Presented at Global Scrum Gathering in Vienna 2017 #SGVIE In the session we took a look at different approaches to the coaching of a team dependent on which development phase the team is in. We learned how ScrumMasters can use knowledge of team dynamics as driver for team coaching and enhancement of self organization. Have you seen teams go through phases in their development and maturity as a team? Have you had trouble how to best support a team in different situations? A great ScrumMaster needs to be able to handle situations like the above. This is often done by observing the team and deciding how to best coach it to become self organized.

1. Arne Åhlander
Coaching Teams
to
Self Organization www.aqqurite.se
Twitter: @ArneAhl
http://se.linkedin.com/in/arneahland
er
arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se

2. –Henry Ford
”Coming together is a beginning;
keeping together is a process;
working together is success.”

3. Learning Objectives
❖ After attending this session, attendees will be able to
❖ list different phases of team development
❖ tell how to best possibly support and coach a team
through the different phases
❖ tell how you as a ScrumMaster can act in different
situations

4. What is Self Organization?

5. Self Organization
Self-organization is the emergence
of pattern and order in a system by
internal processes, rather than
external constraints or forces.
Encyclopedia of Ecology, 2008

6. Scrum Guide
“Scrum Teams are self-organizing and
cross-functional.
Self-organizing teams choose how
best to accomplish their work, rather
than being directed by others outside
the team.”

7. Why Self Organization?

8. Reasons for Self
Organization?
❖ Higher quality
❖ Faster results
❖ Higher value
❖ Multiple skills needed
Photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash

9. Prerequisites for Self
Organization
Photo by Natasha Connell on Unsplash

10. Prerequisites for Self
Organization
❖Get out of the way
Photo by Hello I'm Nik 🇬🇧 on Unsplash

11. Prerequisites for Self
Organization
❖Support team to
get in there
Photo by Christoph Schmid on Unsplash

13. Team Maturity Capability

14. Models of Group Dynamics
❖ Evolution of Team
Dynamics (Tuckman)
❖ Wheelan´s Integrated
Model of Group
Development (IMGD)

15. Evolution of Team Dynamics

16. Evolution of Team Dynamics
❖ Forming
Individuals meet and learn about goals, opportunities.
Little shared knowledge, no trust yet, strong desire for
direction.

17. Evolution of Team Dynamics
❖ Storming
Conflict and polarization around interpersonal issues,
roles, goals, standards and processes.

18. Evolution of Team Dynamics
❖ Norming
Team identity and cohesiveness develops, new
standards evolve, and new roles are adopted.

19. Evolution of Team Dynamics
❖ Performing
High degree of cooperation and interdependence.
Goals are achieved smoothly and effectively with a
minimum of conflict.

20. Evolution of Team Dynamics
❖ Forming
Individuals meet and learn about goals, opportunities. Little shared knowledge,
no trust yet, strong desire for direction.
❖ Storming
Conflict and polarization around interpersonal issues, roles, goals, standards
and processes.
❖ Norming
Team identity and cohesiveness develops, new standards evolve, and new
roles are adopted.
❖ Performing
High degree of cooperation and interdependence. Goals are achieved
smoothly and effectively with a minimum of conflict.

21. Wheelan´s Integrated Model of Group Development
(IMGD)
Depende
ncy &
Inclusion
Counterd
e-
pendency
& Fight
Trust &
Structur
e
Work &
Productivi
ty
Terminati
on (or
not)
dependency on
designated leader
safety concerns
inclusion issues
”pseudo-work”
disagreement
(goals,
values,
procedures)
conflict ->
trust
Trust &
structure
phase
commitment
cooperation
productivity
effectiveness
goal
task

22. IMGD (Integrated Model of Group
Development)
Depende
ncy &
Inclusion
Counterd
e-
pendency
& Fight
Trust &
Structur
e
Work &
Productivi
ty

23. Blockers

24. Forms of Storming
❖ Negativity
❖ Continual criticism of team activities.
❖ Dissatisfaction
❖ with anything and everything. Can lead to negativity and other problems.
❖ Hostility
❖ Can take form of a person being aggressive, argumentative, even threatening.
❖ Crisis Mode
❖ Team operating style where anything and everything is a crisis. Team must come together and
honestly confront the issues.
❖ Shooting Down Ideas
❖ Common activity. Can be a sign of all the other forms.

25. Enablers
1-2-4-all

26. bit.ly/32YOzxP

27. Enablers added by audience
❖ Align values
❖ Working agreement
❖ Coaching & support
❖ Inspiring vision
❖ Shared and challenging goals
❖ Don’t rush
❖ Be consistent
❖ Safe environment

28. Tools

29. How to foster
Psychological Safety
on your teams?

30. How to foster Psychological Safety on
your teams
❖ Demonstrate engagement
❖ Show understanding
❖ Be inclusive in interpersonal settings
❖ Be inclusive in decision-making
❖ Show confidence and conviction without appearing
inflexible
bit.ly/2pYJdEm

31. bit.ly/2MXMcWH

32. Creating Psychological Safety
1. Approach conflict as a collaborator, not an adversary.
2. Speak human to human.
3. Anticipate reactions and plan countermoves.
4. Replace blame with curiosity.
5. Ask for feedback on delivery.
6. Measure psychological safety.
HBR, August 24, 2017
High-Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety. Here’s How to Create It
http://www.midss.org/content/team-learning-and-psychological-safety-survey

33. Speak human to human
“Just Like Me,”
This person …,
just like me.

34. This person has beliefs,
perspectives,
and opinions, just like me.

35. This person has hopes,
anxieties, and
vulnerabilities, just like me.

36. This person has friends, family, and
perhaps children who love them, just
like me.

37. This person wants to feel
respected, appreciated, and
competent, just like me.

38. This person wishes for peace,
joy, and happiness, just like
me.

39. Anticipate reactions and plan
countermoves
What are my main points?
What are three ways my listeners are likely to respond?
How will I respond to each of those scenarios?

40. Assignment (4+4 minutes)
1. Individually, think of conversation you
are about to have or recently had.
• Identify main points
• Three ways my listeners are likely to
respond
• How will I respond to each of those
scenarios?
2. Pair up and compare

41. Conclusion
1. Create a graphic organizer
2. Write down
• One thing I learned
• One thing I want to investigate
• One thing I want to try at work

42. Arne Åhlander
Thank you!
www.aqqurite.se
Twitter: @ArneAhl
http://se.linkedin.com/in/arneahland
er
arne.ahlander@aqqurite.se

43. Other topics of relevance
❖ CDE model
❖ Scrum Patterns
❖ Liberating Structures

44. CDE Model
❖Container
❖Difference
❖Exchange
https://www.hsdinstitute.org/assets/documents/secure/5.2.3.14-cde-dissertation-excerpt.pdf

45. Scrum Patterns
❖ Self-Organizing Team**
❖ Fertile Soil*
❖ Autonomous Team**
❖ Community of Trust
bit.ly/selforgteam

46. Liberating Structures
http://www.liberatingstructures.com/