{"id":2223,"date":"2017-08-31T08:31:31","date_gmt":"2017-08-31T12:31:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terrencemetz.com\/?p=2223"},"modified":"2026-04-21T13:19:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T17:19:41","slug":"scrum-master-facilitator","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-master-facilitator\/","title":{"rendered":"Scrum Master Facilitator Techniques Improve Meetings"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Agile&#8217;s Scrum Master facilitator techniques ensure that business communities get quick and responsive results. Constant feedback helps teams prioritize and make adjustments. A Scrum Master facilitates against impediments and for product owners&#8217; requirements to support development team efforts. Scrum Master&#8217;s experience and discipline prove that every structured meeting should embrace &#8216;agile&#8217; practices.<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/structured-meeting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Professional facilitation<\/a> lends essential skills to the Scrum Master role because an agile environment demands frequent meetings. Much of what Scrum Masters have learned applies to your meetings as well. \u00a0Basic Scrum Master facilitator techniques include:<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_6230\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img wpfc-lazyload-disable=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6230\" class=\"wp-image-6230\" src=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/shutterstock_133198406-e1542145406147.jpg\" alt=\"Scrum master facilitator\" width=\"400\" height=\"323\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-6230\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">Leveraging Agile Scrum Master Facilitator\u00a0Techniques<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Helvetica;\">Asking open-ended <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/how-to-develop-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">questions<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Bringing people together who should <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/better-listeners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">listen<\/a> to each other but don&#8217;t<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/build-consensus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Consensus<\/a> building where everyone wins, NOT voting\u00a0where there are winners and losers<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Facilitating <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scrum events<\/a> as requested or needed, including preparing and post-processing results<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: Helvetica;\">Helping the Development Team to continually <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/after-action-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">improve<\/a> their methods<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Mediating\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-conflicts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">conflicts<\/a> that arise during product development<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Providing visuals (eg.,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/building-agendas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">agendas<\/a>\u00a0and other information radiators) that provide focus and enable measurement of progress<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">Providing a variety of activities to stimulate <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/creativity-tool\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">breakthrough<\/a>, employee engagement,<\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">and product innovation\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/remove-distractions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Removing<\/a> impediments to the Scrum Team&#8217;s progress<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/structured-meetings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Structured<\/a> collaborative tools&#8212;too many to list here but many of them are also used in waterfall and traditional phase gate approaches\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">Timeboxing and constantly pushing the <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/facilitate-prioritization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pareto Principle<\/a> to get the most out of the least<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Clear benefits derive from an agile approach supporting Scrum Master facilitator techniques including:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-documenter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Documented<\/a> and shared knowledge about product and process decisions<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Early identification of high-benefit opportunities<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Encouraging <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/flexibility-matrix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">flexibility<\/a> and adjustments around unexpected developments (that <em>always<\/em> develop in projects)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Frequent re-assessment to identify appropriate acceleration or course corrections<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">In-depth exploration of more <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/evidence-based\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">evidence<\/a> and factors than normally considered by unstructured, intuitive methods<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>A Scrum Master Facilitator Generates Focus<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\">Keeping participants conscious\u00a0to \u201cbe here now\u201d burns a lot of fuel. Additionally, keeping multiple concepts in mind, at the same time, is virtually impossible. Highly intelligent individuals can rarely think about more than four concepts at once, and thinking about only two at once is optimal, therefore <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\"><strong>. . . Focus.<\/strong> The hardest part of any session is getting a group of people to focus on the same thing at the same time with a common meaning and intent. Be sure to keep the energy flowing and take a break(s) if necessary.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Conduct frequent breakout\u00a0sessions to keep the energy flowing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Consider <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/special-meeting-break\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ergonomic<\/a> stretches and breathing exercises to keep participants vibrant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">If necessary, use timeboxing rather than burning out participants. A subsequent meeting can pick up where you leave off, with fresh energy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Schedule the most important stuff early in your meeting and, when possible, schedule the meeting for the first part of the day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">We believe that two ten-minute breaks are superior to the traditional fifteen to twenty-minute breaks traditionally offered. We do project counting timers, however, and do not allow breaks to become eleven minutes (or longer). Do NOT penalize <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meaningful-connections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">people<\/a> who are on time by waiting for people who are not.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Demand <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/evidence-based\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Evidence<\/a> (Think Deeply)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Challenge the intuitive, short-term thinking for support that takes a long-term view and deeper insight into implications and consequences. What are the deeper associations? Because the cost of omissions, that is \u2018missing stuff\u2019, is exorbitantly high (especially with information technologies). We need to value and appreciate some of the longer exercises that may be required to bring discussions to a higher level. \u00a0By challenging and demanding evidence, the facilitator removes the myopic view from participants and forces them to be integrative with their thinking. But understand, that causal diagrams take longer than ideation sessions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Get Graphic<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/meeting-graphics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Visual<\/a> imagery also stimulates making it easier to analyze. Images (i.e., iconic) and sketches (i.e., illustrative) are more efficient for capturing complex relationships than narrative (i.e., written) terms. If you work in a multi-national organization, graphical displays mitigate some of the challenges associated with translations and transliterations. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/perceptual-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mapping<\/a> stimulates&#8212;<\/strong>the power of patterns remains unchallenged and continues to be supported by most scientific research across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Mapping, such as logical models and process flow diagrams, makes it easier to identify omissions and more fully explain the complex relationships that exist among the components being discussed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Write That Down<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">In addition to providing visual stimulation, if it is not written down it will be forgotten. In other words, if it is not written down, it does not happen. Do not waste everyone\u2019s time, please write it down. It is easier to delete later than to recall what was said, \u201cback then.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Zen of the Experience<\/strong> (use all the senses): <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">When physical\/ spatial, visual, and sound (and optimally even taste and smell) harmonize, we create more vivid associations that improve our memory recall. Who cannot recall the smell, standing at the seashore, of an \u201cocean breeze\u201d? \u00a0To amplify your meeting&#8217;s &#8216;Zen&#8217;, <strong>use analogies.<\/strong>\u00a0Educators have known for centuries that learning is amplified when explained via analogy or <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/metaphor-is-worth-a-thousand-pictures\/\">metaphor<\/a>. For nearly thirty years now, we have been promoting the use of analogy or metaphor as a way to explain the agenda and how the pieces fit together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt;\">Combining the Scrum Master facilitator practices makes it easier for your participants to act on knowledge accessed and developed during your meetings and workshops. For additional activities to support your sessions, search for some of the many tools we provide that support collaborative sorting, experience prototyping, <a title=\"How to Facilitate Meeting Results that Stimulate Process and Product Innovation\" href=\" https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/olympic-scoring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">idea generation<\/a>, and other simulations that build consensus and higher-quality deliverables, <em>FAST<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h5><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Experience and evidence for the preceding derives partially from Cara Turner, who discusses proof about the relationship of agile methods and neuroscience at her blog site, facilitatingagility.com. Cara, along with numerous authors and scientists she cites in support, refer to key practices proven to improve both decision quality and project quality.<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Don\u2019t ruin your career by hosting <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/bad-meetings\/\">bad meetings<\/a>. Sign up for a <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">workshop<\/a> or send this to someone who should. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20260106090117\/https:\/\/mgrush.com\/\">MGR<span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">USH<\/span><\/a><\/em> workshops focus on meeting design and practice. Each person practices tools, methods, and activities daily during the week. Therefore, while some call this immersion, we call it the road to building high-value facilitation skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>______<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">With Bookmarks no longer a feature in WordPress, we need to append the following for your benefit and reference<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">20 Prioritization Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/\">https:\/\/foldingburritos.com\/product-prioritization-techniques\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Creativity Techniques = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques\">https:\/\/www.mycoted.com\/Category:Creativity_Techniques<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Facilitation Training Calendar = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/public-facilitation-training-calendar\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Liberating Structures = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu\">http:\/\/www.liberatingstructures.com\/ls-menu<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Management Methods = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net\/\">https:\/\/www.valuebasedmanagement.net<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Newseum = https:\/\/www.freedomforum.org\/todaysfrontpages\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">People Search = <a href=\"https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/\">https:\/\/pudding.cool\/2019\/05\/people-map\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Project Gutenberg = http:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/wiki\/Main_Page<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Scrum Events Agendas = <a href=\"https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/\">https:\/\/mgrush.com\/blog\/scrum-facilitation\/<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Speed test = <a href=\"https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342\">https:\/\/www.speedtest.net\/result\/8715401342<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Teleconference call = <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/DYu_bGbZiiQ<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The Size of Space = https:\/\/neal.fun\/size-of-space\/<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Thiagi\/ 400 ready-to-use training games = <a href=\"http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html\">http:\/\/thiagi.net\/archive\/www\/games.html<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Visualization methods = <a href=\"http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html\">http:\/\/www.visual-literacy.org\/periodic_table\/periodic_table.html#<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Walking Gorilla = <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vJG698U2Mvo\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/vJG698U2Mvo<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Agile&#8217;s Scrum Master facilitator techniques ensure that business communities get quick and responsive results. Constant feedback helps teams prioritize and make adjustments. A Scrum Master facilitates against impediments and for product owners&#8217; requirements to support development team efforts. Scrum Master&#8217;s experience and discipline prove that every structured meeting should embrace &#8216;agile&#8217; practices. Professional facilitation lends [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6230,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[55884429,453187838],"tags":[453192196,453192424,453187839,453191005,453191006,453192423],"class_list":["post-2223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-meeting-support","category-scrum-events","tag-evidence","tag-graphic","tag-scrum-master","tag-scrum-master-facilitator","tag-scrum-master-facilitator-techniques","tag-zen"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is 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