Scrum guide · The Scrum Team
Servant Leadership in Scrum: What It Means in Practice
The Scrum Guide describes Scrum Masters as true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organisation. Servant leadership means leading by helping others succeed rather than by directing them.
Key takeaways
- Servant leaders lead by helping others succeed.
- Remove obstacles, coach, protect focus and grow people.
- Serving the team sometimes means challenging it.
Origins
Robert K. Greenleaf introduced the idea of servant leadership in a 1970 essay, The Servant as Leader. His test was whether those served grow as persons and become healthier, wiser, freer and more autonomous.
Servant leadership in practice
| Behaviour | Example |
|---|---|
| Removing obstacles | Getting a test environment fixed so the team can finish its work |
| Coaching, not telling | Asking "what options do you see?" instead of giving the answer |
| Protecting focus | Redirecting mid-Sprint requests to the Product Owner |
| Growing people | Encouraging team members to facilitate events themselves |
| Listening | Holding one-to-ones to understand concerns |
| Building trust | Admitting mistakes openly |
Serving is not pleasing
Servant leaders serve the team's long-term effectiveness, not every short-term wish. That sometimes means challenging the team, holding it to the Definition of Done, or telling stakeholders uncomfortable truths. Courage is one of the Scrum values.
Managers as servant leaders
Managers of Scrum Teams also practise servant leadership: setting clear goals, removing organisational barriers, and investing in people's growth, while leaving day-to-day decisions to the team. See how to manage Agile teams.
Frequently asked questions
Is servant leadership weak leadership?
No. It requires strong conviction, courage and the ability to influence without formal authority.
Who practises servant leadership in Scrum?
Above all the Scrum Master, but also Product Owners and managers who support Scrum Teams.
What is servant leadership?
A leadership approach in which the leader's main aim is to help others grow and succeed. The term was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader.
Does the 2020 Scrum Guide still call the Scrum Master a servant leader?
The 2020 Scrum Guide replaced the phrase servant-leader with a description of Scrum Masters as true leaders who serve the Scrum Team and the larger organisation. The idea of leading by serving remains.
What are examples of servant leadership in Scrum?
Removing an impediment the team cannot fix, coaching people to solve problems themselves, protecting the team from mid-Sprint interruptions and helping stakeholders understand Scrum.
How does servant leadership differ from traditional leadership?
Traditional leadership often relies on authority and direction. Servant leadership relies on influence, coaching and creating conditions in which the team can make its own decisions.
Can a Scrum Master practising servant leadership tell the team what to do?
A Scrum Master may teach Scrum and challenge the team, but does not direct its day-to-day work. The Developers are self-managing and decide how to deliver the Sprint Backlog.
How does a Scrum Master show servant leadership towards the Product Owner?
By helping find techniques for defining the Product Goal and managing the Product Backlog, helping the team understand the need for clear backlog items and facilitating stakeholder collaboration.
How does a Scrum Master show servant leadership towards the organisation?
By leading, training and coaching the organisation in its Scrum adoption, helping people understand an empirical approach and removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum Teams.
What skills does a servant leader need?
Listening, empathy, coaching, facilitation, persuasion and the courage to raise difficult issues. See how to become a Scrum Master.
Is servant leadership only for Scrum Masters?
No. Product Owners, line managers and executives can all lead by supporting teams, setting clear goals and removing organisational obstacles.