If you’ve worked as a project manager for a number of years, the idea of “servant-leadership” in Scrum might be a bit foreign. Traditional management operates on a command and control basis, whereas Scrum offers a more humane, gentle approach. While the work itself will always be a priority, servant-leadership also puts a priority on the needs and opinions of the team doing the work. It’s not an easy position to hold, but we’ll make it a little easier at our project management training course in Jacksonville, Florida.
So what does it mean to be a servant-leader? Sure, it’s a nice term, but what does it mean, practically-speaking? There’s a lot of debate raging around the actual definition of the title. You’ll get a different set of requirements from every expert you speak to. As we’ll discuss in our project management training course in Jacksonville, Florida, however, there are a couple of key attributes that everyone agrees on:
1. A servant-leader is a good listener.
You can’t serve and you can’t lead if you don’t know what’s going on. In order to fully understand the project requirements, the potential problems, and the needs of the team, you must be able to listen well. A good listener will pick up on the hints and fine points that others might miss. A good listener will also take the time to find out what the quieter folks have to say.
2. A good servant-leader is aware.
You can’t be a truly effective facilitator without having a good perspective on the work. You can’t get so involved with the immediate work that you lose sight of the bigger goals. Neither can you be so disconnected from the project that you can’t see immediate needs or problems. It’s a real tightrope act, but it’s one that is vital to the success of any Scrum team.
During our project management training course in Jacksonville, Florida, we’ll help you to develop these skills and set you on your way to becoming a great servant leader. It’s a tough job, but it’s highly rewarding when you begin to reap the results.