5 Must Read Books for Scrum Masters

Are you a Scrum Master who wants to enhance your skills in the Agile world? Look no further! This article presents five must-read books that will elevate your understanding of Scrum, empower your role as a Scrum Master, and equip you with valuable insights to navigate the challenges of leading successful Agile teams. These books offer a treasure trove of wisdom from experienced practitioners and thought leaders, providing practical strategies and techniques to excel in your Agile journey.

1. Scrum Mastery: From Good to Great Servant-Leadership

Author Details: Geoff Watts is an experienced Agile Coach and Certified Scrum Trainer with a wealth of hands-on knowledge.

Summary: "Scrum Mastery" delves into the intricacies of the Scrum Master role, emphasizing the importance of servant-leadership in enabling high-performing Scrum Teams. The book explores various scenarios and provides practical advice on how to tackle common challenges faced by Scrum Masters.

What You Can Learn: Gain a deep understanding of the servant-leader mindset, learn techniques to foster self-organizing teams, enhance your coaching and facilitation skills, and discover strategies to navigate organizational impediments.

Pricing and Availability: This book costs 2k INR and is available on Amazon.

2. The Professional Scrum Master's Handbook

Author Details: Stacia Viscardi is a Certified Scrum Trainer and Agile Coach with extensive experience in Scrum transformations.

Summary: "The Professional Scrum Master's Handbook" is a comprehensive guide for Scrum Masters aiming to excel. It covers essential topics such as understanding the Scrum framework, facilitating effective meetings, and leading teams through complex challenges.

What You Can Learn: Acquire a solid foundation in Scrum principles and practices, master techniques for effective Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, Sprint Reviews, and Retrospectives, and gain insights on managing conflicts and fostering collaboration within teams.

Pricing and Availability: This book is available on Google Books.

3. Coaching Agile Teams: A Companion for Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Project Managers in Transition

Author Details: Lyssa Adkins is an experienced Agile Coach and Certified Scrum Trainer known for her transformative coaching style.

Summary: "Coaching Agile Teams" focuses on coaching and provides valuable guidance to Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches in supporting and guiding teams. The book presents a coaching framework and offers practical tools to navigate the complexities of Agile transformations.

What You Can Learn: Develop essential coaching skills, learn techniques to foster team collaboration and self-organization, gain insights on creating a healthy team environment, and understand the dynamics of organizational change.

Pricing and Availability: This book costs around 3k and is available on Amazon.

4. Agile Retrospectives: Making Good Teams Great

Author Details: Esther Derby and Diana Larsen are renowned Agile experts and experienced facilitators.

Summary: "Agile Retrospectives" provides Scrum Masters with a comprehensive guide to conducting effective retrospectives, a crucial practice for continuous improvement. The book offers a wealth of retrospective techniques, tips for facilitating engaging retrospectives, and strategies for creating an environment conducive to Learning and growth.

What You Can Learn: Explore various retrospective formats and activities, discover techniques to encourage open and honest feedback, address team dysfunctions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Pricing and Availability: This book costs around 2k and is available on Amazon.

5. User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product

Author Details: Jeff Patton is a recognized product management expert and Agile practitioner.

Summary: "User Story Mapping" introduces a powerful technique for visualizing and planning product development through user stories. The book emphasizes the collaborative nature of product development and guides Scrum Masters in creating a shared understanding of the product vision. Jeff Patton illustrates how user story mapping can help prioritize features, identify gaps, and align development efforts with customer needs.

What you Can Learn: You will learn how to facilitate collaborative workshops, involve stakeholders in the mapping process, and use the technique to define product roadmaps and prioritize backlog items. Additionally, the book offers practical advice on managing dependencies, breaking down prominent user stories, and fostering continuous feedback loops with the development team and stakeholders.

Pricing and Availability: This book costs $40 and is widely available through online eCommerce stores.

Additional Learning Resources for Scrum Masters:

The journey of a Scrum Master is a continuous process of Learning, adapting, and improving. The five must-read books highlighted in this article provide a treasure trove of knowledge and insights. Indeed, these books can help Scrum Masters excel in their roles. Here are suggested additional books and resources for Scrum Masters:

• Book "Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time" by Jeff Sutherland
• Book "Agile Project Management with Scrum" by Ken Schwaber
• Online resources on Scrum Alliance 
• PremierAgile Scrum Training and Workshops
• Scrum Alliance Agile Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification 

Becoming an exceptional Scrum Master goes beyond just acquiring Certifications and Agile Training. So, seize the opportunity, grab these books, and embark on a transformative Learning journey. Equip yourself with the tools and insights to unlock the true potential of Scrum mastery. Let these books be your guiding light as you embark on becoming an outstanding Scrum Master and driving successful Agile initiatives. Happy reading and continued success in your Agile endeavors!

Reference:

1. https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/30-books-scrum-masters