Mistakes I Didn't Know I Was Making As a Growing Scrum Master
How I realized my mistakes and how I finally fixed them?
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“The worst Scrum Master is the one who doesn't know they're making mistakes."
These are my words that I wrote for myself!
I wrote them in my journal after a particularly humbling retrospective where my entire approach to Scrum Mastery was questioned.
Not by others; I could have handled that easily.
By myself!
You see, I had fallen into the classic trap: I was doing everything "right" according to the textbook, yet something was clearly wrong.
My teams were going through the motions. Events were happening on schedule. User stories were being completed. Everything looked perfect on paper.
But impact? Real, meaningful impact?
The one that comes with professional growth?
That was missing!
I was making mistakes that weren't showing up in any metrics or KPIs. Mistakes that were invisible to daily standups or sprint reviews. Mistakes that were subtly undermining my effectiveness as a professional.
In this post, I'll share:
Those mistakes that taught me some valuable lessons
How I identified those mistakes (sometimes the hard way)
The specific actions I took to correct them
The outcomes that followed
Let’s get started.
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How Agile Metrics are Getting Misused - And How Can You Fix It?
10 Mistakes To Avoid In Your First 30 Days As A Scrum Master.
Mistake #1: Not Reaching Out to Executives
I kept my head down, thinking leadership exposure was unnecessary.
Big mistake!
How I Realized it?
In the beginning, I focused exclusively on my team. I believed my job as a Scrum Master was to facilitate their success… nothing more.
Then, during a leadership Q&A, an executive asked me this simple question:
“How does the team’s work align with our strategic goals?”
I froze. (there was no Product Owner in my team.)
I stumbled through an answer. But deep down, I knew I had no real connection with executives. I didn’t understand their vision. And worse? I wasn’t helping my team understand it either.
What Was Holding Me Back
I told myself it wasn’t my job to engage with executives. I convinced myself it was “outside the scope” of my role.
In reality?
I was intimidated.
Reaching out to leadership felt like stepping into a completely different world, one where I didn’t belong.
How I Fixed It
The fix wasn't comfortable, but it was necessary.
I started scheduling 1:1 conversations with executives and stakeholders.
At first, it felt like I was breaking some unwritten rule. Like a junior developer trying to schedule time with the CTO.
But you know what?
They accepted.
Not only did they accept, but they were also eager to share their vision, their challenges, and their priorities.
Outcome
These conversations changed everything.
Suddenly, I could see the bigger picture. I understood why certain initiatives were prioritized. I could connect my team's daily work to organizational objectives.
I became a bridge between the tactical and the strategic. Between the daily stand-ups and the quarterly objectives. Between the team's challenges and the organization's vision.
My role evolved from "that person who facilitates Scrum events" to "that person who helps us align and deliver real value."
And my team?
They started seeing their work differently, too.
Not just as items in a sprint backlog, but as important pieces of a larger organizational puzzle.
From me to you
If you're keeping your head down, thinking executive engagement isn't part of your role...
Stop. Look up. Reach out.
Because sometimes, the most significant growth happens outside your comfort zone.
And trust me, those executives?
They want to hear from you more than you think.
Mistake #2: Focusing Only on Coaching
I was so focused on coaching that I forgot something important: sometimes, people need to be taught.
How I Realized the Mistake?
It happened during a sprint.
A developer came to me, confused about velocity.
"We're still not really sure how velocity works."
My response: "What do you think velocity is?"
Pure coaching gold, right?
Open-ended question. Encouraging self-discovery. Empowering them to find their own answer.
Except...
They just stared at me. Confused. Frustrated.
And in that moment, I realized:
I wasn't being helpful. I was actually being annoying.
You see, I had drunk the coaching Kool-Aid.
Every question had to be answered with a question
Every problem had to be solved through self-discovery
Every interaction had to be a "coaching moment"
I had forgotten: Sometimes, people just need to be taught.
How can someone self-discover what they don't know exists?
How can they find their own answers when they don't understand the question?
How can they grow if they're missing the basics?
I had become so afraid of being directive...
So committed to "pure" coaching...
So worried about disempowering the team...
That I had actually disempowered them.
Mistake #3: Stopping My Own Learning
I stopped learning once I earned a few badges. My day-to-day activities grew stale. My energy went down.
I stopped climbing and started coasting. And you know what happens when you coast?
You start going downhill.
I didn't notice it at first. How could I? My teams were still functioning, sprints were still happening, and stories were still getting done.
How I Realized the Mistake?
It happened during a community meetup with other Scrum Masters.
As they shared new techniques, frameworks, and tools, I sat there quietly, realizing something uncomfortable.
I hadn’t learned anything new in months.
I was still relying on the same practices and ideas I’d been using since I got certified. The same scripts. The same approaches.
And honestly? I felt stagnant.
What Was Holding Me Back?
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of supporting a team. I told myself I was “too busy” to invest in my learning.
But the reality was, I stopped prioritizing growth.
How I Fixed It
The fix required something I thought I didn't have: time.
So I made a decision:
Learning wasn't going to be something I did when I had time. It was something I made time for.
I blocked two hours every week for professional development.
Non-negotiable. Like a Sprint Review. It happens, period.
Outcome
I started reading again.
Not just Scrum books.
Books on systems thinking. Organizational psychology. Leadership theories. Anything that could add a new dimension to my practice.
I joined communities of practice. Attended workshops. Started writing about my experiences. Engaged in discussions with other Scrum Masters.
And the rest is history?
The fresh knowledge reignited my passion for the role. My confidence grew, and so did my ability to adapt to the unique challenges of each team.
Fourteen years later, I now have a huge collection of books that I like to show off from time to time.