Scrum Master training curricula... What you would you include?

#1

Most agile practitioners start with a CSM-type course… If you had the opportunity to change it, add to it, what would you do? What would you add? What would you take away?

#2
  • Few additional days of training :slight_smile:
  • Few free coaching sessions afterward when you will face the real-life :scream_cat:

Everything else was just enough or maybe I’ve been just lucky with the trainer.
I went through the official CSM class after two years of Scrum Mastering, so nothing new from the context perspective, but a lot of new insights through collaborating with others in the class.

#3

A bunch of us have been throwing ideas around. One suggested there’s an extra day of just facilitation training. I think there should be another day of lean/flow, metrics, CFDs, etc. Any other ideas?

#4
  • Scaling principles and practices. I haven’t yet worked in a company where there is only one team, one product.
  • Technical Excellence. XP practices. I haven’t seen successful Scrum without strong technical practices.
#5

Good call! XP/technical practices is def something that should be emphasized. and a primer on scaling couldn’t hurt. dependency mgmt, that sortof stuff.

#6

The CSM course has useful and valuable information, though it’s incomplete. To the current CSM course offering I offer these top 10 in no particular order other than #1:

  1. HOW TO LISTEN
  2. Facilitation, particularly in the context of Agile ways of working
  3. Servant-Leadership, in practice
  4. Conflict resolution
  5. Negotiation
  6. System Thinking and Flow
  7. When to be patient and “meet them where they are” and when to advocate or push for change
  8. How to foster and support true self-organizing teams
  9. An “Agile Fight Club” where participants practice how to advocate for agile principles and values. Kinda like a debate club with a ton more passion. (H/T to John Badgely)
  10. The importance of, and how to foster trust and psychological safety

and as a bonus, a primer on good technical practices and why xDD (pick your letter for x) is beneficial.

This would all ideally be supported by an apprenticeship or mentoring relationship who is not part of the same small group/organization.

It’s a lot, however the role of Scrum Master done well has a huge impact and is not easy!