PremierAgile

During our most recent one-on-one mentoring session, Suresh Konduru, PremierAgile’s lead Coach and Mentor,  helped Kiran, a seasoned sales professional, develop new skills and make a career move. With eighteen years of sales and marketing expertise, Kiran asked for guidance on applying Scrum methods to his present Sales role and looking for prospects in PMO (Project Management Office) roles.

The Challenge

Kiran's journey began with an attempt to implement Scrum in his previous organization, a venture that was met with resistance from his manager. Kiran updated his resume and looked for other jobs as a result of the lack of assistance. Kiran is now employed with a technology company as a Senior Manager in the business development and marketing department. However, he is seeking to transition into a PMO or Scrum Master position by utilizing his vast experience.

Suresh's Insightful Guidance

Suresh started by understanding Kiran's current role and team structure. Kiran leads a 30-member business development team, which is divided into research, inside sales, and direct sales teams. While acknowledging Kiran's difficulties, Suresh underlined how crucial it was to obtain real-world Scrum experience, especially in his present position.

Implementing Scrum in Sales

Suresh advised Kiran to start small and introduce Scrum practices without formally labeling them as such. Here’s how:

1. Daily Stand-ups: Suresh suggested initiating daily 15-minute stand-up meetings. These short, focused meetings would help improve communication, identify bottlenecks, and create a sense of collaboration among the Sales team members.

2. Sprint Retrospectives: After a few weeks of successful stand-ups, Kiran could introduce sprint retrospectives. These sessions would allow the team to reflect on their sales processes and identify areas for improvement.

3. Gradual Integration: Suresh emphasized a gradual approach with additional steps, integrating more Scrum elements over time as the team starts seeing the benefits and becomes more receptive.

Addressing Resistance

Kiran shared his experience of resistance from team members and the challenge of not having direct reports. Suresh acknowledged this common hurdle and offered strategic advice:

• Highlight Benefits: Suresh highlighted the importance of clearly communicating the tangible benefits of Scrum to the team and the organization. Benefits could include improved KPIs, better customer satisfaction, and potential personal promotions or bonuses.
• Gaining Leadership Support: Convincing the business practice head about the benefits could help in gaining support. If the idea is endorsed by leadership, it’s more likely that the team will follow suit.
• Persistence and Rapport Building: Suresh encouraged Kiran to continue to be patient and build rapport with his colleagues and superiors. He suggested creating a business case showcasing potential benefits and presenting it to leadership.

Balance Learning with and Practical Implementation

Suresh advised Kiran to continue his learning of Scrum while applying its principles in practice. He recommended studying Scrum guide, watching Learning videos, and reading relevant blogs. This dual approach would help Kiran be well-prepared for Scrum Master interviews and also apply these learnings in his current role.

Looking Ahead

We at PremierAgile have a program ‘PremierAccelerate’ designed to assist experts such as Kiran in securing Scrum Master positions. Job mentoring, interview practice, and networking chances with experienced Scrum Masters are all included in this program. With this, we are dedicated to helping our alumni advance in their careers.

Conclusion

After the meeting, Kiran had a clearer idea of how to apply Scrum to his sales position and a fresh outlook on his career move. 

Gaining approval and executing a successful shift needs concentrating on the advantages for the team and organization, as Suresh so eloquently stated. 

Keep checking back for more information about our forthcoming programs, and never forget that even the smallest step toward understanding and putting Scrum principles into practice can result in big career gains.