One Small Step for Diversity. One Potential Leap for New Scrum Masters

Remember the first chance you had to work in the area that you wanted? It was exhilarating and also frightening as heck.

There’s a passionate group of agilists who want to offer a way forward for those who are interested in Scrum mastery. They’ve created a divUrsity Scrum Master Cohort program to get more diverse people and perspectives into Tech leadership and agile ways of working in general. 

We talked with Christy Clement and Erin Kaohelaulii-Brett, co-founders of divUrsity about the mission. They begin with this: “In light of 2020, we wanted to make a difference in bringing more diverse people and voices into IT leadership. For some of us, it’s the opportunity that gets us into the seat.” The organization’s aim is to grow individuals and help them along their journey, as well as help organizations find great candidates. Our goal is not only to bring more diverse people and perspectives into IT leadership, but also to get a bigger conversation started about how everyone can make a difference with the skills they have.  

Related: Introduction to Scrum: A Free eLearning Course

Q: What does the Scrum Master Cohort Program look like? 

A: The first cohort will be a training component - anywhere from 2-5 days based on the experience of participants. For example, not everyone has IT experience, so those folks will receive additional training to get them up to speed on software development terms and life cycles. Then we want the participants to roll right into their 3-6 month Scrum Master jobs as soon as possible so they can put that knowledge to use in the real world right away. During their job experience, we’ll also be supporting them in three ways: mentorship from very seasoned coaches, spot training based on challenges the participants are facing in their roles (e.g. conflict resolution, impediment identification, team building, etc.), and support from other cohort members asynchronously via Slack. Towards the end, we’ll help get participants certified as Scrum Masters and support them in finding full-time roles if they choose that route. We’re hoping that the last part might be easier if our hiring partner companies and participants decide to enter into full employment together! We’re running this as an experiment, so all we know for sure is that it will change as we learn more from our participants and sponsors.

Q: What should aspiring Scrum Masters expect to learn, what skills should they expect to improve?

A: They’ll learn the basics like the principles of agile and Scrum and the values, and they’ll also learn how to effectively facilitate, deal with conflict, and spot impediments. We know we won’t be able to do all of that in the initial training, which is why we’ll host spot training sessions a couple of times a month while participants are in their temporary Scrum Master positions to help them get into some of these more advanced concepts. This will allow them to put these concepts into practice straight away.  

Q: How are Jr. Scrum Masters more prepared than others when they are involved in a mentorship/cohort program?

A: Anyone that’s been a Scrum Master had to start somewhere, right? Christy loves telling the story about her first time as a Scrum Master - she was TERRIBLE. Someone handed her a book (that she skimmed) and then she was off to the races. It wasn’t until she got some training, got a mentor and saw Scrum working well for a different team that she actually understood what the agile mindset really meant, what an empowered team looked like and how she could really be a servant leader. All of our mentors are seasoned agile coaches who are passionate about helping others succeed. They will provide coaching and help the Scrum Master navigate the challenges they’re facing on their particular team. We’re also asking that any hiring partner organizations identify someone internally to sponsor the Scrum Master cohort participant, which will help build their network and resolve impediments for their team. That internal sponsor and the divUrsity mentor will also touch base occasionally and ensure that the participant is as successful as they can possibly be.

Q: Why is it important to have diverse perspectives in IT and leadership?

A: We all know that diverse perspectives in leadership lead to greater innovation - that’s been proven over and over. And every company talks about being more innovative. But how leaders act and who they are sets the tone for the organizational culture; they show people what’s possible. When you have a diverse set of people leading, not only do you get a greater diversity of ideas, but you show everyone, inside and outside your organization, what your organization values, that anyone can make it to the “top” and you will inspire more aspiring leaders.

Q: Are you noticing any trends that are encouraging the hiring of a more diverse workforce?

A: One of the things we see is that lots of companies want to hire diverse candidates, but they don’t always know where to go to find them. Also, people who want to try the role out but aren’t at a place where they have that opportunity have virtually no way to get their foot in the door to become a Scrum Master. We’re hoping to make that easier for people by removing the barriers they’d normally face: training, coaching, mentoring and a community of support. 

"When you have a diverse set of people leading... you show everyone inside and outside your organization what your organization values"

Q: Why would an organization want to sponsor this program? What would your Scrum Master candidates have that others do not?

A: People interested in participating in the program are enthusiastic, experienced and excited. While many don’t have the traditional Scrum Master experience, they are bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from other industries such as biotech, political science, running research labs and more. Two-thirds do have some IT experience, 89% have bachelor's degrees and 17% have master's degrees. Any company that is looking to truly take action on a more diverse workforce, but is also looking for people who will think differently, bring a perspective that will challenge the status quo would be great partners for this program.

Scrum Alliance’s mission is to be a trusted ally for our members as they create a world of work that is joyful, prosperous and sustainable. We understand that we still live in a world where diversity continues to be an issue to address. We are committed to helping organizations develop a diverse and inclusive workforce. We’re excited to see the efforts of organizations such as the divUrsity Scrum Master Cohort program put words into action. 

Is it time for your organization to step up? If so, consider hosting an intern from the Scrum Master Cohort program. Fill out the DivUrsity Sponsorship Interest form here.