Read this before starting with a new team as a Scrum Master

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Jul 31, 2025

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Q: My worry is that I am starting a new job as a senior Scrum Master in one of the biggest energy sectors in Germany, after being out of the field for almost a year plus I will cherish if you can give me good solid points on what to do most and what to watch out for in simple steps and point form, (take note I have read your 30,60,90 day plan and got a plan however it will be nice for you to pin point major issues which from ur opinion I should not forget?)

Thank you for the question.

Side note: This question was asked in the subscriber’s chat, and I wanted to answer it in a newsletter post because I believe it can help many people in similar situations, some of whom I know personally.

Although the post is directed at helping the asker with their particular case, the underlying fundamentals and ideas apply to any role, whether starting with a new team, job, or company.

If you are also a Scrum Master, or if you are a Product Owner or an Agile Coach, you can create a 90-day plan using the information in the posts below:

I wrote these posts based on my personal experiences and those of others who initially faced struggles, learned from their mistakes, and ultimately succeeded.

In today's post, I want to help the asker with his concern (worry) and share some personal insights that can boost his confidence in his new venture.

Let’s get started.

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#1 Be confident

You mentioned in your question that you've been between jobs for a long time. This is becoming more common than you think, and it's perfectly okay. What matters is not the gap, but how you approach your return.

The fact is: THEY HIRED YOU!

The company saw your potential and capabilities. They chose you among other candidates because they believed in your ability to deliver value as a senior Scrum Master.

You're returning with Fresh eyes to see things objectively.

One of the biggest energy sectors in Germany means:

They have processes in place
They deal with complexities in projects
They need experience to handle scale

They saw these qualities in you.

Your worry about the gap shows you are committed. You want to succeed.

I would channel this energy into curiosity rather than concern. Use this energy to do 3 things:

ask questions
understand the team’s contexts (background, systems) and
build relationships

When you know what you are doing, you are not merely confident.

You FEEL it in your bones.

#2 Get introduced

With the mindset of Step #1, do the following next.

Ask your Hiring Manager to introduce you to the team. This is where your team will make their first impression of you.

First impressions stick.

You can pre-brief your manager on:

what to say: why you were hired (credentials, experience, etc.), what problems you’ll help solve (expectations)
what not to say: “Ben will fix the team.”

Also, prepare a 20-second self intro. Something like:

“Hi, I’m Ben. I will be a part of this team. My focus will be on making it easier for us to deliver value. For the first couple of weeks, you’ll mostly see me listening (observing) and asking questions so I can gather enough information about what we are doing. Looking forward to learning from you all.”

Smile, then stop talking. Invite them in.

I highly recommend checking out the Scrum Master Engagement Funnel to prepare your team for receiving your help.

#3 Learn about their expectations

You got yourself introduced. They know:

what you are capable of
what is your goal within the team (making it easier for the team to deliver value)

Now it is time to know what they (Manager, Team members) “expect” from you.

Remember: Expectations of your manager and your team always take priority.

To learn more about:

Why expectations
Whose expectations
How to find Manager’s expectations
How to find team’s expectations

Check out the post I wrote last year How a Scrum Master Handles New vs Mature Teams?

The post outlines all the steps (with detailed examples) you need to take and the questions you must ask to create a personalized roadmap that you can work from.

#4 Find out your team’s current state and process

You know what they want from you. You know their expectations. You are excited to get started.

But where to start? What will be your first action?

To help your team achieve their goals, you need to understand its current situation.

Where they are… right now?

You can find this information in 2 steps:

Detailed steps on how to do these are in the above-linked posts.

To learn about the gaps in their current process, check out the post below:

When a Scrum Master joins a new team how do they check the process?

#5 Draw a stakeholder map

You know your team‘s current state. Now you need to understand why they are where they are. Who’s driving your team?

In short, you must identify the stakeholders. These include but not limited to:

Primary Stakeholders:

Your direct team members
Product Owner (Product Manager)
Immediate management
End users of your team's deliverables
Adjacent technical teams

Secondary Stakeholders:

Sponsors
Department heads involved
Compliance teams involved
Security teams involved
External vendors involved

Important: Don't just list names and roles. Understand (1) their level of influence on the team, (2) their interest in the team's success, (3) their communication preferences, (4) their pain points and priorities.

Check out the posts below to make a list with all the details:

A mistake I often see people make is assuming stakeholder relationships based only on the organizational chart.

Do look at the chart. But then sit down with your manager to connect the dots and learn more about them.

#6 Understand the product

You know “what” the stakeholders want from your team. Now it is time to understand “how” your team is delivering it.

This is where understanding The Product comes in.

Stakeholders’ want = Problem

How your team delivers it = Solution

To learn how to go about understanding the “Product,” check out the post below:

How to Understand The Product As A Scrum Master?

This post outlines the steps to help you create a simple Process Map that you can use to understand exactly how your team is solving the stakeholder’s “Problem” and delivering the “Solution.”

#7 Find your champion

This is someone who has an influence on your team. Usually, this is the Product Owner or Product Manager.

It is essential to establish a good working relationship with them from the outset.

To understand the types of Product Owners, check out the post below:

Why some Product Owners are Harder to Work With than Others?

Once you have pinpointed the type of your PO, set up your first 1:1 meeting with them.

Note: You can use this 1:1 to replace your 1:1 with the PO in Step #4 (find out your team’s current state) above.

Check out the post below to learn more about what questions to ask in this crucial 1:1 with your PO:

30 Questions to ask a Product Owner

This step will help you make an ally who will support your team or process-related suggestions.

The Journey Forward

Each of the above steps builds momentum for the next:

Confidence (#1) will help you make an effective introductions (#2)
A good first impression through introductions will allow you to uncover expectations (#3)
Understanding expectations will lead to assessing the team’s current state (#4)
Knowing the team’s current state will help you in identifying stakeholders (#5).
Knowledge about the stakeholders will give you the context to understand the product (#6) and how your team delivers value
And finally, knowing who the team listens to (#7) will help you in making improvement suggestions

These are the 7 things I believe are most important and must be done within the first 30 to 45 days of joining a new team as a Scrum Master.

There is a lot more that accompanies these steps, which you can learn using the links below:

Having said that, there are also a few NOT-to-DOs you should keep in mind. You can check them out at the link below. I wrote them specifically for Agile Coaches, but they also apply to Scrum Masters.

10 Mistakes In Your First 30 Days

With that, I wish you all the best for your new beginnings.

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