesn't mean that they control the outcomes of these events. Instead, they ask powerful questions and surface blockers, empowering the team to solve their problems.
2. Coaching, Not Commanding
The Scrum Master guides the team toward self-management and cross-functionality. They encourage ownership of commitments and help the team to embrace continuous improvement.
3. Promoting Focus, Not Tasking
The Scrum Master helps improve the adoption of Scrum and coaches the Scrum team and its stakeholders on how to work together. The Scrum Master promotes the Scrum values of Courage, Focus, Commitment, Respect, and Openness to ensure that the Scrum team develops trust and is able to foster transparency, inspection, and adaptation so that the Scrum team can deliver value in a complex environment.
In short, the Scrum Master’s job is to help improve the use of Scrum within the organization, but they are not the boss of the team.
Leadership
Leaders, on the other hand, focus on team culture, removing impediments, setting guardrails within which the team is allowed to self-manage, and ensuring that the Scrum team is aligned around customer outcomes and has the resources that they need to deliver value. They may not be involved in day-to-day Scrum events, but their influence shapes the environment in which teams operate. This requires a shift from traditional, so-called 'command and control' management to servant leadership.
Key responsibilities of a leader include:
Supporting Self-Managing Teams by setting guardrails
Removing organizational obstacles
Provide feedback to improve alignment with organizational strategy
Coaching and Developing People
Ensure Scrum team has the resources that they need
Shaping the Agile Culture
Do Managers Still "Manage"?
Yes, but how they manage is different. In Scrum, the focus shifts from managing tasks to managing the system in which teams operate. Managers don’t direct the daily work of teams; instead, they:
Manage organizational systems and processes to support Agile delivery.
Measure outcomes, not output, to evaluate success.
Lead by influence, not authority, fostering collaboration across the organization.
Common Missteps to Avoid
It’s not uncommon for Scrum Masters to overstep or for leaders to dive too deeply into team operations. This often happens when roles aren’t clearly understood or respected. Here’s how to stay in your lane:
For Scrum Masters: Resist the urge to take over tasks or decisions that belong to the team. Your job is to support, not solve.
For Leaders: Avoid bypassing the Scrum Master to directly intervene with the team unless absolutely necessary. Trust the Scrum Master to handle team-level concerns.
Collaboration is Key
The Scrum Master and Leaders have a shared focus on supporting the team’s success. The next time you wonder if something is the Scrum Master’s responsibility or a leader’s, ask:
Does this action support how the team works? If yes, it’s likely the Scrum Master’s role.
Does this action drive strategic alignment or broader organizational outcomes, or is this an impediment or resource issue? If yes, it’s likely a leader’s role.
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