When you work as a Scrum Master, sometimes you may have a situation with a boss who is non-agile and anti-Scrum, behavioral actions it is challenging to deal with. In this article we provide a step-by-step strategy to tackle such bosses as a Scrum Master.
When you have a boss with below characteristics:
Constant criticism of your actions
Micromanagement
Bypassing your role by directly interacting with the team
Undermining your suggestions
Doing your work without informing you
Your appraisal is dependent on this person
The consequences of the bosses like above:
– Impacts the Scrum Master’s morale
– Impedes the Scrum Master’s accountability
– Deteriorates the Scrum Team’s effectiveness
Step by Step strategy to address this issue:
- Self-Check & Reflect First
Before approaching your boss, reflect on:
- Are your suggestions clearly aligned with Agile Values, Principles and Scrum framework and explained well?
- Are there any moments of defensiveness or emotion that might be clouding the communication? This helps prepare for a calm, constructive discussion.
- Reframe the Conversation to Shared Goals
When you speak with your boss, shift the conversation from personal defence to team outcomes and organizational goals.
For example:
“I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can improve the team’s productivity and ownership. I’ve noticed a few patterns that may be affecting how we function as a Scrum Team. I’d love your help in aligning our efforts toward better results.”
Keep it about the team, not about you vs. your boss.
- Address Specific Behaviors—Not Personality
Use non-confrontational, factual observations.
Example phrasing:
“In our last Sprint, when the team was given direction directly from outside our Scrum Events, they seemed confused about priorities. It also led to some rework. I think this might be a good opportunity to re-emphasize the roles, so we stay aligned and move faster.”
Or:
“When suggestions are overridden without discussion, I sense it reduces the team’s buy-in. Could we explore these ideas in Sprint Retros or other collaborative settings first?”
This avoids blame, while surfacing the real issue.
- Educate Gently—Be a Coach, Even With Your Boss
As uncomfortable as it sounds, part of your role is to coach the organization in Scrum—including your boss.
Offer your boss Scrum guide references that explain your accountability as a Scrum Master.
Say something like:
“I wanted to share this so we’re all aligned. The Scrum Master’s role includes coaching, supporting self-management, and enabling the team to improve within the Scrum framework. I want to make sure I’m accountable for those areas and not accidentally bypassed.”
How could we both align to this goal with a mutual understanding?
- Create Transparency—Start With Agreements
Propose a lightweight working agreement between you and your boss:
- Who communicates with the team and when
- How suggestions for changes are handled
- Escalation vs collaboration
- Space to experiment as a Scrum Master
Position it as a mutual success plan:
“This will help me be more effective in serving the team and taking accountability, which I know is also what you want from me.”
- Feed forward
Take a proactive approach instead of reactive, in implementing any decisions. For example, as a Scrum Master you want to introduce CI/CD implementation to your Scrum Team. Before even informing to your team, you discuss this with your boss like below:
“In my previous company I had introduced CI/CD in my Scrum Team and it had resulted in 20% reduction of manual deployment efforts and increased 60% build stability. I observed that none of the Scrum Teams in our Organization are using the CI/CD yet, so if we introduce it in our team we will be the first team that can show some considerable improvements and the other teams also may show interest. With your support I am confident to introduce and implement in our team, what is your thought on this idea?”
- Document Patterns & Results
If things don’t improve after honest effort:
- Log specific incidents factually
- Show how these are affecting team morale, delivery, or adherence to Scrum
- Keep this for HR or future reference—but only if needed
- Find Support: HR, Agile Coaches, or Mentors
If the power dynamics are blocking your ability to work effectively even after all the above steps:
- Find a neutral internal mentor
- If your organization has Agile Coaches or HR Business Partners, involve them subtly
- Don’t go to HR with a complaint first—go with a concern and a pattern
- Protect Your Mental and Emotional Well-being
If after persistent, respectful efforts things don’t change, and you’re consistently undermined or disrespected, you may need to assess whether:
- The organization truly supports Scrum
- There are better environments for your growth
It’s not a failure to decide to protect your dignity and values. Whether you’re navigating life or pursuing a CSM course online training in Hyderabad, understanding your worth is essential. You can change people only who want to change (just like you can wake up a person who is really sleeping, but you can’t wake up a person who is acting sleeping). Similarly, at A CSM online training institute in Hyderabad, you’ll learn that leadership means guiding those who are willing—not forcing change on those who resist it. It is not required to spend your efforts in trying to change people who are intentionally committing mistakes.
